Historical Technology Books: A+: The Independent Guide for Apple Computing (Volume 1, Number 1) (1983) - 13 in a series
Technology isn't just computers, networks and phones. Technology has always been part of the human experience. All of our ancestors have looked for ways to help the survive and do less work for more gain. Archive.org has a host of old technology books (from mid-19th to mid-20th Century) available in many formats and on a host of topics. Many of the technologies discussed within these books are being put to use again these days in the back to the land" and homesteading movements. You might even find something that could address one of your own garden or farm issues, but has been lost to time and history. Enjoy! --Douglas
I avidly read A+ when I was in college and beyond. I was an Apple II user first, so it was always the most interesting to me. Looking back over these old magazines is like opening a time capsule. There is so much there that is familiar, but you have to be reminded that it existed in the first place. — Douglas
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We have come an incredibly long way since those early days of personal computing in the mid- seventies, when only engineers and programmers could master the power behind the first personal computers. With the advent of mass-marketed hardware and software, personal computers are now used in all walks of life, by all kinds of people—people like you, who are using your personal computers for such diverse purposes as running your businesses, monitoring your investments, and educating your children. And as you know, because you had to make a choice among equipment, the personal computer market is intensely competitive. Industry analysts all concur that a “shake out” in the personal computer arena is imminent. With nearly a million units being used actively and new products in the offing, there is no doubt that Apple Computer will continue to be a leader in the personal computer field.
It is with this knowledge—that Apple Computer is a remarkably successful company that produces innovative products, attracts top-quality people, and has a vision for the future—that Ziff-Davis Publishing decided it was time to create a definitive magazine to serve the needs of
I am looking forward to the challenge of providing interesting and useful information on a monthly basis. the ever-growing Apple computer community. Thus, I welcome you to A + , the magazine for Apple computer users.
Some of you may know of me through my previous incarnation as the editor-in-chief of Infoworld, the newsweekly for microcomputer users. During my years there, I chronicled the growth of Apple Computer from a two-man, garage-based operation into a 4,000- strong Fortune 500 company. I met many of the main players at Apple, from Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak to Mike 10 Markula and John Scully. I was fortunate to get to know the people who designed, built, promoted, and delivered the products you use today. My overall impression was and still is of respect and admiration. That is not to say that Apple Computer has not had its share of flops and problems, but it is to say that Apple Computer is a company that embodies the American dream—an entrepeneurial dream come true. But equally important to financial success has been the vision that motivates the people who work for Apple. The energetic and youthful staff at Apple Computer fervently believes that the products it produces and sells are not only innovative, but that these products actually improve the world we live and work in, and enhance the meaning of the commonplace. Some might argue the merits of this mentality, however, I personally believe that this attitude will help Apple compete successfully against IBM. So, having covered Apple for years from the news point of view, I am pleased to join Ziff-Davis Publishing to create a new family of magazines for the Apple Computer user community.
As the editor of A + , I am looking forward to the challenge of providing interesting and useful information on a monthly basis. I am targeting the editorial at the typical Apple user, whom marketing types like to refer to as an “achiever.” An “achiever” can be described as a man or woman in the age group of 18-45, who is using an Apple computer for professional purposes. (Marketing types also like to include the go-getter, risk taker, and sports enthusiast in this definition, but not many of us Apple users are all those things, so I prefer to leave that to the marketeers.) Professional uses span the entire spectrum of the working world, from writing a manuscript to keeping the books to forecasting markets, from working at home to working in a large corporation. We will concentrate on the Apple II and Apple He for the obvious reason that they are the most prevalent products. However, we will include regular articles on the Apple III and the Lisa, as well as new products, such as the Mackintosh, when they are introduced.
The emphasis of the articles will be on practical applications, from word processing to database management to telecommunications and so forth. Although we are not aiming at the neophyte computer user, we do aim to educate. The goal of each issue will be to provide you with information on new ways to use your Apple and teach you how to use the available software and hardware to its fullest extent. Product reviews will be an integral part of A + . As the creator of the Report Card review section of Info- World, 1 am keenly aware of the importance of critically evaluating the myriad products you must try to choose from.
The emphasis of the articles will be on practical applications.
Although we will be emphasizing off- the-shelf software, we will also be running regular features on programming tips, what’s new in languages, information on utilities, and such. Fun is not to be neglected either, and each issue will have numerous game reviews in our That’s Entertainment section.
Besides monthly articles on how to use your Apple most effectively and hardware and software reviews, there will be regular departments on users’ groups, new products, questions and answers (Rescue Squad), interesting tidbits (Dispatches), and education, as well as tutorials and columnists. This first issue will give you a taste of what is to come as we forge ahead with A + .
Always, when you start a new project, you want to thank all the folks who helped you pull together what you thought was the impossible dream, but to thank all the individuals for their contributions in this project would take up half the magazine. However, I will take a little space to say thanks to the people in Ziff-Davis who worked so hard to produce the first issue of A + . And I would also like to thank Kathleen Dixon, John Fenwick, and Rene Olson of Apple Computer and Steve Rosenthal for their invaluable assistance in this first effort.
Finally, I have a request for our new readers. This magazine is in existence to serve you, so let me know what you think by writing me letters with criticisms and, if you will, suggestions for articles that you would like to see in . I am looking forward to hearing from you and making A + the best editorial product possible!!
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** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library
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