80-Bus News

Editorial

Welcome to 80-BUS News.

This is the first issue of a magazine which is to be published six times a year. The aim of 80-BUS News is to provide owners of Nascom and Gemini systems with a comprehensive guide to the equipment that they own, and to provide information on the extremely wide range of further hardware and software products which are available for their machines. There are already some 10 manufacturers producing over 20 Bus-compatible cards, which must make the 80-BUS the most widely supported Bus structure by British manufacturers.

Each issue of 80-BUS News will provide a blend of hardware and software reviews, articles on hardware construction and on programming, a number of tips and hints, letters received from readers, and hopefully some occasional light relief – all with the aim of assisting both Nascom and Gemini owners to obtain the maximum use and/or pleasure from their chosen equipment.

80-BUS News also incorporates INMC80 News. This was a somewhat irregular magazine originally set up to promote discussion relating to Nascom equipment. With the availability of a very wide range of compatible product from sources other than Nascom, and with the arrival of the Gemini processor cards that can use many of the same expansion products as the Nascom, it has become much more appropriate to produce a magazine that is allied to the 80-BUS/​Nasbus bus structure as opposed to the one specific manufacturer.

A major objective of 80-BUS News is to act as a central discussion point for Nascom and Gemini users. The contents of the magazine will reflect the range of articles submitted or requested by the readers. If you believe that there is not enough coverage of any specific topic, then YOU can correct this by sending in YOUR articles and letters.

In this issue you will notice that a lot of space is devoted to disk systems. The proportion of space dedicated to disks reflects the balance of articles received. I summise that it is mainly the very dedicated computer users who write articles and send them in, and that these same people are the ones busy expanding their systems to include disks – thus there are many articles about disks. I also recognise that a very large number of readers, although possibly interested to read about how their computers can be upgraded in this way, may not want to spend such a large amount of money on what may well be a hobby. So....​it’s bribery time! In contrast to INMC80, 80-BUS News will make nominal payments for every single word published (apart from Adverts – I don’t think that’s quite on!!) The writer of any letter published in future issues will receive £3, and the author of any article or program £10, per published page. I hope that this gesture will encourage many people who have been sitting quietly on the sidelines to come forward and start making noises about why their system is so great, even with (or because of!) no disk drives.

Advertisers in 80-BUS News are also very welcome, on two counts. Firstly the revenue from adverts helps to keep our cost down and thus will hold back magazine price rises, and secondly the reader gets the opportunity of seeing the availability of some of the vast array of products that are compatible with their chosen Nascom or Gemini system. Potential advertisers please write for details of our ridiculously low rates.

Well that’s all from me for this issue. If you like or dislike what you see, please let me know. I look forward to receiving your comments and articles.