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Usborne 1980s Computer Books

Usborne has been publishing award-winning computer books since the 1980s, and we're happy to offer free pdfs of these books to download.

Simply scroll down to see the books and click on a cover. NB these programs don't work on modern computers. Please read our copyright notice. 

Many of today's tech professionals were inspired by the Usborne computing books they read as children. The books included program listings for such iconic computers as the ZX Spectrum, the BBC Micro and the Commodore 64, and are still used in some computer clubs today.

Links now available

We're sorry the pdfs were temporarily unavailable. The links have been updated and all the books should now be available. (25 November 2021)

 

Computer and coding books today

Our latest books on coding using Scratch and Python will give today's kids a clear understanding of computers and coding.

See all computer and coding books

Their format of colourful cartoons and easy to digest layout have made them something of a cult object among the now-grown-up generation who first received them.
Hackaday

Introduction to programming

Computer games listings

Adventure games

First computer library

 

Copyright notice

These pdf copies of the original Usborne Computer Guides published in the 1980s are free to download for your own personal or educational use. The books and files are the copyright of Usborne Publishing. You can provide a link to the pdfs from your website, but you may not host or distribute the original files.

Please note

These books were written for 1980s computers such as the ZX Spectrum and BBC Micro. The programs will not run on modern computers. For any enquiries please email us at [email protected]

Adapting the programs

You may adapt any of the programs in these books to modern computer languages, and share the adaptations freely online. You may not use the adaptations for commercial purposes. Please credit the name of the Usborne book from which you adapted the program, and provide a link to this webpage.