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Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: Clive on March 12, 2011, 22:05

Title: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Clive on March 12, 2011, 22:05

The Sinclair ZX81 was small, black with only 1K of memory, but 30 years ago it helped to spark a generation of programming wizards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12703674

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Simon on March 13, 2011, 00:09

Before my time.  ;)

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Clive on March 13, 2011, 09:53

 ;D

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Rik on March 13, 2011, 11:42

But not mine...

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Clive on March 13, 2011, 12:05

I was always going to buy one but never got around to it.  I bought the much more advanced Spectrum 16K instead. 

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: daveeb on March 13, 2011, 12:08

Quote from: Clive on March 13, 2011, 12:05

I was always going to buy one but never got around to it.  I bought the much more advanced Spectrum 16K instead. 

Daley Thompsons decathlon ensured that the space bar and various other keys packed in within about a month.  :bawl:

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Clive on March 13, 2011, 12:10

I wonder what today's kids would make of the graphics in Spectrum games?   :laugh:

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Rik on March 13, 2011, 12:24

Or Teletext...

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Simon on March 13, 2011, 12:27

I remember playing Lemmings on a very early PC, which I think was an Amiga.  The graphics seemed great at the time!   :laugh:

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Rik on March 13, 2011, 12:30

It would be 'illuminating' to see them now, wouldn't it.

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Simon on March 13, 2011, 12:38

Indeed!

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Rik on March 13, 2011, 12:50

There was a wonderful excitement back then. Perhaps kids still feel it today, but I suspect not. For us, it was all so new that we stood in awe.

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Simon on March 13, 2011, 13:26

The machine I first played games on used cassette tapes.   ;D

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Rik on March 13, 2011, 16:31

Half an hour to load, then it usually crashed.

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: Clive on March 13, 2011, 17:18

Yes, right at the end of the installation!   ;D

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: D-Dan on March 14, 2011, 00:52

For linux users - look for pingus - it's lemmings with penguins :)

Title: Re: The Sinclair ZX81 is 30 years old today
Post by: sam on March 14, 2011, 01:30

oh I never managed to get into pingus; for those who are interested: http://pingus.seul.org/screenshots.html