(c) DANGEROUS.
About the design (problems).
In this article I will talk about more
one painful topic concerning father-
high-quality Spectrum-compatible cars.
It's no secret that the design of the folk
computers have never been standardized
rowana. In an era of rush demand for
"Sinclairs" (for any model, as long as
"Sickler" was) craftsmen riveted
there are plenty of them at hand
means of production and improvised
same materials. Thanks to them (craftsmen,
means of production and materials)
the design of the computer took the most
bizarre shapes, depending on the con-
a home-made manufacturer
(internal design, location of nodes
catching the computer in the case, wiring the connectors
emov, the connectors themselves, and finally, the design
(ha ha), etc.), as well as from the region, in
which produced computers (cor-
PUS, power supply, keyboard). Don't sec-
ret that the vast majority of cons-
ruktion were designed (if only!) from
calculation of the minimum cost. On OS-
tal factors to producers was li-
I don't care, or they just don'thad
opportunities and means for civilized
execution, or none of them are simple
then I didn’t think about it (most likely, at all
about anything) that Spectrum not only does not re-
will cease to be popular due to the advent of
market pressure for other computers, but
and will receive very significant development.
Let's not bother looking for it now.
guilty (after all, what difference does it make?
tsa), but let's see in what situation
turned out to be users now.
The last year and a half have shown that
the development of the Spectrum platform is being held back by
a mainly catastrophic decline
software production,
caused, in turn, by the loss
interest in a low-tech computer
technical characteristics. After all,
Specifically, in order to produce
light quality program on Spectra-
meh, you have to be a cunning genius because
spinner, who also has a remarkable
noah perseverance and patience (which,
as a rule, and is not enough at the age of 16-
20 years). Standard Spectrum in its own way
technical characteristics are taken seriously
melts away from technological progress, jumps
progressing by leaps and bounds in all other
computer industries. And no patri-
otism will not last long here - health
good sense will do its job, namely
indicates that Spectrum capabilities are coming soon
not enough even for a home computer - mic-
rocontrollerin a household dishwasher,
true, will soon have greater production
faster than Z80 at 3.SMHz.
Something needs to be done about this. Since
any sane person gives himself
report that "transplant" mass use
caller from Spectrum to "new powerful
Spectrum" (which still needs to be developed)
theoretically impossible, manufacturers
HARDa "pull" the capabilities of the Spectrum
to the proper level with the help of peripherals -
devices. At the moment this is
the only possible option, since
other options are not possible. But, truly
no, the path of the Spectrum is thorny. It seems
since there is such a problem with performance,
so be it, let's insert the Spectrum peri-
ferii - let him rejoice (and users
too). This is where the problem arises
out of the blue the problem is to insert something
nowhere! No, no, not at all because
that in some "Pentagon" or "Pro-
fi" there are no slots, God bless them, with slots,
solder in Soviet style (preliminarily
having eyes on the article about ZX-BUS). But how
this design will be distributed among us
float in space? Will we be able to
close the lid of the Spectrum case? (Or
screw the bottom into place, doesn't matter). You can
say with confidence that this number
will not pass, in extreme cases, the body
the computer will be in positioncold
dilnik after pay for the past half-
year, and peripheral cards are in position
products in this refrigerator. I see
(probably) that you can’t do that.
I recently saw a Spectrum here, produced
given by domestic craftsmen in the industry
torah of our country, it seems, at some
military plant, where business used to be
or not otherwise than T-80 tanks or, in extreme cases,
In this case, Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Posse-
mu design of the body of this Spectrum
was designed for the apocalypse or, as
at least for the third world war. Himself
the computer consisted of two blocks - a board
Pentagon with keyboard in one
block and a disk drive with a b/p in another. Housings
both blocks are made of high-quality
one and a half millimeter steel (thinner
they didn’t find it at the plant - it’s a military plant) and
covered with no less high quality
enamel that will never be chipped off -
Well, I tried it. Connector for network
cord on the computer case - silver-
fixed, multi-pin, screw-on
moving rim (exactly the same ones I saw in
torpedoes while training in the Navy
which department at the institute). Transformer,
The power supply is also made in a fit of the race
weapons and are in appropriate
weight category. The tide is gloomy here -
there are powerful radiators with dull silumin,
which even after an hour's work
Pewters are cold as ice. Internal pro-
vodka is amazingits intricacy, sig-
central wires with a cross-section of at least mil-
liters are collected into thick bundles and go
unknown from unknown where, and
if (oh miracle!!) they weren’t numbered
cambrics at the ends of the wires, figure it out
in the wiring no Westerner could
spy trying to understand the device of this
hellish machine. In both blocks, all sizes
puppy is very rational, so empty
There are no places at all.
