30 Jun
1999
30 Jun
'99
2:12 p.m.
Hi Scott:
In a message dated 6/30/99 7:04:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
scott(a)saskatoon.com writes:
My point exactly -- in '82 $100 US was no sweat, but $500 US was more than I
could afford. So, my choice, again, was crap computer or no computer.
> Other than the Timex/Sinclairs, what's the
cheapest machine which was
> available in 1982 that I could have used to learn BASIC and assembler
and
machine code
-- at home?
VIC-20. I bought mine for $600CDN in either 1981 or 1982 (not sure) I hope this doesn't really sway the argument
either way. I'm really
neutral on the subject. Some people collect PDP-8s, some people collect
what's 'popular', as for me, I'm still looking for a VIC-1540 because I
could never afford one back in the early 80s.
And some of us are sentimental old fools who just collect for purely sappy
reasons. In Feb '99, I hadn't seen or thought about a Timex/Sinclair for 13
years. One day I found the manual while cleaning out a closet (computer long
since lost or given away). I did a web search and was _floored_ to find an
intensely active international user community still supporting these critters.
This led me to another discovery: development of the ZX81 platform
continues. Examples are: bumping the tape transfer rate from native 300 bps
to 4800 bps _using_software_. Efficient BASIC and FORTH compilers. Hi-res
graphics utilizing non-volatile memory (the ZX81 inventor, Sir Clive
Sinclair, repeatedly stated that this was impossible). IDE hard drive and
floppy drive i/fs. RAM expansion to 1 MB. I.e., developments by users which
go completely beyond what was originally imagined by the makers of the ZX81.
Sincere question: is this also the case with the larger machines which are
being collected/restored? Has anyone figured out how to connect (for
example) a Snappy to a PERQ? No disrespect intended, as I have nothing but
admiration for folks who take the huge amount of time & trouble to revive a
PDP-8 or 370, but it appears to me (and I'm new here, so don't clobber me too
badly) that "big" classic computer collectors take pride in returning a
machine to its original condition, whereas the ZX81 crowd is by and large
more interested in "how can I make this thing act more like a 'real'
computer."
Anyway, when I began to collect them, I had no idea they were "popular."
Also, back to the question above, I think by 1982 we
might also have had
the Atari400. The C64 must have been around this time too. Probably the
Coco as well. Really, 1982 is pretty close to the start of the 8bit
explosion.
CoCo I'm not sure of (without checking), 400 & C64 yes. But, all of these
sold for many times the cost of a ZX81. Additionally, none of the above have
that perfect wedge shape, which really does make a perfect door-stop. ;>)
Regards & thanks for your input,
Glen Goodwin
A Fledgling Collector
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