MikroBitti
Encyclopedia
MikroBitti is a Finnish computer magazine, founded in May 1984 and published by Sanoma Magazines, a division of the Sanoma Group. MikroBitti is aimed mainly for beginner to mid-level computer users. In the year 2003 MikroBitti had the largest circulation figures of computer magazines published in the Nordic countries
.
The computer platform coverage in MikroBitti has shifted according to the market and public interest over the years. Originally, in the middle 1980s, the magazine covered 8-bit
home computers such as the Commodore 64
, the MSX
line and the ZX Spectrum
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the focus shifted to 16-
and 32-bit
home computers such as the Amiga
and the Atari ST
. Nowadays, it mainly covers PCs and games consoles. It also reviews other hardware, such as digital camera
s.
In the 8-bit era, MikroBitti was very hobby-oriented, presenting type-in program
s for home computers and home electronics
projects. Some columns, like the famous Peliluola by Nordic the Incurable, were written in a subculture insider style, and obscure in-joke
s such as exploding hamsters were occasionally used. Many of the staff were fans of Star Trek: The Original Series
and sometimes even wrote entire articles about the show, which had little or nothing to do with home computers.
In the 1980s, the MikroBitti staff used to hold an annual summer camp
in Lautsia, a small village in the Tavastia Proper
region in southern Finland. The camp was open to all MikroBitti readers, with a registration fee, and lasted about a week. Each day consisted of computer programming
classes taught by the magazine staff. In the beginning, the class used various 8-bit computers such as the Commodore 64
and the MSX
, but these were later replaced with Amiga
computers. In the evening, the camp offered common summer camp outdoor activities, although attendees generally spent most of their free time playing computer games. The last summer camp was held in 1991. Jyrki Kasvi
, a long time contributor to MikroBitti, has mentioned having found many summer camp attendees at executive positions in Finnish IT companies.
Later, when the magazine grew more popular, its orientation and style became more mainstream. During middle 2000s the magazine has branded itself more as a technology than a computer magazine. One of the latest moves was the complete removal of games section, and putting the remaining few game reviews and news among other hardware tests and news sections. For gamers this is unfortunate, because MikroBitti has always given large support to unusual games and independent publishers. The game section returned in the December issue, but the amount of games reviewed is significantly lower than before. All the changes are related to the magazine HIFI and MikroBitti merging.
MikroBitti also produced two spin-off magazines: C-lehti
(defunct) and Pelit
.
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
.
The computer platform coverage in MikroBitti has shifted according to the market and public interest over the years. Originally, in the middle 1980s, the magazine covered 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
home computers such as the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
line and the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the focus shifted to 16-
16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
and 32-bit
32-bit
The range of integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4,294,967,295. Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory....
home computers such as the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
. Nowadays, it mainly covers PCs and games consoles. It also reviews other hardware, such as digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
s.
In the 8-bit era, MikroBitti was very hobby-oriented, presenting type-in program
Type-in program
A type-in program, or just type-in, is a computer program listing printed in a computer magazine or book, meant to be typed in by the reader in order to run the program on a computer....
s for home computers and home electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
projects. Some columns, like the famous Peliluola by Nordic the Incurable, were written in a subculture insider style, and obscure in-joke
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
s such as exploding hamsters were occasionally used. Many of the staff were fans of Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
and sometimes even wrote entire articles about the show, which had little or nothing to do with home computers.
In the 1980s, the MikroBitti staff used to hold an annual summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
in Lautsia, a small village in the Tavastia Proper
Tavastia Proper
Tavastia Proper is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions Finland Proper, Pirkanmaa, Päijänne Tavastia, and Uusimaa.Hämeenlinna is the largest urban area in the region...
region in southern Finland. The camp was open to all MikroBitti readers, with a registration fee, and lasted about a week. Each day consisted of computer programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
classes taught by the magazine staff. In the beginning, the class used various 8-bit computers such as the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
, but these were later replaced with Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
computers. In the evening, the camp offered common summer camp outdoor activities, although attendees generally spent most of their free time playing computer games. The last summer camp was held in 1991. Jyrki Kasvi
Jyrki Kasvi
Jyrki Jouko Juhani Kasvi is a Finnish politician. He has been a member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Green League. In the Parliament he was most active in the Committee for the Future, which he represented in the European Parliamentary Technology Assessment network , related to...
, a long time contributor to MikroBitti, has mentioned having found many summer camp attendees at executive positions in Finnish IT companies.
Later, when the magazine grew more popular, its orientation and style became more mainstream. During middle 2000s the magazine has branded itself more as a technology than a computer magazine. One of the latest moves was the complete removal of games section, and putting the remaining few game reviews and news among other hardware tests and news sections. For gamers this is unfortunate, because MikroBitti has always given large support to unusual games and independent publishers. The game section returned in the December issue, but the amount of games reviewed is significantly lower than before. All the changes are related to the magazine HIFI and MikroBitti merging.
MikroBitti also produced two spin-off magazines: C-lehti
C-lehti
C-lehti was a Finnish computer magazine targeted specifically at Commodore computers.C-lehti was started in 1987 as a spin-off of MikroBitti and was published roughly every two months. It was Finland's first ever computer magazine to only cover one specific family of computers...
(defunct) and Pelit
Pelit
Pelit is a Finnish video games magazine published 11 times a year by Sanoma Magazines, a division of the Sanoma Group. Being by far the largest of its kind in Finland and covering both PCs and consoles, it has for a long time lacked serious competition and is thought by many to be the magazine of...
.