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Dutch VNU in bid talks

GeoffGeoff
edited February 2006 in Sinclair Miscellaneous
VNU NV is in talks to be acquired for as much as $8.8 billion by a group of the world's biggest private equity firms.

The company is massive but among their magazines is Personal Computing World who 20 years ago published my ZX Spectrum programs in their English and Australian magazines.

The sizable cheques used to come from VNU.


Post edited by Geoff on

Comments

  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited January 2006
    On 2006-01-16 18:35, Geoff wrote:
    VNU NV is in talks to be acquired for as much as $8.8 billion by a group of the world's biggest private equity firms.

    The company is massive but among their magazines is Personal Computing World who 20 years ago published my ZX Spectrum programs in their English and Australian magazines.

    The sizable cheques used to come from VNU.


    Expecting a few new large cheques Geoff?
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • GeoffGeoff
    edited February 2006
    I've been researching 'Imagine' tonight and it was VNU that put them into receivership back in 1984.
  • GeoffGeoff
    edited February 2006
    > Expecting a few new large cheques Geoff?

    I wish :)

    VNU used to pay me 50 quid a page for Spectrum listings and about 10 quid a page for syndication in Australia.

    Here's a hundred quid's worth.

    http://www.wearmouth.demon.co.uk/listing.gif
  • SkarpoSkarpo
    edited February 2006
    Hey Geoff ... I love that Sinclair + video on your site!

    Skarpo
    :)
  • GeoffGeoff
    edited February 2006
    Thanks. it took a minute to do.

    If you see a Google Video that you would like on your site then click the

    'Put on site' link on the right.

    You get one line of HTML which you can just paste between two 'HR' tags as I did.

    That's it. No load on your site or significant storage deals. Brilliant.
    I may have the 'Cebit Chicks'.


  • mheidemheide
    edited February 2006
    On 2006-01-16 18:35, Geoff wrote:
    VNU NV is in talks to be acquired for as much as $8.8 billion by a group of the world's biggest private equity firms.

    The company is massive but among their magazines is Personal Computing World who 20 years ago published my ZX Spectrum programs in their English and Australian magazines.

    The sizable cheques used to come from VNU.

    Reading this (after forgetting you had that info on your website for ages), I adjusted the Globeplotter entry to say it was a magazine type-in, but what is currently lacking is the (starting) page number. Could you please provide me with that?
  • GeoffGeoff
    edited February 2006
    Hi Martijn,

    have had trouble finding it in the loft.
    The program listing occupied pages 206-208.

    Then pages 220-221 had Alphacom 32 dumps of the source maps and the globe.

    I found another GEM from Sinclair User.

    A small booklet entitled "Sinclair Starter" with 40 Q & A for the new user.

    Question 27 is a hoot -

    "27. I have a ZX-80 and have just bought a Spectrum. What should I do with my old machine?"

    I will scan it in a week's time. Contain your excitement.
  • DEATHDEATH
    edited February 2006
    Geoff

    Are you the author of the screen resident utilities I have in my PD library? I would have asked before, but never knew your surname.
    Oh bugger!<br>
  • GeoffGeoff
    edited February 2006
    Hi,

    Yes I wrote those

    Utility 1
    Utility 2
    Utility 3

    Most of the code in the latter was written by John Kerr whose work appears in a couple of Z80 books and also in PCW SUB-SET where I saw his disassembly routine. Unfortunately I lost the 3 magazines.

    The Gosh Wonderful ROM uses the Renumber and Delete from Utility 2.

    Cheers.
  • DEATHDEATH
    edited February 2006
    Utility 3 isn't in the library, although I have in my personal collection. These two utils were very popular at the time, I didn't know about Util 3 until a few months ago. Is Utility 3 freeware then? It's probably not in the Alchemist Software library because maybe it's not clearly labelled as freeware/PD - just a guess.

    You did a good job programming these Utilities, pleasure to meet you Geoff.

    Now I'd like to say hello to Malcolm Goodman, Dan Cannon and Chris Pile - three great freeware utility programmers! Never likely to get the chance though :D
    Oh bugger!<br>
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited February 2006
    On 2006-02-09 13:40, DEATH wrote:
    Now I'd like to say hello to Malcolm Goodman, Dan Cannon and Chris Pile - three great freeware utility programmers! Never likely to get the chance though :D
    Chris Pile used to post on CSS and I believe has posted here in the past.
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • DEATHDEATH
    edited February 2006
    Cheers for the info Mr K! I may get lucky one day then huh?
    Oh bugger!<br>
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited February 2006
    On 2006-02-10 16:05, DEATH wrote:
    Cheers for the info Mr K! I may get lucky one day then huh?
    Lets hope so...
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
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