Happy 43rd birthday to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum! This photo is of me and my brother receiving our very own Speccy on Christmas day the following year. I'd already owned and coveted a ZX81 but this computer was the real game changer in my life. The absolute GOAT. - ThreadSky

lordarse.com • 14 hours ago

Happy 43rd birthday to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum!

This photo is of me and my brother receiving our very own Speccy on Christmas day the following year. I'd already owned and coveted a ZX81 but this computer was the real game changer in my life. The absolute GOAT.

Comments

mark-burton.bsky.social•12 hours ago

A school friend got one. It must have been an early one as it was way before summer hols.

kauchpotato.bsky.social•10 hours ago

I grew up in house full of computers, we had a ZX81 (with the clip-on keypad, memory expansion and foil printer) a BBC Micro, some flavour of Memorex computer (can't for the life of me find out what it was), a ZX Spectrum and later a Spectrum 128.

kauchpotato.bsky.social•10 hours ago

Playing Target Renegade keyboard co-op with my brother is still one of my peak video gaming experiences... and Head over Heels... and all the Dizzy games... happy memories! My dad even wrote a Turkish handbook for programming BASIC on the ZX81.

crtartbooks.bsky.social•12 hours ago

That goggle-eyed look of wonder. Glad I've been there and done that too (sadly no pics remain). "Absolute GOAT" is about right.

lordarse.com•11 hours ago

It really was... is! So many of today's programming talent cut their teeth on the humble ole speccy.

tommyjones.bsky.social•12 hours ago

For me it sparked a good life career in software development

lordarse.com•11 hours ago

It's incredible how much talent started out on the old Sinclair machines. Such a legacy.

bobone968.bsky.social•12 hours ago

Agree !
The real game changer

lordarse.com•11 hours ago

Oh, and if you're in the mood to reminisce about the good ole Spectrum, the wonderful documentary "Rubber-Keyed Wonder" about the best little 8-bit in the world* is now available to watch on Prime and Apple TV!

*I might be biased

hayesey.bsky.social•11 hours ago

I ordered the Blu-ray and it'll arrive today which is a nice coincidence since it's the spectrum's birthday.

paulfranklin.bsky.social•5 hours ago

Perhaps part of a double bill with the marvellous Micro Men dramatisation of the BBC Micro's birth!

lordarse.com•5 hours ago

Now, there's a good night of telly!

stufox.bsky.social•11 hours ago

No sign of it in New Zealand 😭

lordarse.com•11 hours ago

Must be regionalised. Hopefully, it'll make its way down your way!

lordarse.com•13 hours ago

Yeah, this is far from the first time I've posted this photo but I feel blessed that such a huge moment in my life was captured on film and captured so well :)