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I cut my teeth so to speak on a 48k rubber keyed ZX Spectrum. For years I didn't have an assembler so I had to use the opcode reference in the back of the manua
by iuguy 15y ago
I cut my teeth so to speak on a 48k rubber keyed ZX Spectrum. For years I didn't have an assembler so I had to use the opcode reference in the back of the manual, which would often lead to interesting if somewhat annoying moments. It taught me the meaning of backups (SAVE your file before hitting RANDOMIZE USR).
A few years later I got a Multiface One and a copy of 007 disassembler and my life changed forever, or rather my infinite lives changed forever.
Eventually the spectrum got old and long in the tooth, I badgered my parents to get me the spiritual successor, the Sam Coupé and got one, but sadly that never took off.
- rogerbinns 15y agoI only had a 16kb one and some of that memory was used for the screen etc. Almost all the game and other program listings that were in magazines were written for the 48kb version. Consequently an early skill I picked up was typing in the programs and simultaneously editing them to take up less space. Back in those days even comments took up memory so they had to go too. I also had exactly the same experience with hand assembly. The first computer book I ever got and thoroughly enjoyed was the Spectrum ROM Disassembly which was a detailed commented list of the ROM (reverse engineered) showing how it all worked. Some folks have recreated the book: http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/rom-dis/ http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/rom-dis/