It ran from June 1982 - June 1987 and in my opinion was probably the best Spectrum magazine on the market. Especially for the programmers amongst us. Toni Baker was a regular contributor and each mag must have had at least 3 or 4 coding articles in both Basic and MC. The standard only went downhill right at the end but even then they were publishing coding articles, there was a very good series about writing LOM type games I remember and another about writing adventure games in MC.
I guess thats what killed it, the fact that the target audience was primarily the serious Spectrum user rather than the games player.
Yes, it was a good mag for its time; rather like the early Sinclair User and Sinclair Programs rolled into one. On the down side, it was bi-monthly and consequently the news and game reviews were invariably ancient compared to the other magazines at the time.
I'd guess that the rising games market, and the fact that many people who'd bought Spectrums and ZX81s to learn about computing and were moving on to other machines, was what killed it.
It ran from June 1982 - June 1987 and in my opinion was probably the best Spectrum magazine on the market. Especially for the programmers amongst us. Toni Baker was a regular contributor and each mag must have had at least 3 or 4 coding articles in both Basic and MC. The standard only went downhill right at the end but even then they were publishing coding articles, there was a very good series about writing LOM type games I remember and another about writing adventure games in MC.
I guess thats what killed it, the fact that the target audience was primarily the serious Spectrum user rather than the games player.
Oh and I didn't even mention the type-ins...
Don't suppose you know where abouts th LOM article is do you
Wow, yeah, I can't believe this was a new one for you either :) I was reading this way out in Canada where they stocked this in the local drugstore. It was the best of the hobby Sinclair magazines IMO with a great combination of smart articles and type-ins and they stayed that way when every other major Sinclair magazine went all games and entertainment in 1984.
Don't suppose you know where abouts th LOM article is do you
Many of the ZX Computing programming articles and type-in listings have been typed in, tested and are available at The Type Fantastic. The one you're asking about is Landscaper.
ZX Computing annoys me intensely to this very day as I "discovered" it about 2 months before it ceased publishing. For some reason I managed to be oblivious to its existence for 5 years, happily buying all the usual mags - and when I did get my hands on a copy I realised it was exactly what I wanted. Then it disappeared. Drat and double drat! Still haven't got over it...
ZX Computing was the best alongside Sinclair User although I missed the early issues of both these magazines which established their reputation. Both Dr. Frank O'Hara and Dr. Ian Logan wrote separately for ZX Computing and you can read these early articles on WOS/Archive/Magazines. The Frank O'Hara article in Issue 3 has been garbled by the typesetter but it is thought-provoking nontheless.
I have issue 1 of the magazine kicking around somewhere. I doubt it's worth a great deal though. It looks fairly comprehensive in its coverage of Spectrum matters, but comes across a little more hobby-ish than the later magazines such as YS, Sinclair User, Crash etc.
*Really* wish I discovered Speccy computer magazines well before May 1987...
I really find it hard to believe you were not aware of this one especially considering your own contribution to the scene, wonders never cease!
ZX Computing was always one of my favourites it had a certain "other" quality about it which differentiated it from other magazines, I've still got most of them from the first edition up until 86/87 when University kicked in and I had less time for the Spectrum, pity.
It seemed to be a bit more serious, don't know if that's really the right word for it, and agree with chasmongers - it was right up there with Your Computer for type-ins.
I really find it hard to believe you were not aware of this one especially considering your own contribution to the scene, wonders never cease!
I'm staggered myself. ZXC never got mentioned by the "big three" (or four, if you include C+VG) which is odd considering the three would always mention one another in jest.
Does anyone have any circulation figures for ZXC? I'm guessing it had limited distribution compared to the others, especially as it disappeared in 1987.
And why hasn't anyone created a website for it along the lines of what Jim, Matthew, Dave and I have done for YSp, Crash, SU and YSi?
This is really turning into a forgotten gem - I'm going to have to flick through some old issues, aren't I?
I'm staggered myself. ZXC never got mentioned by the "big three" (or four, if you include C+VG) which is odd considering the three would always mention one another in jest.
Does anyone have any circulation figures for ZXC? I'm guessing it had limited distribution compared to the others, especially as it disappeared in 1987.
And why hasn't anyone created a website for it along the lines of what Jim, Matthew, Dave and I have done for YSp, Crash, SU and YSi?
This is really turning into a forgotten gem - I'm going to have to flick through some old issues, aren't I?
I'll check out the magazine to see if they mention circulation figures, sometimes they published them.
I like the idea of a website, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month so who knows I might find the inspiration to go along with the spare time though it's a bit daunting to follow the sites you lot have put together...
I like the idea of a website, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month so who knows I might find the inspiration to go along with the spare time though it's a bit daunting to follow the sites you lot have put together...
Go for it. The YSRnRY articles archive got a boost due to my first (and only) period of redundancy back in '98. Don't be put off by the websites we do - it's the effort, ideas and enthusiasm which are greatly appreciated. It certainly isn't a race about who has the most coverage, etc. - the mags aren't going anywhere (once you have them, or scans of them), so it's not like it's a race against time or anything. If you want any advice, etc, then I'm sure the four of us will answer any questions when the time comes - and Martijn is a huge resource, too.
And commiserations about the redundancy - I hope you're getting more than the legal minimum as compensation and that you find a new job soon. Fortunately you're leaving during the part of the year where new vacancies are still relatively plentiful compared to, say, the run-up to Xmas.
Reading through a couple of issues, I see what you mean - it's VERY techy. A lot of this stuff really should be on a website - there's some good stuff here.
Reading through a couple of issues, I see what you mean - it's VERY techy. A lot of this stuff really should be on a website - there's some good stuff here.
