MikroBitti

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MikroBitti

Editor	Otto Aalto
Categories	Computing
Frequency	Monthly
Circulation	101,156
First issue	1984
Company	Sanoma Magazines Finland Oy
Country	Finland
Language	Finnish
Website	www.mikrobitti.fi
ISSN	0781-2078

MikroBitti (sometimes spelled MikroBITTI) is a Finnish computer magazine, founded in May 1984 and published by Sanoma Magazines, a division of the SanomaWSOY Group. MikroBitti is aimed mainly for beginner to mid-level computer users. In the year 2003 MikroBitti had the largest circulation figures of computer magazines published in the Nordic countries.

The computer platform coverage in MikroBitti has shifted according to the market and public interest over the years. Originally, in the middle 1980s, the magazine covered 8-bit home computers such as the Commodore 64, the MSX line and the ZX Spectrum. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the focus shifted to 16- and 32-bit home computers such as the Amiga and the Atari ST. Nowadays, it mainly covers PCs and games consoles. It also reviews other hardware, such as digital cameras.

In the 8-bit era, MikroBitti was very hobby-oriented, presenting type-in programs for home computers and home electronics projects. Some columns, like the famous Peliluola by Nordic the Incurable, were written in a subculture insider style, and obscure in-jokes such as exploding hamsters were occasionally used. Many of the staff were fans of Star Trek: The Original Series and sometimes even wrote entire articles about the show, which had little or nothing to do with home computers.

In the 1980s, the MikroBitti staff used to hold an annual summer camp in Lautsia, a small village in the Tavastia Proper region in southern Finland. The camp was open to all MikroBitti readers, with a registration fee, and lasted about a week. Each day consisted of computer programming classes taught by the magazine staff. In the beginning, the class used various 8-bit computers such as the Commodore 64 and the MSX, but these were later replaced with Amiga computers. In the evening, the camp offered common summer camp outdoor activities. The last summer camp was held in 1991. Jyrki Kasvi, a long time contributor to MikroBitti, has mentioned having found many summer camp attendees at executive positions in Finnish IT companies.^[1]

Later, when the magazine grew more popular, its orientation and style became more mainstream. During middle 2000s the magazine has branded itself more as a technology than a computer magazine. One of the latest moves was the complete removal of games section, and putting the remaining few game reviews and news among other hardware tests and news sections. For gamers this is unfortunate, because MikroBitti has always given large support to unusual games and independent publishers. The game section returned in the December issue, but the amount of games reviewed is significantly lower than before. All the changes are related to HIFI-magazine and Mikrobitti merging.

MikroBitti also produced two spin-off magazines: C (defunct) and Pelit.