Inside the computer-Never Change

(An Atari XL 800 with its peripheral)

Those days most home computers setup look quite simple, consisting of a shallow plastic box with a keyboard on top. Yet inside are electronic circuits much more complex than those in a TV set. But who care, since you cannot see just how complex the circuits are because they are mostly concealed within tiny components called integrated circuits. These are often called silicon chips, as the microscopic circuits are formed on slices of silicon crystal. For most people using a computer is like using a TV, they won't learn inside out of it. Enough with learning how to operate it.

Remember those day when you can used your computer as a simple electronic calculator without having to load a program into its memory. This is an example of using the computer in what is called direct mode. Try that with today computer!.All this possible because when a home computer boots, its load the BASIC interpreter.

Then loading a program is necessary if you are to make full use of the computer power. That program can be a BASIC program or Machine Language Program. And sometimes we did learn theBASIC language in the sake to used our computer to the fullest. I'll really love this BASIC program, try to learn today language!. In fact I never get a gripped on today C language and its derivative.

We'll talk about BASIC language in the next post, see you ...

Home Computer The Setup

(Amstrad CPC 6128 come with monitor and Disk Drive unit built-in)

Those day the simplest home computer system consists of three main unit; computer, cassette recorder (If you're lucky your computer can accept Floppy Disk Drive or built-in Cartridge Slot) and TV set. This, and any other equipment used for computing is called the hardware. Most people who want a home computer already have a cassette recorder (Still remember the sound of program loading using cassette recorder?) and a TV set, so the computer and a few connecting leads are all that are needed to form a complete computer system.
Before a computer can carry out any task, it must receive a set of instructions called a program. This is also called software, and is what determines whether the computer acts as a games machine, or carries out some other task, such as drawing diagrams, or making music. For a home computer, the program usually consists of coded signals recorded on a cassette tape. They sound like whistles or an unpleasant buzz. The tape is played on a cassette machine connected to the computer. As a result, the instructions enter the computer as a stream of electrical signals. These are held, or stored , in a part of the computer called the memory. The computer is now ready for action, and details of what to do next will probably appear on the screen. You may have to press buttons on the keyboard, or operate come other device connected to the computer.
Operating a computer, therefore, involves three main steps: connecting the equipment together; loading a program into the computer; and following instructions that are supplied with the program, or that appear on the screen. Those day most games and other popular programs are simple to use-if they were difficult, they would not be popular and so would not be profitable for the makers.
Those day computer used for business purposes, and many home computers, use a Floppy Disk
Drive unit instead of a cassette machine, and a special monitor screen instead of a TV set. The Floppy Disk Drive Unit and Monitor Screen may be built in to the computer, or supplied separately.
These refinements make the computer system even easier to use. Many other items of hardware can be connected to the system. For example joystick unit makes it easier to play some games. And a printer will be essential for word processing.
Those day users need really involved in setting up their computer and sometime learning the computer language, usually BASIC, must know how to entered the program into the computer and trial and error on running those BASIC program. Today users are indeed very lucky, majority users never need to learn any programming language, the computer is very much easier to use nowadays.

Those day Computer a better Computer?

(Above is the exact example of my first home computer,the Zx Spectrum +)

I'll have to express this sweet memories of having a computer for the first time. You'll know first time is always been the sweetest time. As I open the box there it is tuck inside the white foam tightly , an amazing bread box type computer with keyboard built-in it. It come With manual..yes manual(nowadays, unless you bought a branded computer like Dell,you won't find any manual come with it, but..Oh..well, with PC who need manual!) some time you got two manual, Computer manual and BASIC language manual (Today Windows don't have manual, its already built into the OS itself, see 'Help' files inside it, moreover Windows is darn easy to learn and use, who need manual!) and the smell of fresh packaging from the factory is awesome!.Along with the computer came a 'Brick type' power supply that often unreliable.I remember just a couple of week after using my ZX Spectrum I have to exchange for another power supply and another couple more times to go after that.

