Peter Smith - Blogging The ImPossiMaL: 1984

In the Summer of 1984 I could be found clutching on to the latest computing bible, the A-Z of computers. I loved this because not only did it list every type of computer available and the future releases but it also gave a complete rundown of specifications, great for a anal retentive nerd like me. Computers at this time seem to be dominated by strange character and ideas.

Take this guy for example, he may be a great guy but his photo makes home look like a sinister cad with a unhealthy hobby, the sneer dosent help although he is touted as a computer boffin hence the techie speak to the left. The idea that you would whip out a soldering iron and wire in your computer to the mains was taken seriously, yes, we were really that odd. It's no wonder I turned out like I did when I used these people as role models.

Although we knew ultimately that what we really wanted out of computers was to play the latest arcade games of create some kind of sexy-o-bot the magazines still touted them as an educational tool and showed groups of kids in earnest discussion looking lethargically interested in a mathematical sum on the display. In reality they were probably pirating a new clone of Space Invaders for their ZX-Spectrum, something every kid could do whilst giving the impression they were doing their homework.

The big computers though were sold through manverts, big robust machines were compared to cars, women and in this case a gun, not quite sure if you would get away with this today.

Computer games had to rely on artwork rather than in game graphics as they usually showed the letter 'A' firing '.' at rows of advancing 'O's, hardly thrilling.

OOOOOO

OOOOOO
.
A

(Actual screenshot)

So more often than not you got to experience bitter disappointment when the game loaded, no you were not going to get the 512 colour high resolution graphics you thought you would but hey, imaginations a great thing even if it had just cost you £5.

So, a short entry today prompted by a random find. I probably did look like this guy at some point, although biting the pen in a suggestive manner is a little too rakish for me.

Let's get today booted up.

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