Resolution for a New Decade: Selecting a Computer Display

While PC‐compatible computing becomes ever more complex and confusing, some aspects do achieve clarity. One such aspect, according to the author, is the choice of display. For most users, that choice may be clearer now than at any time in the last six years. Indeed, clarity and aspect both enter into the decision: specifically, greater clarity through higher resolution, and an aspect ratio that finally makes sense. Some informal notes on the history of display “standards” for MS‐DOS computing lead up to a discussion of the current situation. There's still more than one choice to make; the author discusses the reasons why one set of choices, which the author doesn't currently use, may be more sensible than other alternatives. Don't expect equally clear‐cut advice on printers: the author briefly notes why that doesn't appear feasible at this point. That brief discussion is followed by a smorgasbord of citations from the PC literature for July‐September 1989.