Updates, Requests and Errata Log
13/10/2012: Just a brief update: I have added some listings to the November 1982 Software File and have also shuffled towards uploading articles from December 1982. In the latter case I have uploaded a rather spiffy flight simulator for the ZX Spectrum. A working snapshot of this can be found at Type Fantastic (or I can email a copy to you if you prefer).
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30/09/2012: I have added a ‘widget’ (hate that term) which allows for readers to receive updates via RSS. Tested it on my mobile phone, using gReader, and it all seems to work. Two more posts also uploaded: Basic Dictionary (when this is finished I will create a single page for this) and Response Frame. In the case of the latter, there was an interesting letter from a Mr Warnes who was complaining about the lack of readability of some of the listings. I know only too well what he is on about!
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29/09/2012: Have now uploaded another ZX-81 article with a bundle of machine code routines. Not sure if I have everything copied across correctly. The second part of the article refers to ‘routine 12′ but I have managed to unearth only 11 routines. I suspect that I have got my wires crossed somewhere due to fatigue with formatting the hex and data in the listings. Anybody who sees my error is more than welcome to let me know.
The second article posted today is John Dawson’s review of competition winners who have designed (and built) devices to enable people with disabilities to access computer equipment. I am not sure about the title though as it refers to ‘Handicapped’. In today’s climate I am not sure if this is acceptable terminology. Still, as the thrust of the article was to aid those who would be classified as ‘disabled’ (or ‘handicapped’) it would take somebody of supreme churlishness to kick up a stink about this (any Guardian readers out there?). The second point about this article relates to the author: John Dawson. I cannot help but wonder if this is a pseudonym (the use of which was not an uncommon practice in computer magazines of the eighties). Apparently somebody named John Dawson is attributed with the invention of the Bath Wheelchair. Mind you, ‘John’ and ‘Dawson’ are not uncommon names so I am probably gibbering about nothing. Fascinating article though – most magazines were concentrating on what the latest piece of kit could do or were pondering the next great game, it is nice to see that Your Computer were willing to move beyond this.
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22/09/2012: Couple more posts added one for speech recognition on the ZX Spectrum and another about writing games (in machine code) on the ZX-81. Not too happy about the listing for a Frogger game in the ZX-81 article, it was very difficult to make out the text and I am convinced that there are typos. I will have to put this into an emulator in order to debug it. Something that has been added to my extensive list of ‘to do’s’. The articles are ‘Speak to your Spectrum’ and ‘ZX-81 Games Writing’ and can be found in the November 1982 magazine.
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18/09/2012: Have now added the second part of the music on micros triptych. Bit of sod to type in this one which means I am a tad concerned about inaccuracies in the listing. Suffice to say that it hasn’t been tested on an emulator (or better still a genuine BBC B).
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16/09/2012: Well, it’s been a while. Various ‘real-life’ events have intruded to prevent me from updating this site. Most of these are now behind me. So, to celebrate I have just uploaded the first of a three part article about music on micros. This one is for the Acorn Atom – I have not had a chance to test the accompanying listing as I do not have an Atom emulator available. Any ideas where I can get one. That is, any ideas where I can get one which I do not have to configure?
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20/11/2011: A small article on creating art work on the Dragon has been posted (Dragon Art – November 1982).
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20/11/2011: 300th Post!! It is rather apt that this should be an interview with Clive Sinclair. It is after all through his products that I developed a love of computers. This is a great interview. Starting with a potted history of Sinclair’s products, the interview rapidly turns to Clive’s rivals, whereby he takes potshots at Acorn. He is obviously still seething about the contract for a BBC computer going to Acorn. He then offers glimpses of computers that are planned to be released in 1983, which in hindsight are nothing like the machines that eventually materialised. Still, Clive Sinclair was a behemoth that dominated the early UK I.T. industry. Both he and his company laid the foundations for the evolution of the UK information technology industry, his vision for future developments was not that far off of the mark from what eventually happened (I am also including the much maligned C5 in this), and all-in-all he is deserving of our respect.
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20/11/2011: As was to be expected the knowledge mountain that is WoS resolved my query regarding Program S3 (update: 15/11/11) and I have now run the program and uploaded an image (November 1982 – Opening Up Graphics). Now for the BBC and Dragon versions. For the latter, I need to find a decent emulator – all fingers point to XRoar.
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19/11/2011: I have now posted Eric Deeson’s survey of ZX-81 software (November 1982). I have been struck by how poor Your Computer was at reviewing software (certainly in the first couple of years of its existance). One cannot help feel that the approach of the magazine was one of a dismissive, ‘this is beneath us’ approach – particularly where games are concerned. The reviews always attempt to cram reviews of 20-25 pieces of software into two pages meaning that each game gets one line in the review. On top of that is the ridiculous table at the foot of the article. The article posted today includes Mazogs – this was and is a seminal piece of games writing, yet due to the way the article is constructed it gets barely a mention. The way that games were reviewed is in starlk contrast to the thoroughness that was accorded other articles.
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18/11/2011: Have now uploaded a post in which Simon Beesley reviews three ‘affordable’ printers for the Sinclair computers as well as the Dragon and BBC Micro. (November 1982 – Review-Hard Copy For Micros)
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15/11/2011: Bill Bennett’s review of the curious but now all-but-forgotten Jupiter Ace has been posted (November 1982 – Speed Machine). It was a gamble on the part of the designers and manufacturers to choose Forth as the default langauge. A gamble that did not pay off.
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15/11/2011: I have now uploaded Tim Langdells article (November 1982 – Opening Up Graphics) about programming graphics in Basic on the Dragon, BBC and Spectrum. I have even included a couple of images for the Spectrum listings (the other machines will follow). Couldn’t get Program S3 working so have sent a query to World Of Spectrum to see if the big brains there can work it out.
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13/11/2011: I have added November 1982′s Computer Club, this time YC went to Southampton to visit the Southern Gas Computer Club, no less. My, I have been busy today. Or is it that I have been able to upload all of these posts through not being busy?
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13/11/2011: I have added a link to the wonderful Old Computers website in the Worth a Shufty page. Great website where I will spend hours (alright then, quite a few minutes) browsing.
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13/11/2011: November 1982 Contents and editorial, letters and news pages added. I was particularly amused by a letter from GA Bobker which opens: “Two things annoy me…”. The second point appears to be tainted with jealousy as he launches a broadside aginst owners of BBC’s and Atom’s. I love the letters pages there are some proper eccentrics out there.
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13/11/2011: Oh! Anyone know where I can get a decent, easy to use Acorn Atom emulator?
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13/11/2011: Another thing that has occured to me is that overwhlemingly the main articles within the magazine are generating the most interest. I have therefore decided to push ahead with getting these online (things like reviews, interviews and major listings) and will return to “lesser” posts (things like software file) at a later date. Believe it or not I have struggled with this decision as the main premise for this site was to give a voice, as it were, to the people that made the magazine such a success: it’s readers. Nowhere is this exemplified better than in the contributions made to Software File. I do intend to get all the listings online, ideally with snapshots and even videos, but they have had to drop down in my list of priorities. Sorry.
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13/11/2011: I have been surprised at the amount of interest this site has garnered and felt it only fair that I keep those who follow its progress updated. Hence this page.
What had started as little more than a whim has now developed into something much more involved (I even have somebody helping me with the articles and listings – thank you JT!). However, real life will intervene and so there will be periods when posts on this site will dwindle to nothing. The last couple of months are a case in point. This does not mean that I do not intend to return to the site – it is becoming something of a labour of love – but that occassionally my updates will be erratic. I will use this page to advise accordingly.
