Article about collecting in Antique Trader.

From: Glenatacme_at_aol.com <(Glenatacme_at_aol.com)>
Date: Wed Jun 30 21:12:46 1999

Hi Scott:

In a message dated 6/30/99 7:04:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
scott_at_saskatoon.com writes:

> > Other than the Timex/Sinclairs, what's the cheapest machine which was
> > available in 1982 that I could have used to learn BASIC and assembler
and
> > machine code -- at home?
>
> VIC-20. I bought mine for $600CDN in either 1981 or 1982 (not sure)

My point exactly -- in '82 $100 US was no sweat, but $500 US was more than I
could afford. So, my choice, again, was crap computer or no computer.

> I hope this doesn't really sway the argument either way. I'm really
> neutral on the subject. Some people collect PDP-8s, some people collect
> what's 'popular', as for me, I'm still looking for a VIC-1540 because I
> could never afford one back in the early 80s.

And some of us are sentimental old fools who just collect for purely sappy
reasons. In Feb '99, I hadn't seen or thought about a Timex/Sinclair for 13
years. One day I found the manual while cleaning out a closet (computer long
since lost or given away). I did a web search and was _floored_ to find an
intensely active international user community still supporting these critters.

This led me to another discovery: development of the ZX81 platform
continues. Examples are: bumping the tape transfer rate from native 300 bps
to 4800 bps _using_software_. Efficient BASIC and FORTH compilers. Hi-res
graphics utilizing non-volatile memory (the ZX81 inventor, Sir Clive
Sinclair, repeatedly stated that this was impossible). IDE hard drive and
floppy drive i/fs. RAM expansion to 1 MB. I.e., developments by users which
go completely beyond what was originally imagined by the makers of the ZX81.

Sincere question: is this also the case with the larger machines which are
being collected/restored? Has anyone figured out how to connect (for
example) a Snappy to a PERQ? No disrespect intended, as I have nothing but
admiration for folks who take the huge amount of time & trouble to revive a
PDP-8 or 370, but it appears to me (and I'm new here, so don't clobber me too
badly) that "big" classic computer collectors take pride in returning a
machine to its original condition, whereas the ZX81 crowd is by and large
more interested in "how can I make this thing act more like a 'real'
computer."

Anyway, when I began to collect them, I had no idea they were "popular."

> Also, back to the question above, I think by 1982 we might also have had
> the Atari400. The C64 must have been around this time too. Probably the
> Coco as well. Really, 1982 is pretty close to the start of the 8bit
> explosion.

CoCo I'm not sure of (without checking), 400 & C64 yes. But, all of these
sold for many times the cost of a ZX81. Additionally, none of the above have
that perfect wedge shape, which really does make a perfect door-stop. ;>)

Regards & thanks for your input,

Glen Goodwin
A Fledgling Collector
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Received on Wed Jun 30 1999 - 21:12:46 BST