April 1983 — Vol 5 No 4

Overview

Year's largest issue (71 pages). David Morganstein begins "Introduction to Applesoft I" — a tutorial series. Tax-season continues: Roy Hosfeld's "Computers and Income Taxes" + "VisiCalc and Income Tax Revisited"; Walton Francis's VisiColumn on VisiCalc statistics. Cover-highlight content: Marvin Hass's "Microcomputer-Assisted Investing"; Jim Kelly's "The Quentin Apple-Mate Disk Drive: An Evaluation" (third-party Disk II compatible); William Schultheis / Joseph Hilsenrath / Bruce F. Field's "The Galton Quincunx" (statistics demonstration); L. Benner's "Randomly Sequenced Lists"; David Morganstein's "The Wildcard: A Review" (the controversial copy program). Walt Mills's "The Apple's Write Only Number (WON)" with W.R. Simpson and J.R. Agre. Bylaws amendment notice. Marilyn E. Jacox: mathematical symbols with WordStar.

Table of contents

Articles

"Introduction to Applesoft 1" (page 20) — David Morganstein

Cover-highlight. Morganstein begins a tutorial series — newcomer-focused Applesoft.

"Microcomputer-Assisted Investing" (page 23) — Marvin Hass

Cover-highlight. Investing software/strategies — extends Pilloff's H&H Scientific work.

"The Quentin Apple-Mate Disk Drive: An Evaluation" (page 29) — Jim Kelly

Cover-highlight. Third-party Disk II-compatible drive review — Jim Kelly returning to print.

"The Galton Quincunx" (page 50) — Joseph Hilsenrath & Bruce F. Field

Cover-highlight. A computer simulation of the Galton Quincunx — pinball-like demonstration of the normal distribution. Educational programming.

"The Wildcard: A Review" (page 54) — David Morganstein

Cover-highlight. Review of The Wildcard — copy-protection-bypass hardware card. Continues the bit-copy ethics debate from Urban's March 1981 editorial.

"Speaking of FORTH: Extending the Compiler" (page 40) — Bill Wurzel

Cover-highlight. Wurzel's FORTH series continues.

"The Apple's Write Only Number (WON)" (page 44) — W.R. Simpson & J.R. Agre

A clever Apple hardware property.

"VisiColumn: VisiCalc Statistics" (page 34) — Walton Francis

Cover-highlight. Statistical analyses in VisiCalc.

Tax-season trifecta

• "Computers and Income Taxes" — Roy Hosfeld
• "VisiCalc and Income Tax Revisited" — Roy Hosfeld
• Plus Warrick's March piece — Pi delivers comprehensive tax season coverage

Other content

• The Bottom Line — Leon H. Raesly
• Use of WAP Library Disks — Robert C. Platt: usage policy clarification
• Letters; Classifieds; Information Exchange
• Screenwriter Warm Line — Peter Combes (followup to Screenwriter Hotline)
• Mathematical Symbols with WordStar — Marilyn E. Jacox
• FILEHANDLER Revisited — J.T. DeMay Jr.
• Review of PLATO Computer Literacy — Robert C. Platt
• FileCabinet Revisited — David C. Eldridge
• Report on the ACLD Conference — Jay Thal (Association for Children with Learning Disabilities)
• A Holiday Letter — Jeanne Essley
• Randomly Sequenced Lists — L. Benner

Club news / events / announcements

• Bylaws amendment
• April Pi meeting: Apr 23
• Library disk usage policy clarified

Notable advertisements

• Communications Computers (Laurel Plaza MD)
• The Computer Center Learning Center (Wash + Balto) — Apple LOGO classes ($125), Communications class ($90), Business Graphics class
• HLA Computers continues

Entities

People: David Morganstein, Mark L. Crosby, Dana Schwartz, Jesse Wagstaff, John Moon, Nancy Philipp, Rich Wasserstrom, Bernard Urban, Bob Peck, Bruce F. Field, Robert C. Platt, Jim Kelly, Marvin Hass, Roy Hosfeld, Walton Francis, Bill Wurzel, W.R. Simpson, J.R. Agre, Joseph Hilsenrath, L. Benner, Walt Mills, Marilyn E. Jacox, J.T. DeMay Jr., David C. Eldridge, Jay Thal, Jeanne Essley, A.R. Rumble, Peter Combes, Nancy C. Strange, Leon H. Raesly, Ed Schenker Topics: Introduction to Applesoft Series, Microcomputer Investing, Tax Season VisiCalc, Quentin Apple-Mate Drive, Galton Quincunx, The Wildcard, Mathematical Symbols WordStar, ACLD Conference References: Quentin Apple-Mate, The Wildcard, PLATO Computer Literacy, Communications Computers, Computer Center Learning Center

Connections to other issues

• Morganstein Applesoft tutorial series begins
• VisiColumn statistics extends Walt Francis's July 1982 column launch (1982-07 — V04 N07)
• The Wildcard review reignites bit-copy ethics debate
• Jay Thal's ACLD work continues from Feb 1983 Learning Disabilities article

Open questions

• Did the Wildcard ad ever appear in Pi (Urban opposed it in 1981)?
• Quentin Apple-Mate adoption?