After I connected everything according to the manual and after some tuning on my TV, yes..my TV (No VDU because those day Monitor is quite expensive and usually home computer have an option for both, TV and VDU) to get the correct Frequency Wave, if everything went right, the TV light up with greeting of 'READY' with blinking Cursor ready for user input for the first time. And my feeling of satisfied and excited turn on, what I'm thinking off is.. well the whole computing universe is open wide for me now for the first time in my life.

There is no doubt that those day computer often unreliable, there is an issue of its quality here, sometime if you're lucky enough your computer can last for years.I'll think todays computer is much,much reliable with quality always been check. I can 'on' my computer whole day without afraid of its power supply get 'fried'. The only problem todays probably with virus or spyware. Other than that, I satisfied with my todays computer in term of reliability.

The problems with early Computer adoption

Apple 'Lisa'

In the early days of computing the main reason for disappointment was that many people expected too much for too little. Computers can usually do what their makers claim. But you may have to spend a lot of money on extra items in order to use a computer in exactly the way you want. Or you may have to spend a lot of time finding out why things going wrong. Although computer can perform many tasks but its still needed various additional items and at some point it might pose a problems for the user.
Some people hope that their home computer will help them make their fortune at gambling. Those day there is a lot of program or software to used with horses and sport gambling. But have you heard of anyone who has made their fortune as a result? At best such 'programs' may help people to lose their money more slowly.
Understanding what computers can do will help to avoid disappointment when you decide to get a computer to work for you.
Almost everybody should find it easy to use a computer.(Although there is no 'GUI' to help you in 80's! until the birth of probably the first mass production Apple 'Lisa' that utilised 'GUI' that the price so expensive! ). You do not need to understand how the computer works, and you do not need any knowledge of mathematics. (Until now all this rules still apply!)

Computer-Crash in 80's

After the boom, here come the crash.By 1984 the boom had ended, and more fortunes were being lost than were being made in the computer industry.Firms that refused to cut their prices found that their sales quickly declined. And firms that did cut their prices found that their profits were too low to pay their staff and suppliers.Also, once people had bought a computer,there was a problem in persuading them to buy another.Many satisfied customers did not want to change to another computer, even if it was supposed to be better. And people disappointed with their first purchase did not want to risk further disappointment.Those day one computer that "popular" can really last for a few years as long as the third party developers be it the softwares or peripherals churning new product every now and then squeeze the computer juice to the end.Now days PC computer can last for about few months and if you in "gaming" its useless if you won't upgrade it with super-duper CPU or GPU.I'm longing for the old days where one computer can really last for a few years without all this upgrading madness. I Know..I Know..I'm one of the PC user thats infected with this upgrading business sickness, its really taking a toll on me.Spending bucks like pouring water in the drain. Now day I'm stop doing all this nonsense.One more thing computer in 80's cannot be separate with 80's synthesizers music. Below OMD one of 80's favourite.

The Home Computer Boom

Okay, the history shown that the first firms that made home microcomputers did very well, Apple Computer Inc. one of the first company that manufactured the first home computer in the home garage, although these machines were too expensive for most people.
However, many other computer companies were soon formed, and they got people to buy their machines by cutting prices and by persuasive advertisement, Commodore Business Machine is one of them.
A home computer will entertain, inform and educate you. It will solve your problems, carry out boring tasks and leave you with more time to enjoy yourself. At least,that is what the manufacturers said.
The public were greatly impressed, and computer sales rose rapidly. By 1981, the boom was well under way, and was soon making fortunes for many in the computer industry.
By then so many small computer company come into play, Atari Computer,Texas Instrument, Dragon, Lynx, Jupiter, Genie, Newbrain, Oric to name a few.
In the IBM Personal Computer camp (Picture above an early Tandy 1000 and IBM clone
computer) there is also many company coming up with its clone, Radio Shack, Wang, Zenith to name a few.
Almost all the computer company at the 80's are American origin. Off course there itself where the silicon valley situated and where the IC technology started.
Soon other continents caught with the craze and Asian and European company come into the picture, while looming in the distant is dark clouds of Crash....

