Whenever I read posts on forums about restoring and upgrading the
Amiga I always get a little disheartened when the author then
goes on to describe how they want to install games loading
software and use the machine simply for gaming. It is hard for me
to imagine a computer as being anything but a computer, and yet
for those mucking around these days it seems gaming is all that
really matters.
The first thing I ever did on the ZX81 when she arrived back in
1983 was write a program for a data-base. I never once thought
the computer was to be primarily used for gaming. When the 48K
Spectrum arrived, again I was programming and writing simple
BASIC text adventures. Gaming was a significant part of the
Spectrum scene but for me they were always interludes between
the serious stuff.
Sadly the biggest problem for the Spectrum was the TV. For the
accuracy of text and pixel perfect graphics the TV was just
hopeless. The TV was never in a comfortable position and in the
day it was a little expensive getting a second TV. I had a small
5" which really was so difficult to use.
The other problem with the Spectrum was the keyboard. For me it
was always easier to use the typewriter or your basic pens and
pencils. I tried many times to create computer images and games
images but the time it took to map stuff out and then convert to
raw data just made the process impractical.
I got to thinking around a month ago [ seems like an eternity ago
now ] about what would happen if I was forced to write all my
diaries and journal entries on a Spectrum. So I grabbed a tape of
Tasword and fired the 48K up. I soon abandoned the original
Spectrum in favour of the ZX Spectrum+. It did not get any better.
The typing position was dreadful and the image on the TV was so
annoying.
I was able to format, justify and set margins quite well. The
document was very presentable and easy to save. But the screen
image made it so difficult to use and the limitation on fonts and
style sheets [ none ] kinda proved to me why I never like ever
treated the Spectrum seriously as a publishing tool. I Know that
the pencil, pen and typewriter was how I recorded my life and
wrote my stories in those days. I really had no reason to abandon
my pencils and brushes for artwork.
And so if a forum poster today commented that he wanted to restore
his/her Spectrum to play games, then I guess I would concur that
that would be an enjoyable thing to do. I wouldn't really be
anticipating they were going to do serious writing and artwork on
the Spectrum. Programming is another thing but for me in this
reflective post I was more interested in why I never used the
Spectrum in a more creative way.
Other than for programming I could never treat the Spectrum
seriously. And so ... 'Now for something completely different'
I was going to link to a YouTube video of KLF 'Justified and Ancient'
but I really couldn't stomach you having to suffer the endless
stream of adverts viewers are persecuted with these days on YouTube.
I haven't bothered with YouTube for months now. I got sick of
adverts. Way to go, taking something good and destroying it.
Click this for KLF on Daily Motion
