The computerization of America may now be ruled complete. Disney has launched a magazine called FamilyPC.
FamilyPC actually is the offspring of a union between Disney, the family entertainment empire, and Ziff-Davis Publishing.But this new baby is different from others because it's written for the non-computer-programmers of the world. People who do something besides design software. People who do something besides read computer manuals when they get home at night.
People who have kids.
The premiere issue has a special section with a back-to-school theme. One feature looks at how parents can evaluate the computer systems in their children's schools. Another is about using on-line services for homework.
And then, there's what the publishers of FamilyPC hope becomes the magazine's hallmark: Family-Tested Software. The folks at FamilyPC say they use about 500 families from around the country to play with and rate educational software.
"We're not going to have a bunch of computer magazine people sitting around saying, `This software is great for your 6-year-old.' We've got actual 6-year-olds working with the stuff to see how it does," said Dan Muse, executive editor of FamilyPC.
The current issue, which Muse said so far has reached a circulation of 200,000, will be on newsstands until Oct. 11. FamilyPC will be published bimonthly until March, when it will go to 10 issues a year.
"We don't feel a particular need to tell them they need to buy a computer," Muse said, "but we want to tell them about ways to use it."