''Personal Computer News'' (''PCN'') was a magazine publication which reviewed software and hardware for computers. It was published initially fortnightly, and during the boom period of home computing within the United Kingdom. It was published by VNU Publications and had a female editor, Cyndy Miles, unusual for computer magazines of the time.Lesley Wells, "My blind date with a home computer", ''The Times'', 9 April 1983. Its first issue was published on 12 March 1983. Its last issue, number 110, was published on 11 May 1985. It had a circulation of 150,000 in 1983. ''PCN'' had a lot of competition which peaked around mid-1984 with about 96 rival titles. It closed with an estimated £1 million in debts. ''PCN'' was unusual in being a weekly publication (most of its rivals were monthly with only two weeklies) and was a higher quality print with a glossy cover. Many of the monthlies were also glossies but ''PCN'' had the high cover price of 50p compared to the other weeklies. Its most direct rival ''

Popular Computing Weekly ''Popular Computing Weekly'' was a computer magazine in the UK published from 1982 to 1990. It was sometimes referred to as ''PCW'' (although that abbreviation is more commonly associated with ''Personal Computer World'' magazine). Overview T ...

'' was priced at only 35p. A typical issue contained a number of articles, reviews, tutorials in computer programming and letters from readers on programming subjects. It had a regular column called Dungeon which concentrated on text adventures. Readout reviewed new books, and Gameplay reviewed new games. Other sections such as Hardware and Peripherals regularly appeared, but contained different products as they were released. It is notable for containing articles, and programs, on a large number of computers that have slipped into obscurity. It also published a large number of computer games which readers could type in. The

British Microcomputing Awards British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

were sponsored by VNU and heavily covered in ''PCN'' in conjunction with the ''

Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'' and

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...

."British Microcomputing Awards", ''Sunday Times'', 18 December 1983. It disappeared very suddenly with its last issue and without warning. Issue 110 featured part two of a three part article about modern adventure games. The third part was therefore lost.

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* {{Internet Archive, PersonalComputerNews Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct computer magazines published in the United Kingdom Biweekly magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines disestablished in 1985 Magazines established in 1983