And now, let me ask, dear
the authors of this work of domestic
defense industry, which, if I may say so,
cancer to your military secret com-
computer to connect peripheral devices
swarms? After all, even connected by me
AY8910 did not fit inside the case;
I had to leave it dangling on the wires
outside. How many are scattered across the country?
these are the unfortunate computers, superna-
reliable and not so reliable? In Moscow, for example,
full of computers in cases from
BKO10 and Mikroshi. The country is located in
use of a great variety of continents
com, Compacts, Contacts, Bytes, Bi-
comrade, Robi, Robikov and just computers
called ZX-SPECTRUM in cases in
"pancake" or "loaf" style. In a word,
variations on the theme “how to flatten it.”
How would you like to expand such computers?
ry?What do we have with the “modern” Spectrum-
mi - Scorpio and KAU-em? Until recently
at times both computers were produced in
cases from the Corvette computer - simply
great solution. True, some
especially gifted designers do not
realized and placed computer boards
on the racks, as a result the board renders
was under the ceiling of the building, and under it
housed the power supply (touching
care about users - insert pe-
health benefits). Then Scorpios
enclosed in mini-towers (which is even more
successfully), but that’s not the point. The point is
that the number of "seats" in these
computers is limited and equals three
or four (when using the extension
body tires by Scorpion for two or three
slot). So, we have three at our disposal
(at best four) slots.
Now let's see what is there from the periphery
for today. Keyboard controller with mouse
oh, hard drive controller, GS yes XTR-mo-
dem. Four cards. All possible
The slots are filled with these cards. Plus
in Scorpio there will be a problem if you
if you want to buy GMX - in the lower slot
It is unlikely that a tire expander will be possible
insert something - GMX for sure
will interfere. So one peripheral
our map hangs in limbo
- the user will choose which
he needs the map less. With KAY I can also
there might be a problem.At NEMO you
will offer separate keyboard controllers
tours and mice - even the extension will not help here
Bus support for three slots. But the pro-
hardware manufacturers are hatching plans for
launch of peripheral devices, not less
necessary than existing ones, and maybe
and more, and capable of making a revolution
no less than the appearance of SMUC or GS!
These cards, if they appear, have a place in
there will be no more slots left.
So after analyzing the situation, I
I come to the conclusion that many users
deprived of the opportunity to expand their machines
even if you have finances.
With modern Spectrums it’s still the case
endures because not everyone needs, for example,
modem - to a user living on
the farm near Dikanka clearly does not need it,
but in the city without a modem you can’t go there or
here. Although the problem remains and will soon
time can very sharply declare the se-
be.
What advice should I give to happy owners?
for the "non-expandable" ZX? It looks like
It’s time, my dears, to solder and screw,
despite the widespread, especially
Recently, the opinion that the beneficial
employees should not be interested in internal
features of their machines at the chip level.
If the user of a regular (not bus-
th) Spectrum will be able to be taken out of its
computer bus and design
it's duelevel, as well as getting laid-
put it all into the proper size
case (for example minitower), then it is
lives in an even more enviable position,
than the owners of Scorpios and KAYeb. After all
the number of slots his computer will have
limited only by imagination (of course not
we should also forget the limited power
power supply). Or buy a new one
computer (or board, just don’t push
it’s neither in the “pancake” nor in the “loaf” - it’s not
makes sense). If your old man is ZX-128
is dying and there is no way to revive it
no possibility, then you have to. But
after this you will have a real opportunity
computer bus and design
it's up to the mark, and also getting laid
put it all into the proper size
case (for example minitower), then it is
lives in an even more enviable position,
than the owners of Scorpios and KAYeb. After all
the number of slots his computer will have
limited only by imagination (of course not
we should also forget the limited power
power supply). Or buy a new one
computer (or board, just don’t push
it’s neither in the “pancake” nor in the “loaf” - it’s not
makes sense). If your old man is ZX-128
is dying and there is no way to revive it
no possibility, then you have to. But
after this you will have a real opportunity
opportunity (without the risk of being left without a car)
delve into the brains of your old man
ZX in order to increaseeducation. And
knowledge of how not to do business
pewters.
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