Date   : Wed, 26 Oct 2005 22:04:31 +0100
From   : "David Hunt" <dm.hunt@...>
Subject: Re: Guess age from serial number?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Majordomo List Manager [mailto:majordomo@...] On Behalf Of
> Kris Adcock
> Sent: 26 October 2005 20:49
> To: bbc-micro@...
> Subject: [BBC-Micro] Guess age from serial number?
> 
> Evenin' all,
> 
> I've got a Beeb here with the serial number 001013. It seems to be
> quite an early one - the power supply is one of the black variety, and
> half the RAM chips are socketed. Unfortunately I can't see the issue
> number because a disk-controller daughterboard covers it.
> 
> Anyway - anyone know if it's possible to guess an age from a serial
> number?
> 
> All the best,
> 
> Kris.
> 
> --
> Personal Site: http://www.danceswithferrets.org/
> RISC OS Programming Site: http://www.tofla.iconbar.com/
> "Fighting the ceaseless fight against literacy and good taste."
> The clothes you wear reveal a great deal about the sort of person you
> are. Surprise other people by taking all your clothes off before you
> go out.

My model A Beeb had a black PSU, it was a non-switched mode type. When I got
the model B expansion components the PSU was changed free of charge. You
just gave the dealer the serial number and they sent you out a new gold
coloured switch mode type. The serial number of that one started 001, and I
received it for my birthday in early 1982. If you've got one of those
penlight torches, you should be able to see the Issue number, mine was Issue
2, can't think what they added to my board, it was rather bare.

What I remember the most is soldering in the huge box of components, gosh
they were fun days, when you had to solder together a computer to play a
game! Lucky you, they put the sockets in for half the RAM in my board but
left empty holes for the rest. Same goes for RGB, RS423, analogue in, disc,
printer, user port, printer port, 1MHz bus and Tube, speech, disc and
econet, just a bunch of tinned solder holes just screaming out to have a hot
solder lead inserted into them!

Dave ;)