The intention
In the early years, inventor Clive Sinclair wanted to launch the first truly affordable home computer: user friendly, compact and also resistant to coffee and beer.
The approach
The inventor developed the ZX80, a mini-sized home computer (20x20cm) with a multi-function and water-resistant keyboard. It was the first computer to fall below the magical limit of 100 pounds plunged and with it, home computer use seemed to be within reach for many people.
The result
Yet the ZX80 also had its limitations. The device was equipped with a sober black-and-white image, no sound and an admittedly multifunctional and water-resistant keyboard. But with intensive use that same keyboard was very clumsy. With each touch of the key, the screen went out (the processor could not simultaneously receive both input and provide the image signal). Furthermore, the computer only had a very limited memory of 1Kram
Initially there was a lot of praise in the trade press about the Sinclair ZX80. One journalist from a leading Personal Computer World even found it helpful that the keyboard turned off with every touch, then you were sure you had only touched the button once. But a few years later, the love for the ZX80 was gone. Quote from the trade press: "With an unusable keyboard and a bad Basic version, this device has discouraged millions of people from ever buying a computer again".
This comment is quite exaggerated. Ultimately there are 50.000 copies of sold. But a fact was that, despite the best intentions of the inventor, the Sinclair ZX80 had too many teething problems to serve a large audience with a user-friendly home computer.
The lessons
Clive Sinclair quickly released a successor, the ZX81. In it he has already fixed some of the hitches including the flickering screen with every touch of the keyboard. The memory has also been expanded. Even though there was still enough to criticize on the ZX81, this successor is estimated to have sold over a million copies. And Sinclair himself became in 1983 knighted at the initiative of Margaret Thatcher and from that year could call himself Sir.
Source:
Computermuseum, PlanetSinclair, Wikipedia.
Author: Bas Ruyssenaars
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