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        FGAZ 18-10                   Page 3                   25 Apr 2022   
      
      
        having a foreground and background color. While static color images   
        could work relatively well, the approach resulted in the infamous   
        attribute clash. Rival machines, such as the Commodore 64, did not   
        suffer from the same problem although used a lower multicolor   
        resolution made for blockier graphics.   
      
        Ah, the playground discussions that ensued over sprites, peeks, and   
        pokes. Those were the days.   
      
        The ZX Spectrum, replete with rubber keyboard, debuted at 125 pounds   
        for the 16KB version and 175 pounds for the 48KB incarnation. A 32KB   
        RAM pack could be plugged into the rear expansion slot of the former,   
        and this writer well remembers the joy of an unexpected reset caused   
        by a wobbly bit of hardware.   
      
        Over five million of the Z80A-based devices were sold, and its impact   
        cannot be understated. While over 1.5 million BBC Micros (made by   
        Acorn) may have also been sold during its lifetime, it was the ZX   
        Spectrum that found its way into far more homes across Europe, and its   
        impact continues to resonate in the IT world of today.   
      
        Raspberry Pi supremo Eben Upton was more on the Acorn side of things,   
        but recalled the effect of the plastic slab: "As a much more   
        affordable alternative to the Beeb, and with roughly 3x the lifetime   
        sales, the Spectrum probably had a greater role in promoting the   
        accidental route into engineering careers in the '80s and early '90s."   
      
        "Lots of people here at Pi Towers had their first exposure to   
        programming on Sinclair hardware," Upton said, "and I personally have   
        a lot of respect for the Sinclair team's single-minded focus on   
        engineering to a target cost."   
      
        The original ZX Spectrum enjoyed a relatively short time in the sun,   
        and was discontinued in favor of the functionally identical (but   
        recased with an updated keyboard) ZX Spectrum+ in 1985. Later versions   
        received more RAM and, with the Amstrad takeover, another keyboard   
        update, built-in cassette recorder, and disk drive.   
      
        Clones would also crop up from time to time, including the recent (and   
        infamous) ZX Spectrum Vega+. A warm bath of nostalgia is also possible   
        via a variety of on and offline emulators.   
      
        Sadly, Sir Clive Sinclair and Rick Dickinson are no longer with us.   
        However, hardware designer Richard Altwasser and Dr Steve Vickers will   
        be on hand at The National Museum of Computing on April 23 for a live   
        and virtual Q&A, preceded by the same with Sir Clive's son, Crispin.   
      
        In the meantime, this seems as good a time as ever to indulge in a   
        little bit of rose-tinted nostalgia. Music by MJ Hibbett and with   
        animation by Rob Manuel. (R)   
      
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