Definitely agree with that. Whilst it was techy, it never seemed like you couldn't possibly achieve what the articles set out to teach. I remember Simon Goodwin used to write a articles in the early days and Toni Baker wrote a brilliant paint program over about 12 issues, oh she also (IMO) wrote the definitive article regarding streams and channels.
Reading through a couple of issues, I see what you mean - it's VERY techy. A lot of this stuff really should be on a website - there's some good stuff here.
The text and programs from all of Toni Baker's articles (and many others) in ZXC are ZIPped at TTFn - although I presume you're thinking more of HTML versions. One series which I found most useful was the Machine Code Calculator articles, which explained how to use the Spectrum ROMs calculator routines.
Definitely agree with that. Whilst it was techy, it never seemed like you couldn't possibly achieve what the articles set out to teach. I remember Simon Goodwin used to write a articles in the early days and Toni Baker wrote a brilliant paint program over about 12 issues, oh she also (IMO) wrote the definitive article regarding streams and channels.
Toni Baker's Light Screen Designer series ran for two years in ZXC (Jun/Jul'84-Jun'86). Unsurprisingly, it was the most difficult ZXC type-in to get working as, apart from its size and my own typing mistakes, most parts included enhancements, bug fixes and typo corrections for previous parts, plus there were other typos not noticed by the author which had to be tracked down and fixed as well. I wonder whether anyone working with tapes on a real Spectrum had the patience to persevere with it for two years?
The text of all 13 parts of the series, plus the final working program and a full annotated assembler listing are in the ZIP file linked above. The Streams and Channels articles and programs are also available.
Comments
It ran from June 1982 - June 1987 and in my opinion was probably the best Spectrum magazine on the market. Especially for the programmers amongst us. Toni Baker was a regular contributor and each mag must have had at least 3 or 4 coding articles in both Basic and MC. The standard only went downhill right at the end but even then they were publishing coding articles, there was a very good series about writing LOM type games I remember and another about writing adventure games in MC.
I guess thats what killed it, the fact that the target audience was primarily the serious Spectrum user rather than the games player.
Oh and I didn't even mention the type-ins...
I'd guess that the rising games market, and the fact that many people who'd bought Spectrums and ZX81s to learn about computing and were moving on to other machines, was what killed it.
Don't suppose you know where abouts th LOM article is do you
I didn't find ZXC until Aug 86. I was in absolute geek heaven at the contents, and bought every issue from then until its inevitable demise.
LOM type graphics? January 1987.
Write games in C using Z88DK and SP1
Many of the ZX Computing programming articles and type-in listings have been typed in, tested and are available at The Type Fantastic. The one you're asking about is Landscaper.
However the game reviews were rather short,, and once I discovered Crash I stopped buying ZX Computing.,
I really find it hard to believe you were not aware of this one especially considering your own contribution to the scene, wonders never cease!
ZX Computing was always one of my favourites it had a certain "other" quality about it which differentiated it from other magazines, I've still got most of them from the first edition up until 86/87 when University kicked in and I had less time for the Spectrum, pity.
It seemed to be a bit more serious, don't know if that's really the right word for it, and agree with chasmongers - it was right up there with Your Computer for type-ins.
I'm staggered myself. ZXC never got mentioned by the "big three" (or four, if you include C+VG) which is odd considering the three would always mention one another in jest.
Does anyone have any circulation figures for ZXC? I'm guessing it had limited distribution compared to the others, especially as it disappeared in 1987.
And why hasn't anyone created a website for it along the lines of what Jim, Matthew, Dave and I have done for YSp, Crash, SU and YSi?
This is really turning into a forgotten gem - I'm going to have to flick through some old issues, aren't I?
I'll check out the magazine to see if they mention circulation figures, sometimes they published them.
I like the idea of a website, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month so who knows I might find the inspiration to go along with the spare time though it's a bit daunting to follow the sites you lot have put together...
Go for it. The YSRnRY articles archive got a boost due to my first (and only) period of redundancy back in '98. Don't be put off by the websites we do - it's the effort, ideas and enthusiasm which are greatly appreciated. It certainly isn't a race about who has the most coverage, etc. - the mags aren't going anywhere (once you have them, or scans of them), so it's not like it's a race against time or anything. If you want any advice, etc, then I'm sure the four of us will answer any questions when the time comes - and Martijn is a huge resource, too.
And commiserations about the redundancy - I hope you're getting more than the legal minimum as compensation and that you find a new job soon. Fortunately you're leaving during the part of the year where new vacancies are still relatively plentiful compared to, say, the run-up to Xmas.
Because no-one read it for its games coverage?
I mean that in the nicest way possible.
Reading through a couple of issues, I see what you mean - it's VERY techy. A lot of this stuff really should be on a website - there's some good stuff here.
The text and programs from all of Toni Baker's articles (and many others) in ZXC are ZIPped at TTFn - although I presume you're thinking more of HTML versions. One series which I found most useful was the Machine Code Calculator articles, which explained how to use the Spectrum ROMs calculator routines.
Toni Baker's Light Screen Designer series ran for two years in ZXC (Jun/Jul'84-Jun'86). Unsurprisingly, it was the most difficult ZXC type-in to get working as, apart from its size and my own typing mistakes, most parts included enhancements, bug fixes and typo corrections for previous parts, plus there were other typos not noticed by the author which had to be tracked down and fixed as well. I wonder whether anyone working with tapes on a real Spectrum had the patience to persevere with it for two years?
The text of all 13 parts of the series, plus the final working program and a full annotated assembler listing are in the ZIP file linked above. The Streams and Channels articles and programs are also available.