Byte (magazine)
In January 1975, the Altair 8800 appeared in the back pages of electronics magazines. This announcement sparked intense interest among technical workers and amateur radio enthusiasts. Wayne Green read about the machine while managing his own publication called 73. He knew MITS had advertised in 73 for years before this moment. The response to computer articles in 73 became so enthusiastic that Green felt carried away by the momentum. On May 25th, he made a deal with Carl Helmers to launch a new magazine named Byte. The first issue arrived in September 1975 with an initial subscription price of $10 per year. Articles inside included Which Microprocessor For You? by Hal Chamberlin and Write Your Own Assembler by Dan Fylstra. A basic 8008-based kit computer from RGS Electronics received an in-depth review within those early pages.
Byte started as a do-it-yourself electronics project hub but shifted direction over time. Steve Ciarcia wrote a column called Circuit Cellar until December 1988 describing small projects to modify computers. That feature later spun off into its own magazine focusing on embedded applications. By August 1979, the magazine switched to computerized typesetting using a Compugraphic system. After the IBM PC launched in 1981, editorial policies changed gradually. The staff began running product reviews instead of just showing how to build things. They reported what hardware did and how it worked rather than how to make it work. This shift turned Byte into an elite publication seen as a peer of Rolling Stone or Playboy. Its circulation reached 420,000 readers by the early 1980s making it the third-highest among all computer magazines. Revenue hit $36.6 million in 1983 while earning $9 million in profit.
Virginia Williamson sold Byte to McGraw-Hill in April 1979 for a significant sum. She remained publisher until 1983 before becoming a vice president at McGraw-Hill Publications Company. At that time, paid circulation stood at 156,000 readers second only to Business Week within their portfolio. The acquisition marked a watershed event leading many other computer magazines to be bought by larger publishers. In May 1998, McGraw-Hill sold the magazine arm to CMP Media. New owners immediately laid off almost everyone in the magazine division. Publication ended with the July edition which was already complete. The associated website continued drawing 600,000 page views monthly prompting a relaunch online in 1999. That digital version ran until 2009 when it shut down permanently after being revived briefly in 2011 and closing again in 2013.
Robert Tinney created cover artwork from December 1975 through September 1990 making Byte visually distinctive. These covers featured illustrations rather than product photos except for major hardware introductions like the Apple Lisa or Commodore Amiga. Tom Sloan drew full-page multipanel cartoons from approximately 1980 to 1985 covering various tech themes. Several original cartoons now reside in the Computer History Museum located in Mountain View California. The October 1984 issue contained about 300 pages of advertisements sold at an average price of $6,000 per page. This visual identity helped distinguish the publication during its peak years before economic weakness hit the industry in 1984. The magazine remained successful while many competitors failed that same year due to market conditions.
Around 1985 Byte launched an online service called BIX running on CoSy conferencing software. Users accessed the system via local dial-in or Tymnet X.25 network with additional hourly charges. Monthly rates were set at $13 for the account plus $1 per hour for X.25 access. Unlike CompuServe, higher speed access did not carry extra surcharges. Gateways later permitted email communication outside the system itself. By 1990 the magazine had grown thick and carried a subscription price of $56 annually. Around 1993 Byte began developing a web presence acquiring the domain name byte.com. They hosted discussion boards and posted selected editorial content there. International editions appeared in Japan Brazil Germany and Jordan with an Arabic version published locally.
CMP Media ceased publication with the July 1998 issue after laying off all staff members. Bytes large product-testing lab shut down immediately following the decision. Publication continued uninterrupted only in Germany and Japan while the Turkish edition resumed after years of interruption. The Arabic edition ended abruptly without warning. Many columnists migrated their writing to personal websites including Jerry Pournelle's weblog The View From Chaos Manor. Nikkei Byte licensed the name from McGraw Hill becoming the leading computer magazine in Japan. UBM TechWeb officially relaunched Byte as Byte.com on the 11th of July 2011. Gina Smith served as launch editor-in-chief before Larry Seltzer took over on the 26th of September 2011. F. Paul Wilson wrote for the site starting January 2012 mostly using his character Repairman Jack. Byte.com closed permanently in 2013 ending decades of continuous operation.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Byte magazine first published and who founded it?
Byte magazine launched on the 25th of May 1975 when Wayne Green made a deal with Carl Helmers. The first issue arrived in September 1975 with an initial subscription price of $10 per year.
What happened to Byte magazine circulation and revenue by 1983?
Circulation reached 420,000 readers by the early 1980s making it the third-highest among all computer magazines. Revenue hit $36.6 million in 1983 while earning $9 million in profit.
Who sold Byte magazine to McGraw-Hill and when did that transaction occur?
Virginia Williamson sold Byte to McGraw-Hill in April 1979 for a significant sum. She remained publisher until 1983 before becoming a vice president at McGraw-Hill Publications Company.
Which artist created cover artwork for Byte from 1975 through 1990?
Robert Tinney created cover artwork from December 1975 through September 1990 making Byte visually distinctive. These covers featured illustrations rather than product photos except for major hardware introductions like the Apple Lisa or Commodore Amiga.
When did CMP Media cease publication of Byte magazine and what followed?
CMP Media ceased publication with the July 1998 issue after laying off all staff members. UBM TechWeb officially relaunched Byte as Byte.com on the 11th of July 2011.