RIP Sir Clive

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(09-20-2021 12:47 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  RIP and Forever Gratitude, Sir Clive

The same from me. He did not invent anything revolutionary new, but through his ingenious electronic designs he made things affordable for common people. My first "home computer" was a ZX81 bought as kit in 1981 or 82. I had wanted to have my own computer long before that, but a Commodore PET 2001 or Tandy TRS 80 (or an Apple II...) were far out of reach. And neither of them would have taught me as much about electronics, computing and software as "pimping" the ZX81 did. In the end mine had "high resolution graphics", an external keyboard from a discarded industry terminal which required a self-made interface containing around 150 transistors, a selfmade interface for Centronics printers, an EPROM programmer, several switchable RAM banks, and a proper video output (instead of the original RF TV connector). All that stuff together cost less than an HP-41 in those days... Thanks again Sir Clive Siclair.

Regards
Max

NB: I have plenty of Sinclair calculators in my collection now. They may not be as solid as those from HP, but every one is special in it's own way. From the cheapest four-banger to the silver plated Royal Jubilee Sovereign. I also like the digital mutlimeter with the purple LED display (it really is made from red LEDs with a blue sheet of plastic on top).
And if lithium batteries would have been around in the 1980ies, who knows if we all would be driving Sinclair electric cars by now.