But he also invented the ZX81, with its whole 16k of extended ram.
Fond memories as a kid…
I would just like to say
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Fond memories as a kid…
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My brother in law had one, he didn't understand how to use it and I spent an afternoon at his place totally mesmerized.
I bought myself an Acorn Atom and that was me into computing.
Stone56
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Have to agree with that we have UFH on all the ground floor as it is stone it would be freezing with out it but 1st floor is rads but with the open atrium thay hardly come on except for the furthest bedroom, furs the bears keep me loverly and warmWe moved upstairs this year, which because the stairs are in the lounge/diner and the door at the top is left open, its warmer up there most of the time.
As we do the house insulating as we go it gets warmer and warmer. We seem to use less wood every year. Or is it that global warming thing.
The thing about underfloor heating is, getting into bed its never cold the whole mattress has warmed up, almost like an electric under blanket. Downstairs was turned off/down this summer cos thermostat bust itself. another job on the list. Looking at WIFI thermostats and change 5 at the same time.
We don't have any furs unless you count the cat when he comes up to wake us for his breakfast.
J
Stone56
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You been spying on meIf it growls, it's a bear.
100% correct, must close the curtains at night 
WhiskyLassie
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Yay he returns, happy new year I hope things are better
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OK, what I call a "garage" is 6'6" at its widest and 18' long.
But it is FULL of Big Bench 2' x 8' housing (mini lathe + micro mill). then floor standing pillar drill, then workbench 2' deep by 4' long. On the other side is storage shelves and my welding equipment and then my Boxford lathe.
There is a 2'6" galley down the middle. Absolutely rammed it is.
Stone56
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Not a garage then more of a work shopOK, what I call a "garage" is 6'6" at its widest and 18' long.
But it is FULL of Big Bench 2' x 8' housing (mini lathe + micro mill). then floor standing pillar drill, then workbench 2' deep by 4' long. On the other side is storage shelves and my welding equipment and then my Boxford lathe.
There is a 2'6" galley down the middle. Absolutely rammed it is.
My mum and dad got me the ZX81 - then got me the BBC B.
Better days…
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Pics or it never happened!!!It was bought for my wee brothers wedding & we all had our family tartan, pics look really smart for lads in skirts.
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You are of an age where, like me, you could have been programming using punched holes in paper tape.
Did your school not get involved in computing at all?
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Not quite true, there are still red squirrels on Brownsea Island as far as I know.
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Exactly as I guessed. My 1920s house, which is very like yours, had a "puddle-jumper" garage. In which I built most of my last kit car as well as doing work on others and respraying a Mk3 Escort for an ex girlfriend. It had a workbench at one end.OK, what I call a "garage" is 6'6" at its widest and 18' long.
But it is FULL of Big Bench 2' x 8' housing (mini lathe + micro mill). then floor standing pillar drill, then workbench 2' deep by 4' long. On the other side is storage shelves and my welding equipment and then my Boxford lathe.
There is a 2'6" galley down the middle. Absolutely rammed it is.
Back in the day some DIY books had plans for how to build things like this, I managed to buy one, "The handyman and home mechanic" with the plans still intact. It goes on a lot about electrics, which were very new then I suppose, It talks about "accumulators" and "installing electric light". even "Overhauling a gramophone" (wind up, obvs!). you'd love the sections on Bricklaying, Laying Crazy Paving,
Bu the piece de resistance is the "Portable Garage". Timber frame, asbestos walls and roof, 16 foot long, 9ft wide, 7ft to eaves and 8ft 9 to ridge. I am sure mine was one of these. TBH it was good, much better than my previous Marley garage. More spacious and less prone to "sweating".
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Still got the Beeb-B in my loft, along with a dual disk-drive unit and a load of games. Saddo I am.
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I left school in 72, there was no computing at my school.
I did do 80 Column punch card "hollerith" on IBM 029 punch machines and 059 punch card verifiers as an IBM engineer in 1974.
