Date   : Wed, 18 Oct 2006 20:07:45
From   : Tim Fardell <tim.fardell@...>
Subject: Re: [OT] Would anyone happen to have a 4116 dram chip

Jules Richardson wrote:
>
> Nah, you are right - as I just said to someone in private, a speccy was my
> first machine and they really were great.
<snip>
> Still, it got me into computing (back when that really meant something), and
> there's no way I could have got my hands on a BBC for home use due to the
price!

That almost could've been me writing that. I honestly believe that if
I hadn't had a Speccy, my life would have taken a completely different
path.

I still believe that the Spectrum makes an excellent device for
learning about how computers work - it's a simple enough architecture
for a beginner to "get their brain around" while being powerful enough
to gain real enjoyment from playing with it. Kids are growing up now
only able to use Windows, and have no clue what's going on inside the
box, and frankly they don't care, which is a shame. Don't know though,
maybe that's just me that thinks that.

> (I think my computing ownership went something like: 48K spectrum, speccy +2,

> Amiga, PC - the collecting side's another matter, of course!)

I started a bit before you with a 16K spectrum, which then got
upgraded to 48K, Spectrum +2 (admittedly made by Amstrad, but still
the best of the whole Spectrum range, IMO), then 486 PC. Never owned a
Beeb, and I skipped out the Amiga/Atari ST era completely :-)

I seem to accumulate lots of old 8-bit-computer-related stuff, though
I wouldn't class myself as a "collector" - I just like tinkering with
them!

Beebs are nice, of course, but the Spectrum will always have a special
place in my heart.