GS WorldView: February MM Computist: An Historical Note by Rubywand Having covers for both issues #13 and #14 to view, (see Celt's most recent Computist Project Update) it was easy to notice a change in the magazine motto. Issue #13 proclaims that Computist is about "How to backup, unlock, or modify copy-protected software". In issue #14 the magazine is "For The Serious User Of Apple ][ Computers". It struck me that, in all the years I read and, eventually, wrote for Computist, I never paid much attention to the motto. How often, I wondered, had it changed? Which led to a search through our collection. The motto on the cover of the first Computist issue (when the magazine was called "Hardcore Computist") says the publication is "for the serious Apple-user and hard-core Computist". (This is just below the "Hardcore" part of the logo.) "Computist" is in larger type and bold face followed by the issue #. So, part of the publication's logo is worked into the motto. By the way, the scanned issue currently-- February 2000-- shown as Issue #1 in the archive is actually the premier issue of another magazine. Computist begins with Hardcore Computist #1. The cover shows closeups of two bugs with a headline of "NO MORE BUGS!".) The original motto lasts until the switch to the name "Computist" in Issue #5. Okay; you can still find "Hardcore" in small type in the upper left part of the logo; but, more and more, users and article contributors were using just "Computist". (I never did like the "Hardcore" part and routinely tried to slip in references to "Computist" in my submissions. Just as routinely, the editor would add "Hardcore" back in.) "How to backup, unlock, or modify copy-protected software" first surfaces on the Issue #3 cover as a headline above the logo. The headline persists until the fifth issue, where the "for the serious Apple-user" ... is missing below the the new "Computist" logo. This leaves the headline (now in smaller type) as the new motto. Computist had found its niche in the fiercely competitive Apple II magazine market. It continued to publish occasional articles about hardware modifications, etc. and some reviews; but, primarily, it avoided competition in areas dominated by inCider, Nibble, and other large Apple II publications. Instead, it became THE place everyone looked for information about copying, deprotecting, and modifying software-- chiefly games. For several issues, a star attraction was publication of the latest Locksmith, Copy II Plus, E.D.D., ... parms for copying protected software. This continued (as did the motto) for a time even after the major copiers began to include parm libraries; however, the 'handwriting was on the wall' for any mag which emphasized making copies. Computist responded by switching to a focus upon deprotection. Copiers could only duplicate. A deprotected copy was much better because it could be easily backed up and there are lots more interesting things you can do with a deprotected copy. For instance, you can easily map all of those castles and dungeons, 'enhance' your characters, and get around bothersome codewheel protection schemes. The end of the simple "make a backup" market also saw more emphasis upon adventuring hints. Computist got back into reviews, too. This shift is reflected in a new motto: "For The Serious User of Apple ][ Computers" on the Issue #14 cover. The magazine continued to be for 'Serious Apple II Users' for nearly forty more issues, long after the "Hardcore" was dropped from the logo for Issue #27. About the only concession to the arrival of the IIgs was an adjustment changing "Apple ][ Computers" to "A-II Computers" starting with Issue #49 in November 1987. By the late '80's, "][" was too obviously archaic. I'm not sure what was wrong with just swapping in "II", unless "A-II" was intended to also get rid of the name "Apple". For sure, by late 1987, anyone with a business stake in Apple II computing was becoming very annoyed with Apple's treatment of the II series. Possibly, though, "A-II" is more cryptic and easier to change to something else. In any case, it lasted for only two issues. The final motto change comes on the issue #51 cover: "For The Serious User Of Personal Computers". 'Reality', so to speak, had arrived. Even so, the first section of "IBM" adventure hints and deprotects did not surface until the next issue and reviews of PC software were still several issues away. Computist never tried to become a PC magazine. We (by this time I was on the 'staff') did many PC stuff reviews because we knew our readers were buying PC's and, because, eventually, PC stuff was about the only new stuff out there. From the first issue through Issue #68 (when use of a motto was dropped) and on to the final published issue (#89), Computist remained, primarily, an Apple II magazine 'for Serious Apple II Users'.