Usborne Computing Books
Teaching a generation to code
Usborne's 1980s computing books taught programming through game creation, with clear explanations and colourful illustrations that made coding accessible to children.
Overview
Usborne Publishing produced computing books that treated young readers as intelligent beings capable of creating real programs. Computer Spacegames, Computer Battlegames, and Write Your Own Adventure Programs combined clear technical explanations with engaging presentation. Now freely available online, they continue teaching new generations.
Key titles
| Title | Year | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Spacegames | 1982 | Action games |
| Computer Battlegames | 1982 | Combat games |
| Machine Code for Beginners | 1983 | Assembly introduction |
| Write Your Own Adventure Programs | 1983 | Text adventures |
| The Mystery of Silver Mountain | 1984 | Complete adventure game |
| Computer Programming | 1982 | BASIC fundamentals |
What made them special
Presentation
- Colourful illustrations
- Robot characters guiding readers
- Clear diagrams explaining concepts
- Engaging scenarios for each program
Technical quality
- Working code that actually ran
- Platform variations documented
- Explanations of why, not just what
- Debugging tips included
Accessibility
- Assumed no prior knowledge
- Built skills progressively
- Rewarded completion with playable games
- Encouraged modification
The adaptation notes
Programs included conversion tables:
- BASIC keyword differences
- Screen coordinate variations
- Sound command translations
- Platform-specific quirks
Adventure games focus
Write Your Own Adventure Programs was influential:
- Complete text adventure engine
- Room/object/verb system explained
- Database-driven design
- Parser construction
Machine code book
Machine Code for Beginners covered:
- Hexadecimal and binary
- Registers and flags
- Memory addressing
- Simple programs
Remarkably sophisticated for a children’s book.
Free availability
Usborne released PDFs for free download:
- Original books preserved
- New audience reached
- Continued educational value
- Nostalgic appeal
Cultural impact
These books:
- Introduced thousands to programming
- Made coding feel achievable
- Created shared references
- Influenced teaching approaches
Writing style
Characteristics:
- Second person (“You type…”)
- Encouraging tone
- Concrete examples
- Visual learning support
Modern relevance
Principles still apply:
- Learn by creating games
- Understand underlying systems
- Modify and experiment
- Finish with working projects