Nick Montfort and I are happy to share the cover art and a revised title for the book we wrote on the Atari Video Computer System (more about the book).

The final title is Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System. "Racing the beam" is a way some VCS programmers describe the process of setting up scan lines of the television picture (which has to be done manually in code) during the limited processor cycles available.

The cover art is at right, featuring a detail of the neutral zone from Yars' Revenge. The bright colors and horizontal playfield bit patterns are characteristic of a style unique to the Atari VCS, but one that would have strong influence on later games with very different hardware designs.

The book should will the street this winter, late 2008 or early 2009, from MIT Press.