Obsolescence

                 by James G. Johnston

So there I was, quietly checking my Atari P.D. Collection.  You
have to regularly compare your version of the various programs
with that being currently offered by the many P.D. Dealers ...

And then I thought ..............

Round about 1982, I purchased my first computer - The ZX81 with
1000 bytes of memory 'for my personal use'. I think that the price
was just under œ100. It was round about this time that the high
street dealers (Boots, Menzies, W.H.Smith, etc) discovered this
new lucrative market and immediately opened their Computer
Departments, staffed with computer experts (at 16+) whose job it
was to give advice on how to get the best out of your computer

[NOTE :- I say computer Experts (16+), in a derogatory manner, to
describe the young sales personnel who were taken from the perfume
counter, given a 10 minute briefing and let loose in the new
Computer Departments. I am, in no way, referring to our young
computer literate whom I have found down to a very young age.]

These young salespersons, mindful of their need to help me, used
unending patience in explaining to me that I could not get the
best out of my 'system' unless I added ....... and so it grew!

A 16K Ram Pack (complete with double-sided sticky tape to hold it
tight to the computer).
A ZX81 Thermal Printer.
A Memotech keyboard (with real keys).
Even a special tape recorder to prevent Load Error.
And, of course, software ........ together about another œ100.

By the middle of 1983, the same young people (or others like
them), advised me that my 'system' was obsolete and should be
replaced by a REAL computer - Vic 20, BBC 'A' or Sinclair Spectrum
(one recommended that I upgrade to the Sinclair machine as the

Sinclair software I already had could be used in the new Sinclair
machine), and so the now familiar path was walked.

At a cost of about œ130, I now had a REAL computer. A powerful
animal with a memory 48 times that available in the basic ZX81.
The new computer had colour and sound. You could program 'millions
of things', all useful. I remember that I programmed a telephone
list, using data statements, which was saved to tape when
completed. It was never used, however, as it took 10 minutes to
set up the computer and 10 minutes to load the tape - 20 seconds
found the number in the diary/phone book.

Meanwhile, however, back at the Store, all my little furry friends
were still helping me with my computing. I now needed lots more
hardware.

An Alphacom Thermal Printer.
Interface 1 and Microdrives.
An RBG and Sound Interface.
Another dedicated tape loader.
A Brother 9 pin (real) printer.
Spare tapes, microdrives, joystick interface. Software etc. ......
.....about another œ500.

And they were so reliable!!! I had 5 Spectrums go down, one after
another, in six months. The manager of the store in question
finally refused to supply any more. He returned my money and
suggested that I try elsewhere. Well, they did become more
reliable as time passed but I was forced to carry a spare to be
almost sure of having a working computer.

But now it was time for more progress and all my advisers informed
me that my little toy Spectrum was obsolete and should be replaced
by a PROPER computer. One with a 128k memory, a dedicated monitor
supplied and a 'disk drive'. By this time I was totally hooked on
adventure playing and with 'Desktop Publishing' [Well I enjoyed my
printer churning out program listings and Tasword files and could
waste half a printer ribbon and 20 odd sheets of continuous paper
printing a banner "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME !" in big print].
Nevertheless, considering their advice (tape - slow, microdrive -
unreliable and disk - fast and reliable) and the fact that I could
play 'Infocom Adventures' on this new machine, in the end, I was
persuaded to put away my toy computer and purchased a new set-up.

Amstrad 6128 complete with a second drive.
A DMP 2000 printer (with graphic mode but no NLQ).
A special attachment to allow the printer head to scan images for
clip art (I think it scanned at 50/75 dpi).
This lot complete with a batch of disks and a handful of programs
set me back some œ700.

As it turned out, The desktop publishing was fun and I had
co-written a successful adventure. Ross Harris did the work on the
Spectrum and I produced the Amstrad version. We marketed it under
the 'Incantation' label. [Well ..... I produced 5 single sheet
newsletters for a local disabled group and a large amount of
unwanted stationery in 9 pin draft mode and lost between œ10/œ15
on the adventure. We sold six copies and sent six copies for
review - a grand total of 12. I still have these names and
addresses, on a 3" disk, somewhere. I don't know where the rest of
the world acquired the adventure, prior to its re-release, but
they would not have copied it illegally! After all, I trusted them
and put no protection whatever on the finished adventure.]

Time marches relentlessly on and my handlers have now got a new
baby! An Atari 520 STFM .... Wow!!! .... 520k memory! ....  Real
Colour! .... Real Sound! .... Real disk drive (3«")! Time to
dispose of my outdated, small and restricted computer. Now I can
start some real computing with proper desktop publishing. "Can we
demonstrate, sir?" The speed of sprite movement in 'Goldrunner'
was stunning and the music and sound effects (including gunfire)
were pure magic. "You would not want to miss out on these new
developments, Sir?"

