Date   : Mon, 02 Jan 2006 22:16:18 +0000
From   : Andrew Benham <adsb@...>
Subject: Re: Happy New Year for 2006

Pete Turnbull wrote:

> According to the article about it in the December 1981 issue of
> Personal Computer World, which I have in front of me, it was launched
> in November 1981.  I think my local school was one of the ones that got
> an early model, at the end of summer '81, IIRC (some sort of DTI
> initiative or competition).  I'm fairly sure one of my friends bought
> or at least ordered one for Christmas 1981, and certainly the plan was
> for plenty of them to be out in advance of the first TV programmes, in
> March 1982.  However, I don't think Alison actually got hers in time
> for Christmas.  Initial supplies were notoriously erratic.

I've just dug out "Beebug Newsletter, Volume 1 Number 1", dated April
1982.  Well, actually a reprint of it.
One member ordered a machine on 29 October 1981 and it was delivered
on 15 February 1982. Had to be returned on 26 February...
Several stories about cheques being cashed immediately the order was
received, and having to wait 6 or 7 months for delivery.
Also seems that orders for model B machines took a month longer to be
delivered than those for model A machines.
Production rates were 800 model A and 1000 model B machines a week,
production being unequally split between ICL and Cleartone.

I suspect any machine supplied in 1981 probably predated normal
production (in engineering terms a 'B model', which is not the same
thing as a BBC Model B !).

And, after all this wait, you got a machine with OS 0.1 !


-- 
Andrew Benham         adsb@...       
Southgate, London N14, United Kingdom

The gates in my computer are AND OR and NOT, not "Bill"