^C^1DISKOVERY
^CBy Val J. Golding

BLUE PRELUDE
------------
  Here we go, off to the Azure City...  (After all, Emerald City would not be
very appropriate in Big Blue Disk, now would it?)  As our magazine -- YOUR
magazine -- develops, we want to make a special appeal for reader input.  You
know, ideas that can help us improve Big Blue Disk, not only style, but content
and -- more importantly -- BALANCE.

  Our bifocals tend to impair our vision, thus we can't see as far into your
likes and dislikes as would suit us.  Why not Disk Us (use the BlueLine Editor)
and tell us your preferences.  What type of material turns you on -- or off.
Are you a hacker, a gamester, an applications user or what?  Are quizzes
passe'?  Are tutorials in?  Is art your bag?  Education?  What is the main use
for your PC?  This is the type of information that will guide us in creating a
disk magazine to suit your taste.

  Big Blue Disk is unlike any other magazette (disk-based magazine) or, for
that matter, any print media publication, in that we intend to be responsive to
our readers' needs.  We personally read every piece of incoming mail and within
the limits of our capabilities, will be receptive to your suggestions.

  In addition, we are here to aid with your technical problems.  There are two
ways in which we can do this: The Diskussion column can serve as a forum for
reader to reader exchanges of tips and hints, questions and answers, and reader
experiences.  Our technical staff also stands ready to explore problems that
are of general interest.

  Still in our infancy, we have received letters from readers who are running
PC Jr's or who do not have color cards for their PC's.  Be assured that this 
has not escaped our attention and we are working towards as complete a 
compatibility as possible.  In achieving this goal there are a number of major 
technical hurdles, but none of these are insurmountable, so stay tuned; we 
want to include YOU in. 

  From time to time, we will offer you some really special deals on software or
other products.  So that you do not miss out on any of this, it is important
that you select the Snake Oil section each issue as well as examining the
printed material enclosed in the plastic blister pack.  For example, in this
issue, a 10% savings on the Cross Educational Software line.

SINGIN' THE BLUES
-----------------
  Another way in which we add to the value of Big Blue Disk is via the Blue
Plate Special route.  The Blue Plate Special is a second disk that may contain 
a complete commercial game, application, demo or sampler.  This month we offer 
five interactive educational programs from the Mark Cross catalog. 

  Would you believe a complete full-featured word processor?  Yes indeed, that
is exactly what you will get next month: an $80.00 retail word processor as
our next Blue Plate Special, and there is more to come as the months roll by.
It sure seems to us like the wise thing to do is subscribe now, at only $69.95
for 12 issues, a 41% savings over newstand prices.  After all, you don't want
to miss all the goodies we have lined up for, do you?  You can find complete
information in Snake Oil and in the enclosed printed material.  Blue Plate
Specials are a part of our overall plan and will appear frequently in Big Blue
Disk.

  Before we depart, we want to call your attention to a couple of features in
this issue.  Whoever heard of genuine 3-D on a computer?  We have, and our
resident genius, Joel Rea, has pioneered this concept for you on the PC.  Quick
now, grab the free 3-D glasses that we have enclosed with this issue and look 
at PLANE 3-D.  You'll be amazed at what you see.  And we promise you more in 
issues to come. 

BLUE SKIES
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  Weather is always a topic for conversation, and within the "pages" of Big
Blue Disk, this is no exception.  Our feature section "Weather Thou Goest"
includes three pieces to satisfy your appetite.  Tornado Tutor is an excellent
collaboration between four of our staffers, Jerry Jones who created the
outstanding graphics that accompany the text, Jim Weiler who was responsible
for animating them, Jon Barnes who spent countless hours at the library
researching the subject, and George Leritte who handled the adaptation to the
PC.

  Also included in the feature section is our Weather Conversion program -- a
user-friendly way of entering millibars and finding out the equivalent inches
of mercury or any one of a half dozen other common weather conversions such as
wind chill, heat index or wind speed that will serve you the year 'round.  And
for hurricane season, a program to track the progress of a tropical storm.

  There's lots more in this issue, of course, but as usual, Dan is telling us
about his space problems on the disk, which means we had best bid you adieu.

  Enjoy.

