The ZX81 Turns 40
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The ZX81 Turns 40
1–10 of 84 posts
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#2I have a photo of my grandfather with a ZX81, though I never saw him use it. By the time I was around, he had an Apple //e and an IBM PS/2.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#3If like me you have fond memories of the ZX81 (though not perhaps of the keyboard), then you might find this print interesting:
http://www.alisoneldred.com/john-harris/fine-art-prints-1/sc...
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#4My first computer - I still have it although it needs restoration. We didn't know at the time it was so limited because there was nothing to compare it to.
The author of the programming manual - Steve Vickers - could be thought of both the first and last person to formally teach me computer science, since I eagerly followed the entire manual back in 1981, and then 15 years later I took his notoriously difficult and impenetrable course on Mathematical Structures at university.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#5First computer of the family, received as a kit. My mother, my father and I took turns copying listings from books and magazines. I remember we were very enthusiastic and fascinated by this machine. The first words I achieved to type on it were swear words.
My phalanges still remember it!
Having said that, I had an instinct of repulsion at the sight of the RAM pack on the photo.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#6I have a photo of my grandfather with a ZX81, though I never saw him use it. By the time I was around, he had an Apple //e and an IBM PS/2.
I remember them being wildly popular at first, because they were so much cheaper than other 8 bit computers. Then, price wars made computers with more memory and a better keyboard more competitive, and you started seeing much less of the ZX81.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#7First computer of the family, received as a kit. My mother, my father and I took turns copying listings from books and magazines. I remember we were very enthusiastic and fascinated by this machine. The first words I achieved to type on it were swear words. My phalanges still remember it! Having said that, I had an instinct of repulsion at the sight of the RAM pack on the photo.
Ah the RAM pack. This resulted in a life of wiggle wiggle crash crash.
I managed to get my hands on a beeb eventually. Thank goodness.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#8I just posted a pic of my highly modified ZX81 here
https://mobile.twitter.com/njcw/status/1368566103933337603
In honour of the #zx81 40th bday I got mine out the attic. I modified it heavily to have external keyboard, programmable character generator and easy access to swap the ROM. I killed it trying to upgrade to 48k RAM but I haven't the heart to dispose of my first computing love!
In those days I obviously had no fear cutting into the case and soldering stuff on the motherboard! I'm not that brave any more.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#9I have a Timex Sinclair 1000 in my basement (the 2K USA version of the ZX81). Commodore had the largest warehouse of these in North America by 1984.
Re: The ZX81 Turns 40
#10This is the computer I learned to program on (the TS1000 US Version). The manual for it still has place of honor on my bookshelf.