Blasts From The Past

We looked at OS/2 and how to program for (then) Microsoft's (then) up-and-coming OS. Emerging printer technologies were also covered in depth. A Kaypro 386-based PC cost $4495 -- without a hard drive (add $1300 for the 40-MB hard drive).

In an article on computers and the disabled, we said computers should, in addition to providing special assista nce, provide access to standard software. And that's still an issue today. A wealth of products provide the disabled with access, but it's still often too hard to get these products such as screen readers to work with off-the-shelf applications. Maybe someday.

The first issue in BYTE's third year of publication featured many articles on computers and music. Carl Helmers predicted that appliance computers (ones that were pre-assembled and tested, such as the "high-end" Apple II) would dominate in the general-purpose personal-computing field.