_{Cover of the April 1986 issue of Byte}

I'm not sure exactly when Byte peaked in terms of page count but at nearly 500 pages, this issue from April 1986 has to be among the largest. Contents form this issue includes:

Features

• Ciarcia's circuit Cellar: Computer On Guard! - An amusing tale of security taken a bit too far.


• Programming Project: A Simple Windowing System, Part 2: Implementation - The second and final part of a programming project implementing a windowing system. This part includes pseudocode and code samples.


• Build The Emulo-8 - This project guides you through building a device that will let you develop EPROM programs in RAM.


• Making UNIX Secure - A guide to securing UNIX against known methods of attack.

_{Table of Contents from the April 1986 issue of Byte}

Theme: Number Crunching

• A Micro-Based Supercomputer - An article about a distributed computer system being build at Columbia University that is made with microcomputer like nodes and special math coprocessing chips.


• Computer Approximations - Techniques for quickly and accurately approximating mathematical functions.


• The Inversion of Large Matrices - A solution for inverting matrices on a computer.

Reviews

• The Panasonic Exec Partner - A "transportable" computer featuring a gas-plasma display and built-in thermal transfer printer. Specs include a 4.77/7.16 MHz 8086-2 CPU, 256K RAM, and two 360K floppy drives for $2595 or $3795 with optional 10-megabyte hard drive.


• KAMAS - An outline processor and programming language for Z80 based CP/M computers.


• Professional Debug Facility and Advanced Fullscreen Debug - Two DOS based debuggers.

_{Table of Contents from the April 1986 issue of Byte (continued)}

Kernel

• Computing at Chaos Manor: Jerry's Best of 1985 Awards - Some items in the awards list include Excel, FTL Modula-2, the Kaypro 286i, the Hardcard, the OmniTel 1200-Baud Internal Modem, Ancient Art of War, and Wizardry. Also mentioned are the Amiga, Atari ST, and more.


• BYTE U.K.: Xenophilia - Apricot announces the XEN, their answer to IBM's 286 based AT. While it shipped with Windows it was not 100% PC compatible and required a BIOS emulator which ran more slowly to run a lot of PC software.


• According to Webster: Clearing the Backlog - A look at a variety of software products including TML Pascal, Max C, M-Disk, Soft Spool, MichTron Utilities, Mudpies, Flip Side, Mirage, DEGAS, and Deluxe Paint.


• Applications Only: A Couple of Winners - A look at two software packages including Mirror (a Crosstalk XVI clone) and Framework II.


• Microbytes - New version of Visi On on the way; UNIX V port coming to 80286/80386 based computers; Modula-2 for the Apple II; Turbo Pascal for the Mac; and more.

_{Back cover of the April 1986 issue of Byte}

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