So I purchased my Atari with an extra drive, two monitors (B & W
and Colour). The printer had to be replaced, of course, by a 24
pin Pinwriter P2200 with NLQ, etc, etc. ....... I had little
change out of œ1000. ...... Except, if you are really serious
about desktop publishing you need a scanner and a proper document
and page maker. I chose the Hawk Flat Bed Scanner (œ1000+), Signum
2 (documents œ100+) and Timeworks DTP (page maker œ100+).  Now add
a massive 20 meg hard drive and I am set up for life.

Well, not quite! Over the last 5/6 years my collection of software
has grown, improved and cost more. My primary system now consists
of an Atari STE with 4 meg memory, 170 meg hard drive and an HPDJ
inkjet printer 510. My secondary set-up is a Rainbow STFM with 2
meg memory, 20 meg hard disk and a pinwriter P2200 printer.  My
tertiary set up is an old 1040 STF that I gave home to, in a fit
of despair, when I found that I could not get near any of my other
computers due to the computing activities of the two young
gentlemen who live with me (grandsons).

So here I am, some twelve years on - not doing desktop layouts -
not playing or writing adventures. My P.D. collection has now
grown so large, to retain its value and use, it must be pruned of
junk and regularly up dated. These deletions and additions must be
corrected in my various cross referenced catalogues. This I find
takes up most of my computing time. Yet deep inside I fear and
dread the next move. It is not yet here but, like the distant
baying of wolves, it has announced its presence. Yes, THEY are
preparing to bankrupt me this time! It is not said openly yet,
just casual remarks overheard while in the Computer Store and in
the magazines.

"If there is no Intel inside, it's not the best!"

"Well, base memory is 8 meg but most cards carry their own chip
and a couple of meg. Well you don't want to bother the main CPU?"

"No! No! You can address up to 14 partitions at 512 meg. That
would give you about 7 gigabyte on hard."

"No, I thought 1« gigabyte was too small, so I went optical. Only
œ30 for a 170 meg optidisk."

I just wanted fun
but the harder I run
the more I am late,
obsolete, out of date

I just wanted to enjoy my computing but find the rate of
obsolescence frightening. In the two years that I have been
thinking about buying my deskjet, the company have produced 3
uprated or new models in their range. Their prices have dropped by
almost a quarter. I finally bought the DJ510, three months ago. It
is now obsolete and no longer produced. It has been superseded by
the DJ520 with more enhanced dpi printing.

On the value of my obsolete equipment - a month ago, I bought
someone's complete Spectrum set up at a car boot sale for œ15. It
consisted of a series 3 Spectrum (rubber keys), a +2 128 (Gray),
joysticks, joystick interfaces, a pile of software (including 3
from my 'wants' list), and various bits and pieces including a
Graphpad complete with pen and software. Why ????  Well I couldn't
leave the pathetic bundle there among the worn out tools and
tawdry second hand clothes, could I?

So, as you see, I just worry and do this 'Forth Bridge' job of
keeping my P.D. collection up to date and so of some value amongst
all this obsolescence while THEY are waiting in the wings, ready
to declare me obsolete and redundant, with no scrap value, if I
don't listen, and pay for this 'all singing, all dancing, faxing,
window opening, door closing, light switching, cocktail serving
computer system'.

Only one ray of comfort is hidden in my bedroom, away from prying
eyes and mocking laughter. If you promise never to tell, I will
explain ........  It's a grey +2 Spectrum which I have modified to
take an external tape deck (if ever required), an old monitor and
a sleek +D with 3«" drive. So when the house finally quietens down
for the night and all the ghettoblasters, televisions and
computers are silent, I sit down at my 'toy' Speccy and load up
'Wheelie', 'Jumping Jack' or 'Life of Wally.  Maybe tonight it
will be one of my many text adventures (a mere 28k long) but what
ever it is, I will play and enjoy it. I can't make a sound but a
mono/stereo adapter on a set of earphones, plugged into the
monitor, removes all the noise. Other, that is, than my occasional
chortle at something funny on screen.

And then I thought ......

The Oxford dictionary gives the meaning of Emulate (vb. tr.) To
attempt to equal or surpass especially by imitation.

Does this really mean that those nice people with their massive
Macpcatariamiga computers, who purchase Spectrum EMULAT(E)ors, are
attempting to equal the Spectrum by imitation.

And then I thought ........









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