Run (magazine)

Run
Editor Dennis Brisson
Staff writers Tim Walsh
Lou Wallace
Ellen Rule
Beth Jala
Tony Branter
Robert Rockefeller
Arnie Katz
John Ryan
Walt Latocha
Frequency Bi-monthly
First issue January 1984
Final issue
— Number
November/December 1992
Issue #94, volume 9 number 6
Company IDG Communications
Country United States
Language English
ISSN 0741-4285

Run was an American computer magazine published monthly by IDG Communications with its first issue debuting in January 1984. Bi-monthly publishing began in June/July 1990 (issue #78, volume 7 number 6), and went on until the magazine folded in November/December 1992 (issue #94, volume 9 number 6). In its heyday, Run's monthly circulation was in the 200,000–300,000 range. Folio, the trade journal of the magazine industry, rated it as the second fastest-growing U.S. magazine of 1985.

The magazine contained articles about Commodore 8-bit home computers and peripherals, as well as reviews on available software packages for the computers. In addition, every issue featured several type-in programs written in BASIC and/or machine language. The magazine's name came from the BASIC command "RUN", which started execution of the computer's program, presumably typed in from the magazine.

Major Run columns included the following:

Mike Konshak, a BASIC software developer and mechanical engineer contributed the popular DataFile database management program and many other utilities for the Commodore 64 to Run. The code was first published in the back of the November 1984 issue. A small note, written by Mike at the end of the article, stated "If you don't want to type this in, send me $6.00 and I'll send you a disk". 1500 Run subscribers sent Mike money in the first month, which prompted the editors to create the "Re-Run" disk to generate more revenue for the publisher. A series of a dozen follow-on article by Mike were published in the ensuing two years, and the programs were exclusively sold on Run's Re-Run disk, as the editors restricted authors from soliciting for disks in the magazine from then on. (Datafile then evolved into dFile64, dFile128, dFcalc, DFword, etc., and sold by Mike Konshak through his small company, MichaelSoft "A cottage Industry of Home-Spun Software").

The demise of the magazine was due to the public's dwindling interest in 8-bit machines as the computer world evolved to 16-bit and standardized on the IBM PC compatible platform for both business and home use. The front cover was originally accented by a logotype reading "RUN", with each letter placed on a key button resembling those used on the C-64. In June 1987 the keys were removed and the font became italicized with rounded letters.

See also

External links

References

  1. "RUN Magazine Issue 28 Magic column showing a variety of typical items".
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