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Vizastar
Vizastar was the first integrated software package for the Commodore 64 home computer. At the time of its introduction it was the only package for the C64 with features comparable to Lotus 1-2-3, including spreadsheet, database and graphics components. It had the ability to split or merge files between the database and spreadsheet components and could split the screen into up to nine windows. To alleviate the C64's somewhat limited memory capacity when running complex software, Vizastar included a ROM cartridge that provided an additional 4K RAM and also served as a form of copy protection. This allowed the program to remain compatible with third-party floppy disk drives for the C64, such as the Indus GT and MSD Super Disk, unlike many copy protected packages. Commodore serial printers were supported, as were RS-232 and Centronics printers with the appropriate interface. The spreadsheet had a maximum size of 1000 rows by 64 columns, or 64,000 cells, but because only about 10k of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Integrated Software
Integrated software is a software for personal computers that combines the most commonly used functions of many productivity software programs into one application. The integrated software genre has been largely overshadowed by fully functional office suites, most notably Microsoft Office, but at one time was considered the "killer application" type responsible for the rise and dominance of the IBM PC in the desktop business computing world. In the early days of the PC before GUIs became common, user interfaces were text-only and were operated mostly by function key and modifier key sequences. Every program used a different set of keystrokes, making it difficult for a user to master more than one or two programs. Programs were loaded from floppy disk, making it very slow and inconvenient to switch between programs and difficult or impossible to exchange data between them (to transfer the results from a spreadsheet to a word processor document for example). In response to these li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MSD Super Disk
The MSD Super Disk were a series of 5¼-inch floppy disk drives compatible to some degree with the Commodore 1541 disk drive. produced by Micro Systems Development (Dallas, Texas; later MSD Systems) for use with Commodore International, Commodore 8-bit home computers. Two different versions of the MSD Super Disk were available: the single-drive model, SD-1; and the dual-drive model, SD-2. Introduction Introduced in 1983, the MSD Super Disk drives were the first third-party devices designed for compatibility with the Commodore 64, although other manufacturers soon followed suit. The MSD drives include both an IEEE-488 Parallel port, parallel interface and the custom Commodore Serial port, serial interface. Therefore, they can be connected to any Commodore 8-bit system, from the Commodore PET to the Commodore 64, C64 and Commodore 128, C128, without any converters or other add-on devices. Features and pricing The MSD SD-1 was more expensive than the Commodore 1541. For instance, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Info (magazine)
''.info'' (originally ''INFO=64'' and later ''INFO'') was a computer magazine covering Commodore 8-bit computers and later the Amiga. It was published from 1983 to 1992. History ''INFO=64'' began as a newsletter published by its founder, Benn Dunnington, operating out of a spare bedroom in his home. After a few issues, the entrepreneurial spirit struck and he decided to expand it into a full-fledged magazine. The first few issues of the magazine were published by Dunnington operating as a sole proprietorship in the state of Washington. After a few issues, he moved the company to Iowa, eventually incorporating as ''Info Publications, Inc.''. This, in turn, became a limited partnership, (''Info Publications Ltd''), which published the magazine until its demise. ''INFO=64'' was produced using personal computers. An editorial statement in each issue explained that the magazine was produced using only "lay equipment", such as home computers and 35mm cameras, that were inexpensively ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commodore Microcomputers
''Commodore Power/Play'' was one of a pair of computer magazines published by Commodore Business Machines in the United States in support of their 8-bit home computer lines of the 1980s. The other was called ''Commodore Interface'', changed to just ''Commodore'' in 1981, ''Commodore Microcomputer'' in 1983, and finally to ''Commodore Microcomputers'' in 1984 and for the rest of its run. The two magazines were published on an alternating, bimonthly schedule. History and profile ''Power/Play'' was started in 1982 as a quarterly publication. The magazine was targeted at the home computer user, emphasizing video games, educational and hobbyist uses of the Commodore 64/128 and VIC-20 models. ''Commodore Microcomputers'' initially served Commodore's business customers using the PET and CBM lines but as the business market segments standardized on CP/M and later MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x8 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Compute!'s Gazette
''Compute!'s Gazette'' (), stylized as ''COMPUTE!'s Gazette'', was a computer magazine of the 1980s, directed at users of Commodore's 8-bit home computers. Announced as ''The Commodore Gazette'', it was a Commodore-only daughter magazine of the computer hobbyist magazine ''Compute!''. It was first published in July 1983. It contained both standard articles and type-in programs. Many of these programs were quite long and sophisticated. To assist in entry, ''Gazette'' published several utilities. The Automatic Proofreader provided checksum capabilities for BASIC programs, while machine language listings could be entered with MLX. Starting in May 1984, a companion disk with each issue's programs was available to subscribers for an extra fee. Perhaps its most popular and enduring type-in application was the ''SpeedScript'' word processor. A monthly column, "The VIC Magician" by Michael Tomczyk, presented BASIC programming tips and tricks for the VIC-20 and Commodore 64. The publ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commodore 128
