Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 24, 2026

Overload (magazine)

Overload is a bi-monthly professional computer magazine published by ACCU, that was established in 1993 and is edited by Frances Buontempo. It aims to "publish a high standard of articles about all aspects of software development". All issues of Overload, starting from August 1998, are available online.

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Overload
Overload #92
EditorFrances Buontempo
CategoriesComputer magazines
FrequencyBi-Monthly
PublisherACCU
First issueApril 1993
CountryUnited Kingdom
Based inHenley on Thames
LanguageEnglish
WebsiteIssue List
ISSN1354-3172

Overload is a bi-monthly professional computer magazine published by ACCU, that was established in 1993 and is edited by Frances Buontempo. It aims to "publish a high standard of articles about all aspects of software development".1 All issues of Overload, starting from August 1998, are available online.2

History

Overload was started in 1993 as a magazine of the "Turbo C++ SIG".3 By 1994, it had become a "journal of C++ SIG", with an appropriate change in scope. At that time there were several magazines with similar scope, including C/C++ Users Journal, C++ Report, and to a lesser extent, Dr. Dobb's Journal. The scope of Overload continued to be broadened4 and in 2000 the magazine was relabeled from "journal of C++ SIG" to "journal of ACCU".5 About the same time, a board of "readers" was established, to assist authors with improving their articles.4

Over time, many competing publications have been discontinued (C++ Report has been discontinued in 2002, C/C++ Users Journal in 2006, Dr Dobbs Journal in 2009),6 and by 2010 Overload has become the only magazine to cover this area, which has attracted articles of notable writers such as former contributing editor of C/C++ Users Journal Matthew Wilson7 and creator of C++ Bjarne Stroustrup.8

Since its establishment, the scope of the magazine has evolved from issues specific to C/C++ into all aspects of software development, with a particular emphasis on Agile software development.910 In 2005 Overload published a Quality Manifesto by Tom Gilb.

Notable contributors

Editors

  • Frances Buontempo (2012–present)
  • Ric Parkin (2008–2012)
  • Alan Griffiths (2003–2008)
  • John Merrels (1998–2003)
  • Sean A. Corfield (1995–1997)
  • Mike Toms (1993–1994)
References

References

  1. The ACCU Journals
  2. Online archive
  3. "A History Lesson", Overload #10, October 95
  4. Alan Grifiths, Editorial, Overload #55, June 2003
  5. Alan Griffiths, A Word from the C++ SIG Organiser, Overload #36, March 2000
  6. Dr. Dobb's Journal: A Pocketful of Change
  7. Matthew Wilson, An Introduction to Fast Format (Part 1): The State of the Art, Overload, #89, February 2009
  8. Bjarne Stroustrup, No 'Concepts' in C++0x, Overload, #92, August 2009
  9. Giovanni Asproni. How to shoot yourself in the foot in an agile way, Overload #71, February 2006
  10. Allan Kelly. Blue-White-Red, an example agile process, Overload #81, October 2007
External links