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Mine was smuggled into the country due to currency crises and import/export controls. I owe thanks to my mother for arranging that so that I could graduate from

by nanis 5y ago

Mine was smuggled into the country due to currency crises and import/export controls. I owe thanks to my mother for arranging that so that I could graduate from writing programs using paper and pencil to using an actual computer. Thank you Psion's Horizons cassette for teaching me about computer architecture. Thank you Toni Baker for teaching me Z80 assembly so I could program x86 with no problem. But, thank you Sir Clive, above all, for making such an affordable and approachable computer. What I learned on the ZX81 and the ZX Spectrum is still with me.

ComodoHacker 5y ago
In my country, there weren't any originals, even smuggled. Clones were built and sold by local engineers, using smuggled schematics and photocopies of circuit board layouts. The one I first get my hands on as a kid was built by my elder brother, an electronics engineer. I was so fascinated, I remember secretly sneaking into his house when he was at work to play the games. He taught me electronics and encouraged me to understand the schematics and build one for myself. And I eventually did, but I got something wrong, and it worked unstable. I never got patience to find the cause and get it right. But I definitely got charmed by electronics and programming because of this. Thank you, Sir Sinclair. And thank you, my brother.
- krallja 5y ago
  Do you still have the nonworking computer? Might be a fun project for a rainy weekend.
CodeMage 5y ago
Mine was a second-hand smuggled ZX Spectrum 48k. The first computer I ever saw was Galaksija, at the school where my mom and dad worked. The school later got a Lola 8, but by then my mom and dad bought me a used Spectrum and I was happily plugging the depths of BASIC, and later assembly. Farewell, Sir Clive, and thank you for some of my best memories.
cable2600 5y ago
I still write programs on paper and pencil to see if I can do it as accurately as the machine can.

by nanis 5y ago

ComodoHacker 5y ago

In my country, there weren't any originals, even smuggled. Clones were built and sold by local engineers, using smuggled schematics and photocopies of circuit board layouts. The one I first get my hands on as a kid was built by my elder brother, an electronics engineer. I was so fascinated, I remember secretly sneaking into his house when he was at work to play the games. He taught me electronics and encouraged me to understand the schematics and build one for myself. And I eventually did, but I got something wrong, and it worked unstable. I never got patience to find the cause and get it right. But I definitely got charmed by electronics and programming because of this. Thank you, Sir Sinclair. And thank you, my brother.

krallja 5y ago
Do you still have the nonworking computer? Might be a fun project for a rainy weekend.

CodeMage 5y ago

Mine was a second-hand smuggled ZX Spectrum 48k. The first computer I ever saw was Galaksija, at the school where my mom and dad worked. The school later got a Lola 8, but by then my mom and dad bought me a used Spectrum and I was happily plugging the depths of BASIC, and later assembly. Farewell, Sir Clive, and thank you for some of my best memories.

cable2600 5y ago

I still write programs on paper and pencil to see if I can do it as accurately as the machine can.