Pardon the expression, but it was never essentially the machine that I would say had an influence on my life. More being part of the evolution of computers was, in hindsight, quite a good feeling...like a '...I was there there!' sensation.
We got a second hand Atari 2600 in 1983 and moved on to a second hand 128k in 1987, finally a spanking new +2A in 1989, then my final machine as a 'kid' was an Amiga 500 in 1991.
I think that video games in the 80's were so 'crude' and far removed from reality that they actually had an escapism aspect to them. I have mentioned before that due to early computers limited ability many games had a 'Ye Olde' look and feel to them that was pure Spectrum. Without the luxury of a powerful, soulless machine programmers had to rely on imagination, skill, humour and love of the machine that created some corking games or even simply some corking conversions.
I'll always have fond memories of me doing my homework waiting for 'Hijack' to load whilst listening to S-Express. Many subjects in media are taken for granted now, it has taken the fun out of pure entertainment.
Whilst we used to marvel at special FX on films such as Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and T2 kids now expect that kind of technology in television adverts and mobile fone adverts.
Whilst listening to music on a walkman was a novelty only hindered by the limited life span of ASDA's own brand AA batteries kids now expect not only the song but also the album, music video, and ability to book said bands gig tickets all whilst video-ing their mates happy slapping.
Whilst we used to watch Bullseye on a Sunday evening eating our Angel Delight before being bullied by Grandad to switch over to Songs of Praise, kids now watch 200 channels on their own plasma TV's.
Fact is, we are slipping a generation...I am all for the future and evolving culturally, yet what I am now is thanks to what I learnt then. Hope you enjoyed the post...please comment!
Pardon the expression, but it was never essentially the machine that I would say had an influence on my life. More being part of the evolution of computers was, in hindsight, quite a good feeling...like a '...I was there there!' sensation.
We got a second hand Atari 2600 in 1983 and moved on to a second hand 128k in 1987, finally a spanking new +2A in 1989, then my final machine as a 'kid' was an Amiga 500 in 1991.
I think that video games in the 80's were so 'crude' and far removed from reality that they actually had an escapism aspect to them. I have mentioned before that due to early computers limited ability many games had a 'Ye Olde' look and feel to them that was pure Spectrum. Without the luxury of a powerful, soulless machine programmers had to rely on imagination, skill, humour and love of the machine that created some corking games or even simply some corking conversions.
I'll always have fond memories of me doing my homework waiting for 'Hijack' to load whilst listening to S-Express. Many subjects in media are taken for granted now, it has taken the fun out of pure entertainment.
Whilst we used to marvel at special FX on films such as Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and T2 kids now expect that kind of technology in television adverts and mobile fone adverts.
Whilst listening to music on a walkman was a novelty only hindered by the limited life span of ASDA's own brand AA batteries kids now expect not only the song but also the album, music video, and ability to book said bands gig tickets all whilst video-ing their mates happy slapping.
Whilst we used to watch Bullseye on a Sunday evening eating our Angel Delight before being bullied by Grandad to switch over to Songs of Praise, kids now watch 200 channels on their own plasma TV's.
Fact is, we are slipping a generation...I am all for the future and evolving culturally, yet what I am now is thanks to what I learnt then. Hope you enjoyed the post...please comment!
When I see old episodes of Bullseye on sky its got a great nostalgic feel to it. You see darts was/is predominantly a working class past-time (and when Bullseye was originally broadcast working class REALLY was working class.)
So although Peter Kays (and originally Frank Skinners) skit on Bullseye is funny you have to realise that 2 odd looking contestants from Rochdale really did appreciate some of the crappy prizes on Bully's Prize Board...beit a Soda-Stream or a new Black & Decker workbench. There wasn't much money about back then, its sad really when you see people who obviously werent wealthy being dangled the caravan or Ford Fiesta carrot (the speedboat prize wasn't as regular as people think) they once even wheeled out a ghastly 3 piece suite and matching sideboard as the 'Star' prize...but when you have been using your Aunts old cottage suite for the last 15 years of marriage they must have been over the moon!
So maybe even Bullseye itself ranks up with the Spectrum in the evolution of life. In these high paced days of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' and 'Deal Or No Deal?' it seems people really were happy back then to walk away with ?134, a set of darts, a bendy bully and a radio/alarm clock...
After all, in every episode they always said 'We've had a great day Jim, but...'
Comments
We got a second hand Atari 2600 in 1983 and moved on to a second hand 128k in 1987, finally a spanking new +2A in 1989, then my final machine as a 'kid' was an Amiga 500 in 1991.
I think that video games in the 80's were so 'crude' and far removed from reality that they actually had an escapism aspect to them. I have mentioned before that due to early computers limited ability many games had a 'Ye Olde' look and feel to them that was pure Spectrum. Without the luxury of a powerful, soulless machine programmers had to rely on imagination, skill, humour and love of the machine that created some corking games or even simply some corking conversions.
I'll always have fond memories of me doing my homework waiting for 'Hijack' to load whilst listening to S-Express. Many subjects in media are taken for granted now, it has taken the fun out of pure entertainment.
Whilst we used to marvel at special FX on films such as Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and T2 kids now expect that kind of technology in television adverts and mobile fone adverts.
Whilst listening to music on a walkman was a novelty only hindered by the limited life span of ASDA's own brand AA batteries kids now expect not only the song but also the album, music video, and ability to book said bands gig tickets all whilst video-ing their mates happy slapping.
Whilst we used to watch Bullseye on a Sunday evening eating our Angel Delight before being bullied by Grandad to switch over to Songs of Praise, kids now watch 200 channels on their own plasma TV's.
Fact is, we are slipping a generation...I am all for the future and evolving culturally, yet what I am now is thanks to what I learnt then. Hope you enjoyed the post...please comment!
2 in a bed? not in this game.
So although Peter Kays (and originally Frank Skinners) skit on Bullseye is funny you have to realise that 2 odd looking contestants from Rochdale really did appreciate some of the crappy prizes on Bully's Prize Board...beit a Soda-Stream or a new Black & Decker workbench. There wasn't much money about back then, its sad really when you see people who obviously werent wealthy being dangled the caravan or Ford Fiesta carrot (the speedboat prize wasn't as regular as people think) they once even wheeled out a ghastly 3 piece suite and matching sideboard as the 'Star' prize...but when you have been using your Aunts old cottage suite for the last 15 years of marriage they must have been over the moon!
So maybe even Bullseye itself ranks up with the Spectrum in the evolution of life. In these high paced days of 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' and 'Deal Or No Deal?' it seems people really were happy back then to walk away with ?134, a set of darts, a bendy bully and a radio/alarm clock...
After all, in every episode they always said 'We've had a great day Jim, but...'