The Commodore 128, also known as the C128, C-128, C= 128,The "C=" represents the graphical part of the logo. is the last 8-bit home computer that was commercially released by Commodore Business Machines (CBM). Introduced in January 1985 at the CES in Las Vegas, it appeared three years after its predecessor, the bestselling computer in the 80s Commodore 64. The C128 is a significantly expanded successor to the C64, with nearly full compatibility. The newer machine has 128 KB of RAM in two 64 KB banks, and an 80-column color video output. It has a redesigned case and keyboard. Also included is a Zilog Z80 CPU which allows the C128 to run CP/M, as an alternative to the usual Commodore BASIC environment. The presence of the Z80 and the huge CP/M software library it brings, coupled with the C64's software library, gave the C128 one of the broadest ranges of available software among its competitors. The primary hardware designer of the C128 was Bil Herd, who had worked ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macro (computer Science)
In computer programming, a macro (short for "macro instruction"; ) is a rule or pattern that specifies how a certain input should be mapped to a replacement output. Applying a macro to an input is known as macro expansion. The input and output may be a sequence of lexical tokens or characters, or a syntax tree. Character macros are supported in software applications to make it easy to invoke common command sequences. Token and tree macros are supported in some programming languages to enable code reuse or to extend the language, sometimes for domain-specific languages. Macros are used to make a sequence of computing instructions available to the programmer as a single program statement, making the programming task less tedious and less error-prone. (Thus, they are called "macros" because a "big" block of code can be expanded from a "small" sequence of characters.) Macros often allow positional or keyword parameters that dictate what the conditional assembler program generates ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centronics
Centronics Data Computer Corporation was an American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name, the Centronics connector. History Foundations Centronics began as a division of Wang Laboratories. Founded and initially operated by Robert Howard (president) and Samuel Lang (vice president and owner of the well known K & L Color Photo Service Lab in New York City), the group produced remote terminals and systems for the casino industry. Printers were developed to print receipts and transaction reports. Wang spun off the business in 1971 and Centronics was formed as a corporation in Hudson, New Hampshire with Howard as president and chairman. The Centronics Model 101 was introduced at the 1970 National Computer Conference in May. The print head used an innovative seven-wire solenoid impact system. Based on this design, Centronics later developed the first dot matrix impact printer (while the first such printer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 or Recommended Standard 232 is a standard originally introduced in 1960 for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines signals connecting between a ''DTE'' (''data terminal equipment'') such as a computer terminal, and a ''DCE'' (''data circuit-terminating equipment'' or ''data communication equipment''), such as a modem. The standard defines the electrical characteristics and timing of signals, the meaning of signals, and the physical size and pinout of connectors. The current version of the standard is ''TIA-232-F Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data Interchange'', issued in 1997. The RS-232 standard had been commonly used in computer serial ports and is still widely used in industrial communication devices. A serial port complying with the RS-232 standard was once a standard feature of many types of computers. Personal computers used them for connection ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indus GT
The Indus GT is a -inch floppy disk drive that was introduced by Indus Systems in 1983 for the Atari 8-bit family. It was later released for the Apple II and Commodore 64. On the Atari, it was widely regarded as the best drive of the era, with the most features, highest performance, and even best industrial design. They were known for the advertising slogan, "Turn your Atari into a Ferrari". The GT was sold until around 1987, at which point the rights were sold to Logical Design Works and reintroduced as the LDW Super 2000, sold primarily into Poland, and the CA-2001, sold into the US. The GT drive is housed in a black metal case and the opening in the front for the floppy was covered by a flip-open smoked plexiglass door that makes the unit look completely sealed when closed. A two-digit seven-segment LED display is on the face of the unit behind the door, but remains readable even with the door closed. Buttons beside the display allow the user to select among track number, mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time, with independent estimates placing the number sold between 12.5 and 17 million units. Volume production started in early 1982, marketing in August for . Preceded by the VIC-20 and Commodore PET, the C64 took its name from its of RAM. With support for multicolor sprites and a custom chip for waveform generation, the C64 could create superior visuals and audio compared to systems without such custom hardware. The C64 dominated the low-end computer market (except in the UK and Japan, lasting only about six months in Japan) for most of the later years of the 1980s. For a substantial period (1983–1986), the C64 had between 30% and 40% share of the US market and two mil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Floppy Disk
A floppy disk or floppy diskette (casually referred to as a floppy, or a diskette) is an obsolescent type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined with a fabric that removes dust particles from the spinning disk. Floppy disks store digital data which can be read and written when the disk is inserted into a floppy disk drive (FDD) connected to or inside a computer or other device. The first floppy disks, invented and made by IBM, had a disk diameter of . Subsequently, the 5¼-inch and then the 3½-inch became a ubiquitous form of data storage and transfer into the first years of the 21st century. 3½-inch floppy disks can still be used with an external USB floppy disk drive. USB drives for 5¼-inch, 8-inch, and other-size floppy disks are rare to non-existent. Some individuals and organizations continue to use older equipment to read or transfer data from floppy disks. Floppy disk ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
