Computer User

[Fact 1]: MSP published Computer User until 2004 when paper publication ceased and the enterprise and web based name rights were sold to ComputerUser, Inc.

[Fact 2]: Nearly all other publications national and local focused on more the more technical aspects of having a computer, many of which were homebrew, assembled in part or in whole by the user.

[Fact 3]: The monthly index of these, which frequently changed because they were usually based on someone's home computer, included the bbs name, a phone number one could dialup with your computer modem, a list of the modem speed, and a summary of the topics or interests of those using the bulletin board.

[Fact 4]: A New York State registered company (Author's Note: authoritative reference of exact sequence and dates of these events is still needed.)Computer User's style from the beginning was focused on the user of the then new micro computers.

[Fact 5]: It was, in the 1980s and 1990's a form of social networking and a very important reason many people grabbed a copy of the magazine.

[Fact 6]: S a computer magazine originally founded in 1982, and which after several owners and metamorphisis, is still in business today online as computeruser.com.

[Fact 7]: Therefore the magazine often published articles aimed at the groups and how to use them.

computeruser.com

http://www.computeruser.com/about/indexabout.html

Current Issue online

Hennepin County Library

Minneapolis City Library

http://mplwebcat.mplib.org/search~S20?/tComputer+User/tcomputer+user/1%2C7%2C9%2CB/exact&FF=tcomputer+user&1%2C2%2C

University of Minnesota Library

http://prime2.oit.umn.edu/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?ct=display&doc=dedupmrg874059&indx=1&vid=TWINCITIES&vl=%22computer%20user%22&ct=search&fromLogin=true&fn=search&indx=1&frbg=&srt=rank&tab=default_tab&mode=Basic&dum=true

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/09/30/newscolumn1.html

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-69981295.html

http://www.business-magazines.com/product.php?prd=137815

http://www.vintage-computer.com/computeruser.shtml

http://www.scottevest.com/scans/PDF/computeruser_0103_ontime.pdf.

[Fact 8]: The magazine list enabled one to go to a meeting and ask other enthusiasts how to do things in a world where there was no other source.

[Fact 9]: Computer User articles might include personal experiences, advice on how to use software, and expert advice columns.

[Fact 10]: The magazine also published an equally popular index of Computer User Groups and their meeting schedules.

[Fact 11]: Another example available online is a copy of an article about the inventor of a technology vestIn the first decade before the internet a very popular feature was a complete local list of computer bulletin boards Bulletin board system.

[Fact 12]: Some were generic but others were focused on a single type of computer such as Tandy or Commodore.