Mark Fixes Stuff @markfixesstuff.com · Mar 11 The ZX81 refined the ZX80’s minimalist approach, making computing more affordable. If Sinclair had pursued more powerful hardware instead of cost-cutting, would the UK’s home computer boom have played out differently? #ZX81 #ZX80 #Sinclair #RetroComputing
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I think we needed the frustration of a 16k RAMPack wobble to truely train us as to the frustrations of computing. Nowadays, that's just lacking - people just expect things to work without understanding the why it doesn't part.
Great question! Very different for sure - a lot less of us would have got careers in programming/IT without such an affordable machine. And even £70 back then was a lot of money to convince the parents! :)
...and keyboards that didn't feel like trying to write a programme on a bag of grated cheese.