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''Personal Computer World'' (''PCW'') (February 1978 - June 2009) was the first British
computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...
magazine. Although for at least the last decade it contained a high proportion of Windows PC content (reflecting the state of the IT field), the magazine's title was not intended as a specific reference to this. At its inception in 1978 'personal computer' was still a generic term (the
Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...
, Commodore PET, PET 2001 and TRS-80 had been launched as personal computers in 1977.) The magazine came out before the Wintel (or IBM PC compatible) platform existed; the original
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...
itself was introduced in 1981. Similarly, the magazine was unrelated to the Amstrad PCW.


History

''PCW'' was founded by the
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
n-born Angelo Zgorelec"About the authors"
visit-croatia.co.uk. Article retrieved 2006-11-24.
in 1978,
Personal Computer World (via visit-croatia.co.uk). Article retrieved 2006-11-24.
and was the first microcomputer magazine in Britain. PCW’s first cover model, in February 1978, was the Nascom-1, which also partly inspired Zgorelec to launch the magazine. Its August 1978 issue featured the colour capabilities of the
Apple II Apple II ("apple Roman numerals, two", stylized as Apple ][) is a series of microcomputers manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1977 to 1993. The Apple II (original), original Apple II model, which gave the series its name, was designed ...
. ''PCW'' went monthly from the second edition. Zgorelec went into partnership with Felix Dennis who published his first issue in September 1979. before selling the title to Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen, VNU in 1982. The magazine was later owned by Incisive Media, which announced its closure on 8 June 2009. As the magazine was launched four years before the first
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...
(reviewed in the magazine in November 1981) the magazine originally covered early self-build microcomputers. It later expanded its coverage to all kinds of microcomputers from
home computer Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...
s to
workstation A workstation is a special computer designed for technical or computational science, scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by a single user, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating syste ...
s, as the industry evolved. Regular features in the earlier years of the magazine were Guy Kewney's ''Newsprint'' section, ''Benchtests'' (in-depth computer reviews), ''Subset'', covering machine code programming, type-in program listings, ''Bibliofile'' (book reviews), the ''Computer Answers'' help column, ''Checkouts'' (brief hardware reviews) ''TJ's Workshop'' (for terminal junkies), ''Screenplay'' for game reviews and ''Banks' Statement'', the regular column from Martin Banks. In 1983 Jerry Sanders joined the staff as Features Editor and wrote the first published review of Microsoft Word 1.0 for the magazine. The cover style, with a single photo or illustration dominating the page, was adopted soon after its launch and continued until the early 1990s. The cover photos were often humorous, such as showing each new computer made by Sinclair being used by chimpanzees, a tradition that started with the ZX81. PCW eagerly promoted new computers as they appeared, including the
BBC Micro The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a family of microcomputers developed and manufactured by Acorn Computers in the early 1980s as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project. Launched in December 1981, it was showcased across severa ...
. The magazine also sponsored the Personal Computer World Show, an annual consumer and
trade fair A trade show, also known as trade fair, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific Industry (economics), industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest Product (business), products and se ...
held in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
every September from 1978 to 1989. The magazine underwent a major reader marketing push in 1992, resulting in its circulation figure rising from a middle-ranking 80,000 to more than 155,000 at a time when personal computing was becoming hugely popular thanks to Windows 3.1 and
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...
clones flooding the market. PCW battled with rivals '' Computer Shopper'', '' PC Direct'', ''
PC Magazine ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and continues . Overview ''PC Mag ...
'' and '' PC Pro'' for several thousand pages of advertising each month, resulting in magazines that could run to over 700 pages. The magazine typically came with a cover-mounted
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
or DVD-ROM, which held additional content. Although the magazines themselves were identical, the DVD version cost more than the CD-ROM version. During a brief period in 2001, the magazine was (effectively) sold as 'PCW' as part of a major overhaul of the magazine design and content, but this abbreviation was dropped from the cover after just a few issues. The content also reverted from having been a bit more consumer electronics focused to return to its roots. The magazine changed (both in terms of style and content) on many occasions after its launch. The last major change took place with the November 2005 issue, when the magazine was relaunched with an updated look (including glossier paper and a redesigned layout), new features, fewer advertising pages, and a slightly higher price tag. Editors of the 1990s include Guy Swarbrick
Ben TisdallSimon RockmanGordon Laing
an
Riyad Emeran
At the time of its closure, the editor wa
Kelvyn Taylor


Closure

The magazine was closed in June 2009, with owners Incisive Media quoting poor sales and a difficult economic climate for newsstand titles. At the time of closing, it was the second most popular monthly technology title in the UK, with an audited circulation figure of 54,069 Its last issue, dated August 2009, was published on 8 June 2009. This final issue made no mention of its being the last one, and advertised a never to be published September issue. Subscribers were offered the option of a refund, or transferring their subscriptions to ''PCWs sister magazine, '' Computeractive''. At its close ''PCW'' featured a mixture of articles, mainly related to the
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
PC, with some
Linux Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...
and
Macintosh Mac is a brand of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 1984. The name is short for Macintosh (its official name until 1999), a reference to the McIntosh (apple), McIntosh apple. The current product lineup inclu ...
-related content. The news pages included reports on various new technologies. Other parts of the magazine contained reviews of computers and software. There was also a 'Hands On' section which was more tutorial-based. Advertising still made up a proportion of its bulk, although it had diminished somewhat since its peak in the 1990s.


References


External links


Computer magazine history featuring ''PCW''


* 1978-June 1989
''Personal Computer World'' magazine Library at the Centre for Computing History

''UK Press Gazette'' reports closure of title


* Archived Personal Computer World magazines on the
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
{{Incisive Media Home computer magazines Defunct computer magazines published in the United Kingdom Video game magazines published in the United Kingdom VNU Business Media publications Magazines established in 1978 Magazines disestablished in 2009 1978 establishments in the United Kingdom 2009 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines published in London