Wow, 40 years. You know, visually, it still looks contemporary today. Sleek black design, rounded edges, small size. Heck, it's even got a rainbow which seems to be all the rage nowadays. A masterpiece! Happy birthday Speccy!
"it only seems like yesterday"
"Time flies"
Etc etc.
It is amazing that such things stay popular for so long. Here we are, a bunch of old users who still plays and develop on some fort year old machine. I guess it's not unlike car enthusiasts.
A marvelous little computer that's given us all those years happy times and great memories, not to mention being for many the start of a career in computers. What more could we ask for, I don't know but I'd be confident it could achieve it. The ZX Spectrum is the gift that keeps on giving. Happy birthday old pal! <:-P
Happy birthday, Spectrum, and cheers for being there for me even when I didn't realise I needed it.
I would say "allow me to spin a yarn with only the mildest of apologies for those who have heard it all before, or who might read it on any other Sinclair-related forum"... but I re-read it and it looked so self-indulgent that it's probably best not posted in public, or at least hidden where only those who want to see it can see it. Plus, it has a dreadful confession for which today is about the least appropriate day to do so.
So I'll just stick with this FUN FACT: I was 1001 days old when the Spectrum went on sale.
And other than that, I'll crack open a celebratory bottle of elderberry wine this evening. I was going to do that tomorrow, over (Channel 4's cut-down re-run of) the Grand Prix, but as there's (Channel 4's cut-down re-run of) a sprint race this evening, I can justify it that way as well. And I'll have a celebratory curry, though that shouldn't be taken as an endorsement of Chris Curry, nor him having a punch-up with Our Glorious Departed Creator in the Baron of Beef.
Tonight I'll get some of my favourite games out for a spin on the actual machine. It would be rude not to. It won't be on my original +2 - something's wrong with the RGB socket that makes the picture jump around left and right with the Retro Computer Shack lead - so it'll have to be one of the +2Bs. I only have Amstrad-built models, but so be it. I don't have endless storage space. My collection of Spectrum stuff takes up half a wardrobe that normal people would put clothes in.
Maybe tonight I'll actually get through Jetpac. That'd be a thrill. All together now: "We bought it to help with your homework..."
And not to sound heretical - any more than is intended, which is not at all - but there are other computers that will also turn 40 this year, not least the Commodore 64, on a non-specific date in August. I wonder if there will be similar levels of celebration in Commie-land, or in the wider world? Will there be an issue of Retro Gamer dedicated to it? RG is a British magazine, so it's understandable they'd focus on the Spectrum (and you'll be hearing no complaints about that from me) - but if there's an American equivalent, will they be having a Transatlantic knees-up about four decades of the (second) Bread Bin, or will it get drowned out in a sea of Apples, Ataris, Trash-80s, TI-99s and "dude, we preferred consoles anyway"?
Cheers and many hails to the computer that's been part of my life for 80.315% of its length - and it was already north of its fifth birthday by the time I found it.
Happy birthday to our favourite machine !!! 40 years, and still there, on the front of the scene !
I always have one ready to fire on my working table (a toastrack with a SmartCard V3 at that time) :)
Post edited by bugpat on
Super Spectrum 128k+4 : +2A case, +2 motherboard, internal divIDE + SD
Spectrum 48k+ / 128k+ / 128k+2 / +2A (2) / +3 with Multiface3
SpeccyPi 128k+3,14...
Yes, I only love the + versions !!!
Comments
Regards,
Derek.
Games List 2016 - Games List 2015 - Games List 2014
"Time flies"
Etc etc.
It is amazing that such things stay popular for so long. Here we are, a bunch of old users who still plays and develop on some fort year old machine. I guess it's not unlike car enthusiasts.
@luny@mstdn.games
https://www.luny.co.uk
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
I would say "allow me to spin a yarn with only the mildest of apologies for those who have heard it all before, or who might read it on any other Sinclair-related forum"... but I re-read it and it looked so self-indulgent that it's probably best not posted in public, or at least hidden where only those who want to see it can see it. Plus, it has a dreadful confession for which today is about the least appropriate day to do so.
So I'll just stick with this FUN FACT: I was 1001 days old when the Spectrum went on sale.
And other than that, I'll crack open a celebratory bottle of elderberry wine this evening. I was going to do that tomorrow, over (Channel 4's cut-down re-run of) the Grand Prix, but as there's (Channel 4's cut-down re-run of) a sprint race this evening, I can justify it that way as well. And I'll have a celebratory curry, though that shouldn't be taken as an endorsement of Chris Curry, nor him having a punch-up with Our Glorious Departed Creator in the Baron of Beef.
Tonight I'll get some of my favourite games out for a spin on the actual machine. It would be rude not to. It won't be on my original +2 - something's wrong with the RGB socket that makes the picture jump around left and right with the Retro Computer Shack lead - so it'll have to be one of the +2Bs. I only have Amstrad-built models, but so be it. I don't have endless storage space. My collection of Spectrum stuff takes up half a wardrobe that normal people would put clothes in.
Maybe tonight I'll actually get through Jetpac. That'd be a thrill. All together now: "We bought it to help with your homework..."
And not to sound heretical - any more than is intended, which is not at all - but there are other computers that will also turn 40 this year, not least the Commodore 64, on a non-specific date in August. I wonder if there will be similar levels of celebration in Commie-land, or in the wider world? Will there be an issue of Retro Gamer dedicated to it? RG is a British magazine, so it's understandable they'd focus on the Spectrum (and you'll be hearing no complaints about that from me) - but if there's an American equivalent, will they be having a Transatlantic knees-up about four decades of the (second) Bread Bin, or will it get drowned out in a sea of Apples, Ataris, Trash-80s, TI-99s and "dude, we preferred consoles anyway"?
Cheers and many hails to the computer that's been part of my life for 80.315% of its length - and it was already north of its fifth birthday by the time I found it.
I always have one ready to fire on my working table (a toastrack with a SmartCard V3 at that time) :)
Spectrum 48k+ / 128k+ / 128k+2 / +2A (2) / +3 with Multiface3
SpeccyPi 128k+3,14...
Yes, I only love the + versions !!!