Popular Computing Weekly
{{Short description|Computer magazine published in the UK}}
{{distinguish|Popular Computing}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = Popular Computing Weekly
| logo =
| logo_size = 180px
| image_file = Popular Computing Weekly May 1-7 1986, Vol. 5 Issue 18 Cover.jpg
| image_size = 180px
| image_alt = Issue cover for Popular Computing Weekly, 1–7 May 1986, Vol 5 No 18
| image_caption = {{date|1986-05-01|DMY}} issue cover
| editor =
| editor_title =
| previous_editor =
| staff_writer =
| photographer =
| category = Video game
| frequency = Weekly
| format = A4
| circulation =
| publisher = {{unbulleted list|Sunshine Publications|{{Interlanguage link|Focus Publishing|en|Focus Publishing|lt=Focus Publishing|qid=Q108453868}}}}
| paid_circulation =
| unpaid_circulation =
| circulation_year =
| total_circulation =
| founder =
| founded =
| firstdate = {{Start date and age|1982|04|23|df=y}}
| finaldate = {{Start date and age|1990|06|14|df=y}}
| finalnumber = 415
| company =
| country = United Kingdom
| based = London
| language = English
| website =
| issn = 0265-0509
| eissn =
| oclc = 476459425
}}
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
The magazine was first published on 23 April 1982.{{cite web |date=10 April 2007 |others=Material from David Harrison |title=List of all general computer magazines known to me that were first published at the latest 1985, perhaps 1986 |url=http://wouter.bbcmicro.net:80/bbc/tijdschriften.txt |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304121050id_/http://wouter.bbcmicro.net:80/bbc/tijdschriften.txt |archivedate=4 March 2012 |accessdate=1 February 2017 |work=BBC Micro dot net |language=en-GB}} Its subject range was general, covering gaming, business, and productivity software. The founding company was Sunshine Publications{{cite news |author=Smith |first=Tony |date=3 January 2013 |title=MEGAGRAPH: 1983's UK home computer chart toppers |url=https://www.theregister.com/2013/01/03/charted_1983_home_computer_sales_in_uk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717065941/https://www.theregister.com/2013/01/03/charted_1983_home_computer_sales_in_uk/ |archive-date=17 July 2020 |accessdate=1 February 2017 |work=The Register |language=en-GB}} based in London and the launch editor was Duncan Scot. During 1989 it incorporated Computer Gamesweek.
It was noteworthy for being the UK's only national weekly computer magazine of the time, and for its back page being dominated by an advertisement in the form of a comic strip, Piman, by the firm Automata UK between the years 1983 and 1986.
A further noteworthy feature of the early editions was the high-quality artwork on the magazine covers. These had disappeared by 1983.
One other noteworthy and regular column was about adventure games, notably text adventures. Reviews and cryptic spoilers were eagerly awaited. Readers who had completed the hugely successful text adventure The Hobbit, first released on the ZX Spectrum were invited to add their names to a "Hobbit Hall of Fame." The magazine folded with issue 415 published in June 1990.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly Popular Computing Weekly] scanned issues on the Internet Archive
Category:1982 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:1990 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Category:Video game magazines published in the United Kingdom
Category:Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom
Category:Defunct computer magazines published in the United Kingdom
Category:Home computer magazines
Category:Magazines published in London
Category:Magazines established in 1982
Category:Magazines disestablished in 1990
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