Datamost

Datamost emerged in the United States during the early home-computer era and was founded by David Gordon. The company was based in Chatsworth, California, and combined computer software production with publishing. This dual role was well suited to the market of the period: owners of personal computers needed both programs to run on their machines and printed material explaining how to program, configure, and use them. The company's software work focused mainly on the Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit computer families. These platforms were among the important consumer and hobbyist systems of the early 1980s, and their users formed a market for games, utilities, educational programs, and programming information. Datamost also produced some material for IBM PC systems, indicating that its interests extended beyond the principal home-computer platforms even though its identity remained strongly associated with the hobbyist market. Datamost's book catalog covered several levels of technical ability. Introductory works included The Elementary Commodore-64 and The Elementary Apple. More advanced readers could use How to Program the Apple II Using 6502 Assembly Language, p-Source: A Guide to the Apple Pascal System, or Inside Commodore DOS. The publisher also addressed aspiring game developers through Designing Apple Games with Pizazz and served readers interested in platform-specific game collections through Games Apples Play, Games Ataris Play, and Games Commodores Play. The catalog broadened during 1983 and 1984 as home-computer use expanded. Datamost published books about the Atari platform, Apple and Commodore systems, computer sound and graphics, software, and general reference. The Musical Atari and Sound and Graphics for the Apple II+, IIe dealt with creative and technical uses of computers, while The Apple Almanac and The Super Computer Snooper provided broader reference-oriented material. The Apple Macintosh Primer shows that the company also addressed Apple's newer Macintosh platform during the middle of the decade. Datamost's history is therefore best understood as part of the specialist publishing and software ecosystem that supported early personal-computer adoption. Its products connected hardware-specific programming knowledge with entertainment and educational software. Because the available account does not provide a definitive closure date, acquisition history, successor organization, or current corporate information, the company's later status cannot be established from the supplied sources.

• 1984

  Expansion into Macintosh, sound, graphics, and reference

  [1]Datamosten.wikipedia.org

  The catalog added Macintosh, Atari, Apple II sound and graphics, operating-system, and general reference titles, including Apple Macintosh Primer and Inside Commodore DOS.

• 1983

  Broader games and programming catalog

  [1]Datamosten.wikipedia.org

  Datamost published books covering Apple game design, Apple Pascal, and game collections for Apple, Atari, and Commodore systems.

• 1982

  Expansion into Commodore 64 and Apple instruction

  [1]Datamosten.wikipedia.org

  The company published The Elementary Commodore-64 and How to Write an Apple Program, serving both introductory Commodore users and Apple-oriented programmers.

• 1981

  Apple II assembly-language publishing

  [1]Datamosten.wikipedia.org

  Datamost published How to Program the Apple II Using 6502 Assembly Language by Randy Hyde, establishing its role in advanced technical computer publishing.

• Company founded

  [1]Datamosten.wikipedia.org

  David Gordon founded Datamost in the United States. The available reference does not specify the year.

A specialist early-1980s home-computing publisher and software producer serving computer enthusiasts, programmers, educators, and users of Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, and related systems.

• Video games and home-computer software

  Computer games and software

  Datamost produced games and other software during the early home-computer period. Its software activity was mainly associated with the Apple II, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit computers, with some products for IBM PC systems. The available reference does not provide a complete game-by-game catalog or sufficient detail to identify individual software titles reliably.

• Computer publishing · 1981

  Programming and technical books

  This line covered programming languages, hardware-specific development, operating systems, and technical methods. Examples include How to Program the Apple II Using 6502 Assembly Language, p-Source: A Guide to the Apple Pascal System, and Inside Commodore DOS. These works served readers ranging from serious hobbyist programmers to users learning the internals of particular platforms.

• Educational computer publishing · 1982

  Introductory computer books

  Datamost published introductory guides intended to help new owners learn major home-computer systems. The Elementary Commodore-64 and The Elementary Apple exemplify this part of the catalog, which translated platform-specific features and basic operation into accessible reference material.

• Game-development publishing · 1983

  Game-design and game-collection books

  The company addressed both game creators and players through titles such as Designing Apple Games with Pizazz and the platform-oriented Games Apples Play, Games Ataris Play, and Games Commodores Play. Together, these books demonstrate Datamost's interest in the creative and entertainment uses of home computers.

• Computer reference publishing · 1984

  Platform reference and creative-computing books

  Datamost's later catalog included broader reference and creative-computing subjects, including The Apple Almanac, Apple Macintosh Primer, The Musical Atari, Sound and Graphics for the Apple II+, IIe, and The Super Computer Snooper. These titles extended the brand beyond basic programming into sound, graphics, platform orientation, and general computer reference.

1. 1Datamosten.wikipedia.org