Home Computer our Saviour

The birth of home computer (Picture Above a Famous Sinclair ZX Spectrum) although at the beginning is a costly affair, not everyone can afforded one. In its early years fortune have been made and lost through the sudden boom and crash in microcomputer sales.
Once the price of a computer had dropped to about the price of a TV set, thousands of people flocked to buy one. When the boom is over, the computers lie forgotten in cupboards in many homes. And, in some offices, microcomputers that were expected to solve all the problems of the company have hardly ever been used. Yet elsewhere, computers are hard at work, performing a vast range of tasks.
At the beginning promises, yes....promises. Do you like hang gliding, sailing, flying or golf?.
Whatever your field of interest, the computer will enable you to enjoy it without leaving your home. Well, may be!
The dramatic drop in prices that caused the home computer boom in early 1980s.
Actually what the computer promises in 80's still more or less haven't come true. Although graphics and sound, along with all gadget that can be connected to computer have improved tremendously but it'll never get closer to total realism or will it be in next decade...or how many decades it will be soon. See ya....

Learning the computer trade

School days, in 1979 there is no computer at all. It seem computer didn't exist, nobody talk about it, it's just unknown to anyone. There is no school computer lab and they (the teachers) do their works manually, be it record keeping or grading the student grade. Although some people heard about it's just another new thing, not a necessity. It's not important and it might be some kind a luxury stuff that people can't afford one.
For me, I heard there is a home computer after high school, before that IBM personal computer is well known computer is only perfect in "higher place". Yes, home computer that didn't cost arm and leg, with colour graphics and sound. Wow.. that my first impression. You can do a lot of things that you can think off, although that time I didn't think about you have to do programming. Yes, Programming, in order to archive all that you have to program the damn thing. But everything is settle down, I mean you don't have to do all that, you can by buy commercially available software, either in the form of cassette, cartridge or diskette. Hooray...that time it's cost as low as 8 sterling pound up to 15 sterling pound depending on the medium you choose. Another source of software is from a magazine, yes...computer magazine that flourish in beginning of 80's but here the Type-in the called it, you have to type the Basic Programming language into the respective computer. It's a fun thing, while you learn the language although some time frustrated but who care that why you bought the computer in the first place, to learn a new trade. Okay see you again...

How it all started-My Computer Journey in 80's

(Picture above one of the excellent 80's Home Computer, The Commodore C-64)

What I want to rant here probably not to your liking or probably you might said get on with you life. For me it's my memory of how I get to know computer and the best thing it's 80's the decade where I'm grown as teenager. Where the 80's is most memorable time for me, we are young and restless. The decade that infant computer technology grow to a massive unthinkable prophecy to where we are now.

Most of the time I remember what really made me admire computer so much. TV yes television is the medium that responsible for getting me an exposure to a computer. I'd remember watching on TV in the end of 70's, either drama, action, science fiction or even cartoon, where sometimes it's feature a computer, either it's a mainframe computer, personal computer, micro computer or even hand held computer that's all forefathers of today fantastics advancement. All this really make me excited and make me like to learn more, although in my country information about computer is very limited and the shop selling computer..well you can count by hand. The library..well in begining of 80's there is very limited books on computer. Although I'd borrowed a book like, Video Cookbook, How to build your own simple computer that's no screen, only LED...LOL..and you know what it's all useless for me I can't build any of it...I don't have money you see. I'm just a teenager that still in high school..no money...Actually, here in town itself you can't find any shop selling electronic parts to build this home brew computer either, so there is no point borrow all this book beside admire the schematic and really just for a good and exciting reading.

Well there other best thing is 80's music, the New Wave we'll talk some more later.