Sinclair User

{{Short description|Computer magazine published until April 1993}}

{{Infobox magazine

|title = Sinclair User

|image_file = sinclair user cover.jpg

|image_caption = Cover from 1987

|editor =

|editor_title =

|previous_editor = Apr 1982: John Sterlicchi
May '82 - Jan '84: Nigel Clark
Feb '84 - May '86: Bill Scolding
Jun '86 - Apr '88: David Kelly
Mar '88 - May '89: Graham Taylor
Jun '89 - Nov '90: Jim Douglas
Dec '90 - Apr '92: Garth Sumpter
May '92 - May '93: Alan Dykes

|staff_writer =

|frequency = Monthly

|circulation = 96,000 (July 1984)

|category = Computer magazines

|company = ECC Publications (Apr 1982 - Aug 1984)
EMAP (Sep 84 - May 1993)

|publisher =

|firstdate = April 1982

|country = United Kingdom

|based =

|language = English

|website =

|issn = 0262-5458

|finaldate = April 1993

|finalnumber = 134{{cite web

|url = https://sinclairuser.com/134/index.htm

|title = April 1993, Issue 134

|publisher = Sinclair User Magazine Online

|work = sinclairuser.com

|access-date = 2022-06-27

|url-status = live

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210413035626/https://sinclairuser.com/134/index.htm

|archive-date = 2021-04-13

}} (133rd issueSinclair User skipped issue 97 with the April 1990 magazine being assigned issue number 98 incorrectly, instead of 97. This error was then propagated until the final issue.)

}}

Sinclair User was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum (while also occasionally covering arcade games). Initially published by ECC Publications, and later EMAP, it was published in the UK between 1982 and 1993, and was the longest running Sinclair-based magazine. The magazine contained news, game reviews, previews, tips, help guides, columns, readers' letters, and cover-mounted game demos.

History

Image:Sinclair User Early Example FAIR USE ONLY.jpg

In earlier years, the magazine built up personality cults around some of its "hilariously" monikered staff, including Bill "Incorruptible" Scolding, John "Disgusting" Gilbert, Chris "Lunchbreaks" Bourne, Claire "Ligger" Edgely, Richard Price (writer of the "Gordo Greatbelly" adventure tips section), and columnist Andrew Hewson (founder of Hewson Consultants software).

Under David Kelly's editorial tenure, the magazine began to focus more on the gaming scene, and featured more colour graphics under designer Gareth "the Mad Celt". By the time of editor Graham Taylor, the magazine included the cartoon character Kamikaze Bear, and the tone of the publication changed from a semi-serious magazine to something aimed more at children.{{Cite web |title=Sinclair User Magazine at Simplyeighties.com |url=https://www.simplyeighties.com/sinclair-user.php |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=www.simplyeighties.com}}

High-quality games were indicated in reviews via the "Sinclair User Classic" award, the logo was used as a selling point for games, big and small.{{Cite web |title= Sinclair User |url=https://worldofspectrum.org//pub/sinclair/games-adverts/b/Batman-TheMovie.jpg |website=World of Spectrum}}

In May 1992 the former rival publication CRASH was notionally subsumed into Sinclair User but in practice this meant little more than the addition of the Crash! logo to the magazine's cover page.

''Timex Sinclair User''

Image:Timex Sinclair User FAIR USE ONLY.jpg

A short-lived{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/timex/tsuser.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-03-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113201437/http://www.worldofspectrum.org/timex/tsuser.htm |archive-date=2012-01-13 }} spin-off known as Timex Sinclair User was also published for the American market, where versions of Sinclair computers were marketed under the Timex Sinclair name.{{cite web|url=http://www.vintage-computer.com/timexsinclairuser.shtml |title=Timex Sinclair User |access-date=2011-03-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110319033109/http://www.vintage-computer.com/timexsinclairuser.shtml |archive-date=2011-03-19 }}