The "Concentrator" unit at bigger bank branches was programmed from paper tape which took ages.
The IBM 3750 PABX had a call charge accounting output option that was an 8-hole paper-tape punch machine.
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So we have one thing in common then, a Westrex driving licence!!I left school in 72, there was no computing at my school.
I did do 80 Column punch card "hollerith" on IBM 029 punch machines and 059 punch card verifiers as an IBM engineer in 1974.
The "Concentrator" unit at bigger bank branches was programmed from paper tape which took ages.
The IBM 3750 PABX had a call charge accounting output option that was an 8-hole paper-tape punch machine.
Something like this.
My dad an accountant was in right at the beginning of doing accounts payrolls etc with computers. He worked for Harris's of Calne and conveniently we lived in Bath, where the gas board had a computer that, as you will know, took up at least one floor of a building. So each morning he had to pick up a heavy suitcase full of printout and each evening he dropped off a suitcase full of paper tape. They then ran the programmes over an hour, or maybe more so, during the night. Computer time being paid for by the hour. This started mid 60s before I went off to boarding school in 68. Like you, left school in'72.
The optical reader that we watched, (at Cheltenham tech) seemed to read the tape at unbelievable speed so I am a little surprised you said programming them was slow, maybe the banks' readers weren't that quick.
I have never written a program for a computer since I left school!
(Actually I lie. I forgot, when pooters first hit schools, and if you wanted to use one you had to take one home and plug it into the back of your telly, and programs from other people came on cassette tape, I wrote a game which was a bit like battleships. It involved trying to sink a hidden sub with depth charges. I called it "Sink-a-sub" and it worked, with sound effects and everything. I was so pleased with it. My ex couldn't understand why I was so proud of it.
. But that really was the last time.)
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Afternoon all ive not had the time to be messing about on here hopefully I will get a few hours later to catch up.
Id need to scan them or somit.
Pics or it never happened!!!
Id need to scan them or somit.
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I rang the Guinness Book of Records late this afternoon.
My wife had been rung up to go to an appointment with a stoma nurse tomorrow. She doesn't have a stoma, yet.
But after I wrote to the surgeon on her behalf and got no response, so sent a copy to PALS, suddenly they claim they made a mistake and she actually is on the waiting list.
But it wasn't that that caused the phone call, it was the fact that tomoz at 0935 she will be seeing a GP and at 1400 she will be seeing a hand doctor.
3 NHS peeps for different things, on one day? Is that a record?
My wife had been rung up to go to an appointment with a stoma nurse tomorrow. She doesn't have a stoma, yet.
But after I wrote to the surgeon on her behalf and got no response, so sent a copy to PALS, suddenly they claim they made a mistake and she actually is on the waiting list.
But it wasn't that that caused the phone call, it was the fact that tomoz at 0935 she will be seeing a GP and at 1400 she will be seeing a hand doctor.
3 NHS peeps for different things, on one day? Is that a record?
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Lots of peeps take pics of their pics with a mobile. But the best is to scan them with your printer/copier/scanner.Afternoon all ive not had the time to be messing about on here hopefully I will get a few hours later to catch up.
Id need to scan them or somit.
If you don't have one I don't know how you function without. We have one for each country, The inkjet one we bought for France cost about £35 and is good as gold, the ink actually costs more. I can give you the details if you want.
And it scans and prints things like our passports, which we need to do for our visas, better than the much more expensive Brother laser printer.
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I rang the Guinness Book of Records late this afternoon.
My wife had been rung up to go to an appointment with a stoma nurse tomorrow. She doesn't have a stoma, yet.
But after I wrote to the surgeon on her behalf and got no response, so sent a copy to PALS, suddenly they claim they made a mistake and she actually is on the waiting list.
But it wasn't that that caused the phone call, it was the fact that tomoz at 0935 she will be seeing a GP and at 1400 she will be seeing a hand doctor.
3 NHS peeps for different things, on one day? Is that a record?
Oh yer.........
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