Computer Currents

Computer Currents was a freely distributed United States computer magazine, with local editions across the country.[1][2] It was often described as a resource for computer shoppers and users, and compared to other regional computer magazines like MicroTimes.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Computer Currents

Categories	Computer magazine
Circulation	612,000
Publisher	Computer Currents Publishing Corp
First issue	1983 (1983)
Final issue	2000 (2000)
Country	United States
Based in	California, U.S.
Language	English
ISSN	1090-7572

It was launched in 1983 as Computer Classifieds, and was renamed Computer Currents in 1984. Initially distributed in Northern California, the magazine established a franchise in Atlanta in 1987, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston in 1988, and Chicago in 1993.[12] By 1987, there were also regional editions for Southern California, Austin, New York, and Boston.[13]

As of 1988, it was published biweekly in the San Francisco Bay Area, and monthly in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Texas (Houston, Dallas, Austin), and Atlanta. The magazine's media kit described an audited monthly circulation of approximately 612,000 readers.[2]

The magazine was acquired by and merged into Computer User magazine in 2000.[14]

Computer Currents described itself as:

Computer Currents is the 411/911 magazine. It's a source of help and information for PC and Mac business users of all stripes. Computer Currents doesn't torture-test 200 modems or devote space to industry chitchat. Instead, it focuses on real-world solutions for PC and Mac business users, showing them how to buy products, what products to buy, where to buy them, and how to use them. Computer Currents is fundamentally pro-consumerist, and we'll go undercover to ferret out sloppy service and scams. We're also not afraid to poke fun at the industry. In fact, our Gigglebytes column by Lincoln Spector makes a point of it.[2]

The ISSN for the original Bay Area edition was 1090–7572.[15]

References

1. "Computer Currents Pub. Corp. v. Jaye Communications, Inc., 968 F. Supp. 684 (N.D. Ga. 1997)". Justia Law.
2. "Writers Guidelines". Computer Currents. 1998. Archived from the original on 1998-02-09.
3. Gable, Cate (1998-12-23). Strategic Action Planning Now Setting and Meeting Your Goals. CRC Press. p. 38. ISBN 9781574442335.
4. Socolich, Sally (2000). Bargain Hunting in the Bay Area. Chronicle Books. pp. 153. ISBN 9780811826174.
5. Schwabach, Bob (1986-09-20). "What, Where Remain Basic Consumer Questions". Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. p. F23. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
6. "Should it be Mac or PC? Your own 24-hour computer center". Synapse - The UCSF student newspaper. May 13, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
7. Tattetales Bob (2000-01-22). "Microtimes Vs. Computer Currents". Newsgroup: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt. Usenet: 86bbjm$2o3$[e-mail] – via Google Groups.
8. William Huber (1996-01-19). "Re: Computer Currents Responds to Warp City BBS". Newsgroup: comp.os.os2.advocacy. Usenet: 4dotnq$[e-mail]. Retrieved June 16, 2018 – via Google Groups.
9. Don Briggs (2000-01-14). "Re: Please. help a little Italian Boy..." Newsgroup: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt. Usenet: [e-mail]. Retrieved June 16, 2018 – via Google Groups.
10. [e-mail] (1999-03-31). "Re: Donation of old pc - Advice needed". Newsgroup: ba.internet. Usenet: 3702b25f$0$[e-mail] – via Google Groups.
11. Herc Wad (1999-01-07). "Re: are there Free computer magazines in L.A.?". Newsgroup: la.general. Usenet: [e-mail] – via Google Groups.
12. "Michael Teger: Computer Currents". www.amanandamouse.com. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
13. "National Edition". Computer Currents. 1996. Archived from the original on 1996-10-01. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
14. Luhn, Robert (March 14, 2000). "C-C-Changes". Computer Currents. Archived from the original on 2000-04-19.
15. Computer Currents. OCLC 35455305.