A magazine about programmers, code, and society. Written by and for humans since 2018.
By Adrian Kosmaczewski, March 3rd, 2025
Welcome to the 78th issue of De Programmatica Ipsum, about Computer Magazines. In this edition, we remind ourselves of a time when newsstands were a primary source of information for aspiring computer programmers; in the Library section, we review the work of Pastor Manul Laphroaig, T.G. S.B.; and in our Vidéothèque section, we relive the joy of copying code from magazines.
In 2010, a popular Argentine novelist, screenwriter, and blogger based in Spain called Hernán Casciari, got tired of dealing with publishing houses, editors, and mainstream media. He wanted to publish a magazine, but of a different kind. His idea of a magazine had very-well defined boundaries: high-quality content, no advertising, direct sales to the readers, and a luxury printed format. Against all odds, his idea worked: "Revista Orsai", kicked off as an experiment, and then became a staple and remained a major reference in the history of Argentine publishing.
Reviewing old computers magazines of yore is a pastime most often associated to retrocomputing enthusiasts. It is part of that feeling of bliss that comes with the realization that there used to be a different world, when software was simpler, when corporations did not have that much power, and when programming languages were more approachable; in short, a more innocent time.
Paraphrasing a well-known software mogul who shall remain nameless in the pages of this magazine, insecure software is eating the world. The reasons of such sad state of things are varied and range from social to economic; the technological aspect is usually the one that concerns me the least. In this sea of unusable things and insecure networks, there is a “subculture” (a horrible word, but bear with me) of highly skilled individuals who teach each other how broken those things are. And yes, they have their own magazines to spread the word.
