Blast from the past: The future in old computer magazines

The article recounts a nostalgic look back at vintage computer magazines, specifically the November 1984 issue of Creative Computing, highlighting early smart-home and online services. CyberLYNX's Smarthome I controller, reviewed by Owen W. Linzmayer, could manage lights, music, and dinner timing, and once configured, could operate independently of an Apple computer, though the reviewer noted confusing instructions and that food still had to be prepared manually. A separate CompuServe advertisement from the same era promoted a "party across nine states with one glass to wash afterward," illustrating early online community building. The piece underscores how 1980s-era products anticipated today's smart-home and internet services, offering context for how long these concepts have been in development. Watch for continued interest in computing history as modern smart-home and online service companies refine offerings their predecessors envisioned decades ago.