EDITORIAL

BY CLAYTON WALNUM

Twice a year, the people and companies that make up the computer marketplace get together to show off their new ideas and wares at the Computer Dealers Exposition (COMDEX). This show differs from that other famous semiannual event, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in that the exhibitors at COMDEX are made up solely of computer-related dealers, both software and hardware. And while COMDEX is a smaller show than the CES, which covers the entire electronics industry, it is more important to a computer manufacturer. CES more typically focuses on the recreational electronics, which in the case of computers means games; whereas COMDEX focuses on the hardware itself. For a computer manufacturer who's serious about his business, COMDEX is the place to be.

At this year's spring COMDEX in Chicago, Atari made a better impression than they did at the winter show. Although the new products that Atari displayed in Chicago were not exactly surprises, at least the company had a strong presence and gained some notice from industry pundits.

Of course, ST-LOG made an appearance at the spring COMDEX, as well, and you'll find our report in this issue. We're sure you'll be pleased to read of the new products Atari will offer in the near future, as well as some of the goods being shown by the many third-party developers present at the show.

Also in this issue, we have the second installment of our new column, The Compukid Connection, by D.A. Brumleve. Ms. Brumleve's sensational children's programs have gained her praises from both here and abroad, and we're proud to have her as a contributing editor. Each month she will discuss some topic on children and their interaction with computers and present a commercial-quality program that will delight the little ones in your household.

In addition, Karl Wiegers continues his popular "Software Engineering" series with a discussion of structured programming, and frequent contributor, Albert Baggetta, gives us his computerized version of the venerable game Bingo.

There are plenty of reviews this time around, too, both for the serious computerist and the fun-loving gamer. And simulation fans should be sure to read Steve Panak's "Test Diving Four Submarines," wherein he gives a brief overview of four software titles that put you in command of your own submarine.

Whether you use your computer to generate newsletters for your business or to blast evil aliens from some faraway galaxy, you'll find much to delight you in this issue of ST-LOG.

Let's get started, shall we?