I'm starting work on new classic computing books, and would like your input and help.
1. Best of Antic Magazine
While I was interviewing Jim Capparell for the Atari podcast (AtariPodcast.com) I got permission to create a book reprinting selected articles from Antic magazine. My vision is to make a book with articles that remain relevant to today's Atari users. I can probably explain it best by telling what will not be in the book: type-in programs, reviews, tutorials on programming in BASIC. I DO want it to include things like interviews that ran in the magazine (e.g. Scott Adams, Nolan Bushnell, etc.) and things about computing itself -- for instance, Atari and the 1984 Olympics, a Harvard Confernece on video games, Lucasfilm's collaboration with Atari.
So with that in mind, I'd like to know if people are interested in this book. ebook or paper? I'd also like to get a few people to help select the articles that will be included. I've started a first pass. The list is already getting long, and will need to be culled.
2. The First Computer Magazines
Project two is a history of the first computer magazines. I plan to focus on Creative Computing, Byte, and Kilobaud. I've already done extensive interviews with publishers and have more planned.
I am looking for people with stories about those magazines -- in your role as a reader, subscriber, advertiser, writer, whatever. If you have memories about Creative Computing, the early years of Byte, or Kilobaud, let me know.
3. 8-Bit Computing Stories
This project is the most nebulous in my mind -- I'm less confident about it than the other two but want to see what people think. After reading my book Terrible Nerd, many folks have told me that my stories remind them of their stories growing up with 8-bit computers. So -- I'm thinking of a book of collected true stories about computing's early days: the best stories of the things people created, the people they met, the challenges they faced with computers in the 70s and 80s. For instance, from Terrible Nerd: the story of how I stole my first computer, or my love affair with the Atari 800. I've already told those stories -- this book would be YOUR stories. This could end up being just Atari stories, or 8-bit in general, not sure.
So those are my projects. Let me know what you think.