Sinclair ZX80 / ZX81 / Z88 Forums

"uncle Clive " dies after a long illness apparently.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... es-aged-81

R.I.P Sir.

I've just been informed of the sad news.
I join the grief of all the people that are still loving the result of his passionate work.
Rest in peace.

Yes, very sad news

May he enjoy the inventors heaven.

Mark

I am not a literary man by any means, doubly so when someone's nearest-and-dearest has died, because I'm always treading on eggshells in my heaviest boots and inevitably an egg or six will get smashed. I've had so many family deaths that I'm somewhat desensitised, so I generally don't say anything.

But now, I'm going to have to. With a fair few others writing words to the effect of "this is the effect Sir Clive had on my life", the easiest way to do the same is to point you all towards the better of the two "About Me" profiles on my two Sinclair websites, and hopefully this won't be seen as a tasteless move. It says everything you'd need to know.

If I had to summarise succinctly, "Sinclair computers saved me from an existence that would otherwise have been a lot less bearable, and are still doing so". Will that do?

I'll have to copy and paste this everywhere I post (i.e. here, Spectrum Computing, WOS and the QL Forum) so if you get a sense of déjà vu from being on multiple forums, it should be understandable under the circumstances.

He gave many a young lad, including this one, the ability to learn computing. In what was (at the time) an extortionatly expensive hobby.

RIP Sir 'Uncle' Clive, you legacy still lives on and will do so for many years to come

avrovulcan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 1:18 am He gave many a young lad, including this one, the ability to learn computing. In what was (at the time) an extortionatly expensive hobby.

RIP Sir 'Uncle' Clive, you legacy still lives on and will do so for many years to come

Hear! Hear! And this one also. I dearly wanted a ZX-80 as a 12 year old but could not afford. Later got the ZX-81 and a lifetime in IT.

I wonder how many IT careers he launched? Mine for sure.

I also wonder if he was aware of how much interest there still is in his creations?

I still can’t properly describe the joy / amazement of seeing our ZX81 for the first time (or the frustration of having to wait for my turn - I was the youngest of three). Computers went from science fiction to reality in an instant. The most amazing (and occasionally throw it out of the window frustrating) things!

A sad day.

Lardo Boffin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:01 am The most amazing (and occasionally throw it out of the window frustrating) things!

If you are frustrated at a computer you are either asking it to do something it can't do, or you (or someone else) is not explaining the task correctly to the computer.

Remember computers do what they are told to do, not what you want them to do. Blaming a computer is like blaming a hammer for hitting your thumb, you just weren't using it correctly.

It's raining outside my window now, it's cloudy and I'm sad too.
R.I.P Sir Clive, have a good trip

BarryN wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:02 am

Lardo Boffin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:01 am The most amazing (and occasionally throw it out of the window frustrating) things!

If you are frustrated at a computer you are either asking it to do something it can't do, or you (or someone else) is not explaining the task correctly to the computer.

Remember computers do what they are told to do, not what you want them to do. Blaming a computer is like blaming a hammer for hitting your thumb, you just weren't using it correctly.

If it's RAMpack wobble that makes you frustrated, it bad computer design, at not something wrong I am doing. Hence it's the computer's fault.