| Product: |
Computeractive |
| Date: |
17/07/00 (17 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Brilliant workshops that take you step-by-step through often very difficult tasks, well written, easy to understand
Disadvantages: Can't think of any (unless you run a computer problems helplie, in which case you must have lost loads of money!)
Computer Active is, in my opinion, one of the best all-round computer magazines going. Very reasonably priced, and absolutely packed with news, software reviews, tips, and fully explained workshops, this manages to be both entertaining to read whilst educating and informing.
When this magazine first came out, I was highly skeptical (as is my nature) and I really thought it would be just another cynical attempt at money grabbing from people who don’t feel comfortable using computers. There are so many spectacularly awful ‘first time user’ guides out there, that are little more than ‘how to make a birthday card’ features and hard sell advertising. This, refreshingly, could be read by someone who has never even switched a computer on in his or her life; or equally by an aficionado of the computing world.
My Dad, bless his heart, decided it was time to learn how to use a computer, and I gave him my old one. He was forever ringing me up saying it was ‘broken’ and that (of course) he had ‘never touched it’. When I got him a subscription to this magazine, the calls became fewer and he gained a lot of confidence. He still rings me with problems from time to time, but at least he turns to the magazine first!
I really like the way this magazine tries not to use unnecessary ‘jargon’ all the time (and when they do, they provide a very helpful glossary of terms on every page). Every article is well written in a clear style, so anyone could understand it, and yet it never patronises or talks down to the reader as if they were brainless.
They are particularly good at comparing ‘the best printers’ or whatever hard/software they focus on that issue, explaining the tests they put them through and giving a thorough account of how they behaved. This is an excellent feature to read before (potentially) blowing your money on a pile of overpriced junk.
The price did
go up this year, but as it’s so packed full of stuff that’s genuinely worth reading, this is still a bargain. If you’re only after highly technical articles or just games reviews, then this isn’t for you; but for an all-round guide I don’t think it can be beaten.
Summary:
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Last comment:
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Belly Buster - 18/07/00 I get computer active and it's a great mag for the price. |
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