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The RAINBOW Magazine 1981

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Home / Publications / Rainbow - The RAINBOW Magazine 1981


The first issue of The RAINBOW Magazine was July 1981.


The following are links to details of The RAINBOW Magazine

(Which is the best organization or the most beautiful way to place the links, Vote on [Talk])

July, August, September, October, November, December

Or


Summary of articles 1981

Author: Firehawke in github CoCoDatabase
Kindly given by the author

Rainbow July 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-07
-----------------

No commercial software advertised.
[Page 2] Program listing: Music Made Easy
	This program works with music data generated by the "Music-Music-Music" program published in the 'latest'
	issue of 80-Microcomputing and can be added to your own programs for playback.
[Page 3] Free upgrade for Line Printer VII via driver (obtain at Radio Shack) to allow the printer to print
	CoCo-compatible graphics characters. This driver is provided on tape.
[Page 4] Program listing: Very very simple editable text to printer tool.
[Page 4] Subscription was $12/year.

Rainbow August 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-08
-------------------

[Page 1] Program listing: Line justifier upgrade for text editor from last month.
[Page 3] Review: CBUG Monitor, available tape or ROM cartridge from The Microworks.
	It's a monitor program and also acts as a terminal emulator. Review says it works with CompuServe.
	$29.95 on tape, $39.95 on ROM cartridge.
[Page 5] Rumors saying the official Tandy floppy drive would be coming out August or September 1981.
	Pricing is suggested to be $595 for the first drive, $300-400 for additional drives.
[Page 5] Review: JARBCODE, by JARB Software, a text encryption program. $14.95. No format specified, probably tape?
[Page 6] Review: SIGMON, machine language monitor, mini-assembler/disassembler, debugger. $29.95, from DataSoft.
[Page 7] Additional info on the Line Printer VII driver. Cassette filename is "FTFX16"
[Page 7] Program listing: Screen printer routine
[Page 8] Program listing: AMORT by Falsoft. Teaches basic amortization and does calculations.

Rainbow September 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-09
----------------------

[Page 1] Advertisement for "LASER STAR" from JARB Software. $14.95 on cassette. Add $1 and you get "Helo Battle" as well, which
	will have a program listing be printed in the October 1981 issue of Rainbow.
[Page 2] First editorial against software piracy.
[Page 3] Review: Color Computer TEXT EDITOR/WORD PROCESSOR, by John Waclo. $49.95. Supports 16K and 32K.
[Page 4] Program listing: GRADER 2.1, article title "Teacher's Helper, Student's Friend"
[Page 7] Review: SDS80C. "The Microworks' Software Development System (SDS80C)" - Editor/Assembler/Monitor package. $89.95
[Page 9] Program listing: PAT, "Psychic Aptitude Test", by JARB Software. Can also be purchased directly from JARB Software
	on cassette for $14.95. The tape will also include a copy of the "JARB Biorhythm" program.
[Page 11] Program listing: LASER STAR from JARB Software.
[Page 13] Program listing: Screen printer for Line Printer VII.
[Page 14] Program listing: QUIZ by Falsoft.
[Page 15] Advertisement from The MicroWorks.
	Software Development System (SDS80C) on ROM cartridge for $89.95
	Source Generator (80C Disassembler) on cassette. Disassembler. $49.95
	"6809 Assembly Language Programming" by Lance Laventhal. Book. $16.95
	PI80C Parallel Printer Interface for Color Computer. Adapter box, allows use of Centronics-connector printer. $89.95
	CBUG Monitor on cassette for $29.95 and ROM cartridge for $39.95
	32K RAM upgrade kit, uses 4116 200ns ICs. 4K-16K kit is $39.95. 16K-32K kit is $39.95, requires soldering.
[Page 16] Review: S.E.C.S. (Screen Edit Control System) from DataSoft. $29.95 on tape. Adds line editing to non-Extended Basic.
Also adds high-res graphics without Extended Basic and generates custom character set on the graphics screen.
[Page 19] Review: MicroWorks RAM upgrade kits.

