Background
Atari User launched in UK newsagents during
May 1985 and was one of a portfolio of magazines dedicated to popular
home computers, under the ownership of Derek Meakin.
Derek's family business
Europress Group was formed in 1965, initially publishing magazines
and newspapers and later diversifying into exhibitions and software
publishing.
The magazine publishing subsidiary
was known as
Database Publications
and based in Stockport, Cheshire. Other magazine titles published by Database Publications
included Amiga Action, Amiga Computing,
Computing with the Amstrad / Amstrad CPC Computing, ST Action, Mega
Action, PC Today, PC Home, PC Action, Gamepro UK, Apple User,
Telelink
and
Video Action.
Atari User was published monthly and numbered in volumes of 12
issues, each containing a mix of news, tutorials, reviews, type-in Basic
program listings and advertising. It initially covered both Atari
8-bit and ST machines, with the ST content given its own pull-out supplement from
volume 1, issue 11 which continued until volume 2, issue 11. After
this the ST section was spun off into a separate 'Atari ST User'
magazine (which later merged with ST Action and continued
publication until September 1994) and the
original Atari User became
exclusively focused on the Atari 8-bit.
Issue disks and
cassette tapes containing Basic programs featured in each
issue were made available for purchase by mail order. The programs could also be
downloaded from "Microlink", an early dial-up communications
facility marketed by Europress and based on BT's Telecoms Gold
service. Latterly, the disks and tapes were dropped with programs
exclusively available for download via Microlink.
Database Publications discontinued Atari User in November 1988 with
the final issue being volume 4, issue 7. The magazine rights and
subscriber list were bought by Atari User's direct competitor Page 6
Publishing who subsequently renamed its Page 6 Magazine as "Page 6
Atari User" before settling upon the name of "New Atari User".
Derek Meakin died in October 2010.
Credits
This website has been designed and constructed by Paul Rixon, as a
sister site of page6.org - the official archive of Page 6
Publishing's New Atari User Magazine.
