Apparently it was the British Silicon Valley... (Sinclair, Quad, Meridian, Cyrus, all big names with a genius behind)
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Our first computer was a ZX Spectrum 48k. In 1983 I think we got it. Told my dad it would help with homework. Instead...all games. Jet Set Willy, Manic Miner, Etc.
Also before that.... I remember receiving a folder at home with ZX81...It made my heart and mind race...as a kid...just the idea that a computer was within my reach.
Also before that.... I remember receiving a folder at home with ZX81...It made my heart and mind race...as a kid...just the idea that a computer was within my reach.
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I bought a Quad 44 and Quad 405 in ~1982, still got them but not used as they take up so much space.
I think you're right, it as a kind of "British Silicon Valley", particularly when Acron started the RISC/ARM processors, still used in many mobile phones.
It's interesting listening to the Chris Curry video as he describes how, when he worked with Clive Sinclair, he went to the US to Texas Instruments to get the chips for the prototype Sinclair calculator, and later to National Semiconductor for the MK14 chipset, the circuit was basically the NS Application Note.
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In that Chris Curry video, he says that the Sinclair market mostly consisted of kids/teenagers who were into audio electronics, then later, into home computing (not necessarily the same kids/teenagers, but the same type of person). It's a shame that all that sort of thing has gone (at least, in Western Europe), everything is handed on a plate. I'm wondering if there's some other type of technology (non-electronic) waiting for kids to experiment with.
It is sad. Also the decline of the trades..but I think youtube might be at least a trigger for people to pick up making things...like boatbuilding or making a computer workarea..etc..etc.
The internet was a reason for me being able to pick up diyaudio.
R.I.P. Sir Clive Sinclair.
my first discussions about personal computers, on the pre-forum times, where the passionate conversations about vic 20 (that were very expensive and available at my school computer lab) vs the zx-80 .The zx-80 become the market the winner, with a insanely low price for the time. My first one was the ZX Spectrum with the tape, it was so "fast" to load the games and play. Well, the floppy disk were nicer, but a 5.25" floppy reader for a commodore cost more that an spectrum with a tape player. I do not recall if they were available for the spectrum.
my first discussions about personal computers, on the pre-forum times, where the passionate conversations about vic 20 (that were very expensive and available at my school computer lab) vs the zx-80 .The zx-80 become the market the winner, with a insanely low price for the time. My first one was the ZX Spectrum with the tape, it was so "fast" to load the games and play. Well, the floppy disk were nicer, but a 5.25" floppy reader for a commodore cost more that an spectrum with a tape player. I do not recall if they were available for the spectrum.
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