Rainbow October 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-10
--------------------

[Page 1] First international subscription came in from Canada.
[Page 2] Review: CONFLICT, by Soft Sector Marketing. RISK clone. $14.95. Format not specified, probably tape.
[Page 2] Program listing: Percentage change between two numbers.
[Page 3] Program listing: Videoprinter by Al Morgan. Program to print from VideoTex.
[Page 3] Program listing: Videoprinter by Jorge Mir. Program to print from VideoTex.
(Yes, two separate programs here. Two different ways to do it.)
[Page 4] Review: 80C Disassembler. $49.95 from The MicroWorks.
[Page 7] Program listing: Screen Monitor. Small assembly program in BASIC (via POKEs) that monitors the screen buffer and
	outputs all text that appears to the printer.
[Page 8] Program listing: Helo Battle. Game. Can be also purchased from JARB Software on tape for $14.95.
[Page 9] Review: Color Space Invaders by Spectral Associates. $21.95.
[Page 9] Program listing: Gin scoring program for the Hollywood variant of the card game.
[Page 10] Program listing: Sticky Labels. Automate printing of Avery 4013 labels on the Line Printer VII.
[Page 11] Advertisement from The MicroWorks.
	Software Development System (SDS80C) on ROM cartridge for $89.95
	Source Generator (80C Disassembler) on cassette. Disassembler. $49.95
	"6809 Assembly Language Programming" by Lance Laventhal. Book. $16.95
	PI80C Parallel Printer Interface for Color Computer. Adapter box, allows use of Centronics-connector printer. $89.95
	CBUG Monitor on cassette for $29.95 and ROM cartridge for $39.95
	32K RAM upgrade kit, uses 4116 200ns ICs. 4K-16K kit is $39.95. 16K-32K kit is $39.95, requires soldering.
[Page 14] Advertisement from Falsoft for an upcoming adventure game, "Vampire". Beta version is $10.95 and needs 32K RAM,
	you can upgrade to the final version for the difference in cost. Final version is expected to be between $14.95 and $19.95.
[Page 14] Advertisement for Color Computer-focused BBS. Bob Rosen's The Color Connection BBS. (212) 441-3755 in Woodhaven, NY.

Rainbow November 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-11
---------------------

[Page 1] Official floppy disk system is now available in Radio Shack stores.
[Page 3] Program listing: STATSKEEPER. Basketball stats keeping program.
[Page 4] Review: Master Control. BASIC macro + new commands kit. $24.95 from Soft Sector Marketing. Based on review commentary
	talking about relocating the code on 32K machines, this is almost certainly a tape program.
[Page 5] Review: PI80C Parallel Printer Interface for $69.95 from The MicroWorks.
[Page 5] Program listing: Times Square Header. For generating a title screen for your program.
[Page 6] Program listing: JARBIORHYTHM. JARB Soft's Biorhythm program.
[Page 7] Review: Color Meteoroids by Spectral Associates. $21.95. No format specified, so probably tape.
[Page 8] Program listing: VIDEOAID. Upgrade to Videoprinter by Jorge Mir, adds download capability and more to VideoTex.
[Page 8] Advertisement from Trans/Tech.
  "C. C. Writer" word processor for CoCo, works on 16K and 32K, selectable at runtime. Written in Extended Basic, advertised as
	user-modifiable. $30.
[Page 10] Article about the use of GET/PUT in graphics code in Extended Basic.
[Page 12] Correction to Al Morgan's Videoprinter from previous month.
[Page 13] Advertisement from The MicroWorks.
	Software Development System (SDS80C) on ROM cartridge for $89.95
	Source Generator (80C Disassembler) on cassette. Disassembler. $49.95
	"6809 Assembly Language Programming" by Lance Laventhal. Book. $16.95
	PI80C Parallel Printer Interface for Color Computer. Adapter box, allows use of Centronics-connector printer. $89.95
	CBUG Monitor on cassette for $29.95 and ROM cartridge for $39.95
	32K RAM upgrade kit, uses 4116 200ns ICs. 4K-16K kit is $39.95. 16K-32K kit is $39.95, requires soldering.
[Page 17] Subscription is still only $12/year.

Rainbow December 1981 - https://archive.org/details/rainbowmagazine-1981-12
---------------------

