Optron #15 24 июля 1998

История

page stories - Pioneers of the Fatherland Spectrum.

          Pioneers home

                Spectrum



(C) Sergey Filimonov


  After a conversation with one of the developers
Spectrum for the first otechestvemmoy element base and Yuri 
Dmitrievich Dobush publication in the sixth issue of "OPTRON"

article, "So, who's first?" we, frankly, thought that the 
editors wallow heap of letters, responses, feedback, and even 
protests. But the almost complete silence on the matter did not 
expect. 

  Nevertheless, continuing to develop this
topic, we interviewed Oleg Starostenko. Working together with 
Yuri Dmitrievich, he actually brought

Spectrum of light, gave him the impetus to life.

  Regarding this meeting, we were lucky
that it took place at all, because
Currently, Oleg lives in
Mexico, and arrived in Lvov briefly on
personal matters.

  The conversation was in an informal setting in
EDO estates. In addition to our staff has attended this 
oganizatsii, among them - Edward A. Marchenko, and this time

for meetings.


  > Good day. Oleg V., tell us please, anything you remember
about how to develop a Spectrum in any way. I would also like 
to know about your Personal uastii in this work.


RH> Work was pretty secretive, even
until the last moment not all devoted to
were aware of what is being done. And at the very end, when he 
was ready to copy chip ULA and the question arose about how to 
connect to TV could bring people into

current affairs.


  > Why was secret? Afraid of what?

RH> The problem was that, in parallel
Several cities have done so. Unfortunately, we were the 
initiators of this idea. Many wanted to copy Sinclair, and most 
close to that reached the Balts. Y They had almost everything: 
CPU, RAM ... But was not here this chip itself

ULA. I was told by Gene Natopty, who was involved with them 
because served as technical director. Baits

came close to it, but decide
could not. They worked hard, but we all
as they walked.


  > So if we were the first?

RH> We were the first. Yes, the problem was
that even its not really tell,
work to do. There was such a danger
that it may leave out of control: as long as
All was not over, even a small
idea in the same Baltic could solve the whole
question, and they could have time before us. AND
even say that Gene, for the Jura Dobush
it was all some kind of currency, which
then it was possible to operate to get something else. Sinclair 
for them was like some kind of step, because it already

there was 8086, and they were
increasingly turned to the development of computers
IBM, which at that time had already begun to appear.


  > And you personally, what role was played?

RH> My role was limited to administrative
functions. The first sample in the form of payment I received. 
They're done, but no scheme, no explanations - all they had in 
mind. In Overall, the technical part of doing Zhenya

Jura, then, when it was connected to
TV, joined Edward. My participation
lay in the fact that I was "sitting on their neck"
and made to sketch some diagrams, so that later it is all put 
in order. Soon kindled the first cards, including, debug, - 
here that I had to do. In debugging process should have been a 
lot of work, because at first proposed a scheme, then another. 
There were minor problems: it does not go, do not go. The first 
board was about thirty bridges, cuts and etc. As always, the 
board was illegally - had to negotiate with KB, so they

divorced, and then pasted (the old way
manufacture of photomasks - SF) After
this, three months later, the first
four boards. Natopta told not to do
much, because they were afraid that they would not have gone 
somewhere. We wanted to keep the monopoly. (How come this is 
out of control, I say I can not. Most likely, a Eugene, because

that he had some dealings with the Baltic states,
Moscow, Novosibirsk - he needed it. Cost someone to offer and 
instantly go away: it was enough to show the scheme, and then 
everything went we go: modifications, etc.) One of the boards 
made we started, but since there were many

corrections had to adjust fotooriginal. A new fee, which
also had a whole slew of "moments" - somewhere
something did not go, something of self-excited,
had something to resolder, rearrange even. In general, the more 
"raw" stuff. For us it was a "development initiative" and,

as I said, a kind of currency, for
we tried to get the same chips
8086, the software for them,
since then Natopta and Yura began to engage IBM. More has 
always been a problem of memory: RAM, ROM, and thanks to our 
design could go to Novisibirsk get free PZUshki.



  > You promised to tell more, as Sinclair
appeared in Novosibirsk.

RH> I remember that just the question arose
that were necessary for IBM PZUshki RF4. Their
made only in Novosibirsk. In Kiev, produced only "half": RF41, 
RF42, and we needed was complete. My wife

had relatives in Novosibirsk, and I agreed on a business trip. 
It was winter - January and February, 30 degrees below zero. 
For the first three minutes I froze his ears until reached the 
subway, so then with "dumplings" and walked. The most 
interesting is that before leaving on a business trip I have 
supplied scheme, I even had a "live" card.


  And so I came up with this fee to the company, with the 
certainty that there are interested in this, that they will 
help us. I spoke with everyone who is involved in such 
developments, but they were not interested. They do not even

knew what was going on. Natopta even gave
me addresses of people who could be
show this documentation, but they are also so
and were not interested.


  > So how, after all, Sinclair got there?

RH> Hard to say. In principle, it is very simple: come someone 
with a working board, included, and it cost a person see 
"Jumping Jack", as he immediately "light up". We have since 
then computers as such, was not, and here it is - the first

impression ...

  When we first hooked up to a black and white TV, the first 
game, which we saw it was "Jumping Jack". And when they saw 
this man jumping, was "a sea of ​​delight!


  The next game was a "Harrier", but in
color. And he flew ... In our group
There were five or six people, and everyone wanted
try: "Give me, get back, let me sit down ...".

  The keyboard was collected mikrikah.
Image - on such a small TV, "Electronics", in my opinion. When 
you connect to TVs so there was a problem: they had to apply 
color difference signals. It is only then appeared Elektron, 
which had net RGB. K it is much easier to connect.


  The next game was "Firebirds". When
you look at the TV - there is some
button, and then something jumps - it was
so impressive that people are just
rushed to the computer. People without
relationship to the electronics, all ages
immediately lit up: "I want it." And they have made every 
effort to have a computer. It was a rush. First

prevalent as time and these were the most
"Jumping Jack", "Harrier", "Firebirds".



  This article, we once again want to tell our readers the 
truth about the "birth" domestic Spectrum, that those who took 
part in this. After all, shame that For example, the same 
"Novosibirsk" option fairly well known, but about "Lvov" for

outside Lviv few people know, though, with
According to Oleg Vasilyevich, when we
Spectrum has been in Novosibirsk about him
not even heard of!

  Still we would very much like to interview
Natopty Yevgeny Paton, motion,
According to eyewitnesses, the largest contribution to
the creation of Spectrum. At the moment he natoyaschy
live in Belarus, but we promise our
readers that whenever possible
must arrange a meeting with him.

  I would like to individually thank Edward A. Marchenko, not 
only for organizing this meeting, but also for his constant 
Editorial assistance in the restoration of historical justice 
in relation to Domestic Spectrum. Also thank

Andrew Stegnitskogo for technical support.