April 1986

Analog Science Fiction Science Fact, “Analog Science Fiction Science Fact, April 1986,” Drew University Library Special Collections

In the 1986 edition of Analog Science Fiction Science Fact, the item that is advertised is Sylvia Porter's Financial Planner, which is an early form of accounting software. The ad is extremely detailed compared to the other advertisements. The advertisement is printed in black and white like the others but features more text comparatively. Other features of the advertisement is a black-and-white cover photo of the financial software and a black-and-white photo of what can be assumed to be Sylia Porter herself. The cover feature mentions that this financial planner is part of a series of programs from the company. One of the first things that one sees when first looking at the advertisement is the bold text at the top of the page, talking about how Sylvia Porter’s Financial Planner could change one's life. The text includes a lot of information about what the item entails, this includes how the item could help the buyer. For example, on the left side of the page, there is a large amount of text. Talking about how the buyer can use the financial planner to calculate things like personal net worth and access to premade graphs that would help one calculate financial statements. On the right side of the advertisement, there is a quick list of other features that it has, including which computers the programs are compatible with. This advertisement is verily obviously targeted towards those who are interested in home computing, which readers of a science fiction magazine would obviously be interested in.