Hi ZX Community
Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 12:13 pm
Hello everyone, it's good to see that there is enthusiasm for ZXs still!
I've arrived here by a long journey, I'll recount it here, if you don't like nostalgia trips then stop reading here!
1981/2 I was nearing the end of my school years, things weren't going well and I had some problems in my home life. If anyone remembers those times you'll recall that employment was a worry and I had no idea what I was going to do.
I had seen ZX80s and later ZX81s in printed advertising for mail order, and I was intensely interested, but with no chance of laying my hands on one.
Our school had a solitary computer, a Tandy TRS-80 in a locked room and only accessible to a few elites. I had seen a TRS-80 in a shop and also a Commodore PET, all out of reach buy fascinating nonetheless.
One of our science teachers was also interested enough to buy a ZX81, and then to bring it to the school to share with his students who were interested. This meant that I could get time on one and I was hooked, quickly learning the ZX basic applying it to mathematical functions to plot on the display. I didn't own one but I at least had access to one.
So, not knowing what to do, school ended after the exams and I started looking for work. Having a tiny bit of ZX experience turned out to be enough of a differentiator for me to get into a fledgling computer company for my first job. It was a completely different world of DEC/VAX minicomputers at the time, but I was in and earned enough money to buy my own ZX81. From there I learned the Z80 inside out and the stepped my hardware knowledge up as the microcomputers evolved and enjoyed what became a 35+ years lucrative career. I believe this this happened to me only because that science teacher was enthusiastic and generous enough to share his own computer. It was a genuine turning point, a life changing moment.
So, only a few weeks back I was in Cambridge outside Kings College, and looking up at Clive's old offices above the shop in Kings Parade and pondering that the ZX81 was born there. I considered my career and how it started and resolved to find that teacher and thank him.
Through another student of my cohort, I found the gentleman - now elderly and got in touch. It turned out that he still owned the ZX81 that I used decades ago and he decided that I would be the best person to look after it, so handed it over to me.
So that brings me here via Rich at RWAP, I have started acquiring what I need to use the ZX81 again with modern display etc. I will make it work again, make it useful and enjoy it again.
Now I've become active donating computer equipment to people that need it, hoping that it can make a difference to somebody as it did for me.
Sorry about the long ramble, but from what I've read you all seem like a nice bunch!
I've arrived here by a long journey, I'll recount it here, if you don't like nostalgia trips then stop reading here!
1981/2 I was nearing the end of my school years, things weren't going well and I had some problems in my home life. If anyone remembers those times you'll recall that employment was a worry and I had no idea what I was going to do.
I had seen ZX80s and later ZX81s in printed advertising for mail order, and I was intensely interested, but with no chance of laying my hands on one.
Our school had a solitary computer, a Tandy TRS-80 in a locked room and only accessible to a few elites. I had seen a TRS-80 in a shop and also a Commodore PET, all out of reach buy fascinating nonetheless.
One of our science teachers was also interested enough to buy a ZX81, and then to bring it to the school to share with his students who were interested. This meant that I could get time on one and I was hooked, quickly learning the ZX basic applying it to mathematical functions to plot on the display. I didn't own one but I at least had access to one.
So, not knowing what to do, school ended after the exams and I started looking for work. Having a tiny bit of ZX experience turned out to be enough of a differentiator for me to get into a fledgling computer company for my first job. It was a completely different world of DEC/VAX minicomputers at the time, but I was in and earned enough money to buy my own ZX81. From there I learned the Z80 inside out and the stepped my hardware knowledge up as the microcomputers evolved and enjoyed what became a 35+ years lucrative career. I believe this this happened to me only because that science teacher was enthusiastic and generous enough to share his own computer. It was a genuine turning point, a life changing moment.
So, only a few weeks back I was in Cambridge outside Kings College, and looking up at Clive's old offices above the shop in Kings Parade and pondering that the ZX81 was born there. I considered my career and how it started and resolved to find that teacher and thank him.
Through another student of my cohort, I found the gentleman - now elderly and got in touch. It turned out that he still owned the ZX81 that I used decades ago and he decided that I would be the best person to look after it, so handed it over to me.
So that brings me here via Rich at RWAP, I have started acquiring what I need to use the ZX81 again with modern display etc. I will make it work again, make it useful and enjoy it again.
Now I've become active donating computer equipment to people that need it, hoping that it can make a difference to somebody as it did for me.
Sorry about the long ramble, but from what I've read you all seem like a nice bunch!