Computer User
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Computer User is a computer magazine that was founded in 1982, and which, after several owners and fundamental changes, is still in business today online as computeruser.com. It should not be confused with a magazine published in 1983-1984 by McPheeters, Wolfe & Jones that was also titled Computer User, but with the subtitle "For the Tandy/Radio Shack System".[1]
In the beginning years of publicly popular computer use, Computer User was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a free monthly magazine published by Computer User, Inc. a Minnesota corporation. Steven Bianucci, Publisher. Dale Archibald, Editor. Diane Teeters, Advertising Sales. Revenues were derived from advertising. Computer User took advantage of a tradition in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of placing free publication newsstands in business districts and stores. The magazine, printed originally in black and white with one spot color on newsprint, proved immediately popular with distribution, eventually hitting many hundreds of sites and a circulation around 25,000 in the Twin Cities for a full color piece on newsprint paper. It was then still free to pick up but could be subscribed for mail distribution for $34.95 per year.
Computer User won numerous awards such as this from 2001[2] or as now listed on the current publishers website awards.[3]
Computer User became franchised to 18 metropolitan U.S. markets[4] wherein Computer User provided content and the local publisher provided advertising and some local content. At some point, based on a reference from the University of Minnesota Library the publisher was Computer User Publications, Inc. Computer User was sold to M. S. P. Publications - a very successful Minneapolis-based magazine publisher. MSP published Computer User until 2004, when paper publication ceased and the enterprise and web based name rights were sold to ComputerUser, Inc. a New York State registered company.[5]