[Page 2] Program listing: Zelda's Bat Bottle.
[Page 3] Commentary on the Exatron "Stringy-Floppy" third-party disk system for CoCo.
	Exatron's floppy is only single-density. It apparently has a feature to convert Model I disks to CoCo
[Page 3] Advertisement from Spectral Associates.
	RAMCharger 32K Upgrade, go from 16K to 32K. $79.95.
	CompuVoice speech synth program, interfaces with BASIC/ML. $44.95
	Madness and the Minotaur adventure game, ML, no Extended Basic requirement. $19.95
	New Extended Basic games:
		Sub Hunt for $14.95
		Laser Attack for $10.95
		Alcatraz II for $8.95
		CROID. Eliza-type AI game. $12.95
	Extended Basic not-required:
		Space Invaders
		Space War
		"Fast, machine language", "Ext. Basic not required."
		$21.95 each on tape, $25.95 each on disk.
	SoundSource. "Store music or voice from a cassette tape in the computer and display it on the TV screen. Shorten it, lengthen it,
		modify it and replay through the TV's sound system. Build and test your own sounds for games. No hardware mods needed." $24.95
	The Facts. "At last, a complete description of the 'guts' of the Color Computer. Specs on ICs, schematics, theory,
		programming examples." $14.95
	Extended Basic games:
		Lothar's Labyrinth (word search puzzle)
		Battlefleet (Battleship clone)
		Space Traders (Galactic trading game)
		$14.95 each.
	Utilities:
		Editor/Assembler is $34.95
		Super Monitor is $19.95
		EPROM Programmer is $89.95
		Magic Box (load Model I/Model III tapes into CoCo) is $24.95
		Typing Tutor is $19.95
		Text editor.. no price listed.
[Page 5] Program listing: VIPER ATTACK
[Page 6] Random number generation
[Page 8] Program listing: POLYGON
[Page 9] Review: Chromasette Magazine and tape
[Page 10] Review: CPRINT on cartridge from Micro-Labs, Inc. Advanced control for printers-- line length, perforation
	skipping, etc. $49.95.
[Page 11] Review: Kosmic Kamikaze by Illustrated Memory Banks, $18.95
[Page 12] Program listing: Machine Tape Finder/Saver by Jorge Mir.
[Page 13] Advertisement from The MicroWorks.
	Software Development System (SDS80C) on ROM cartridge for $89.95
	Source Generator (80C Disassembler) on cassette. Disassembler. $49.95
	"6809 Assembly Language Programming" by Lance Laventhal. Book. $16.95
	PI80C Parallel Printer Interface for Color Computer. Adapter box, allows use of Centronics-connector printer. $89.95
	CBUG Monitor on cassette for $29.95 and ROM cartridge for $39.95
	32K RAM upgrade kit, uses 4116 200ns ICs. 4K-16K kit is $39.95. 16K-32K kit is $39.95, requires soldering.
[Page 14] The PIPELINE rumors and news
	ROM 1.1 coming with RS's 32K upgrade. Some newer models come with it already. Supports 8-bit printer data without needing
		the external driver RS was giving away. Uncertain if/when 1.1 will be available for separate purchase.
	Previous projections had Spectaculator (spreadsheet) and Scripsit (word processor) releasing on December 15th. They have been
		delayed.
	Multipen Plotter: Will have CoCo support. Will be out in December or January, comes with disk software.
	Editor/Assembler cartridge: Availability has been pushed back to January or February because Tandy wants to add a debugger
	 	to the toolkit without loading it from tape.
[Page 14] Review: SPACE WAR by Spectral Associates. $21.95
[Page 15] Program listing: ROM Pack Backup to tape by Al Morgan
[Page 15] Advertisement from Rainbow Connection Software
	Twinpack 001: Brickout (breakout clone) and Word Guess (puzzle game)
	Twinpack 002: Starfighter and Tic-Tac-Toe
	Twinpack 003: B-17 Bomber and Metric Magic (calculates imperial/metric conversions with graphics)
	Twinpack 004: Biorhythm and Minefield
	Twinpack 005: Blackjack and Math Tutor
	Twinpack 006: Computration (clone of famous board game) and Chuck-a-Luck (dice game)
	Twinpack 007: Compumind (guess the number) and Jackpot (slots)
	Twinpack 008: Lunar Lander and Math Drill
	6-pack of blank data cassettes for $85.95? $65.95? Ad is hard to read.
[Page 19] Review: Antimated Hangman (sic) from Soft Sector Marketing. $14.95
	Runs on non-Extended Basic machines.
	Did they misspell it in the review? We'll know if we ever dig up a copy.

End of 1981.


The following are links to scans of The RAINBOW Magazine on Internet Archive. Click on picture for view then magazine

July 1981 Vol. 01 No. 01
August 1981 Vol. 01 No. 02
September 1981 Vol. 01 No. 03
October 1981 Vol. 01 No. 04
November 1981 Vol. 01 No. 05
December 1981 Vol. 01 No. 06