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Masterpieces of Electronic Graphomania
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Volume 141
"We did what we did not have to do, we built what was not needed, we experienced fear that should not have been experienced."
Lyndon B. Johnson.
former President of the USA
Travels of Dilettantes
Part 2
Lieutenant Edward Roberts was a seasoned radio amateur: as a teenager, he built a device that controlled an artificial respiration apparatus using relays and stepper motors. After joining the U.S. Air Force, he tried to get rich by selling "kits" for remote control systems for model rockets, radio phones, etc. However, the most successful item was a kit for assembling a calculator for just $179. The product was so successful that in 1972, Roberts retired to fully devote himself to his own company, MITS.
The company consisted of 3 of the lieutenant's friends, and the name was chosen for its similarity to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
All these events took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, "far from the noise of the city," 2000 miles from Silicon Valley.
However, by the end of 1974, the times when MITS calculator kits sold 5000 units a month were over. Large companies, having intercepted the idea, organized mass production and began offering similar devices at lower prices: moreover, they did not bear the burden of overhead costs, expenses on research and development... ultimately, the former lieutenant and his MITS sold for $1,200,000 and incurred a loss of $200,000: such is the price of technological progress. The company faced bankruptcy, and Roberts decided on one last desperate venture - the development of an amateur... computer on the new Intel-8080 microprocessor.
-//-
It is now hard to imagine the absurdity of such an idea... "I can't imagine why anyone would need a computer at home" - these are the words of Olson, head of DEC (he gifted a DEC-1 computer to his "alma mater" - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and it was next to him that the legendary folding machines of the first hackers stood). One of the IBM employees also proposed a personal computer project, but when asked about its use, he could only suggest... storing culinary recipes.
So why did Edward Roberts, a provincial craftsman and inventor burdened with debts of hundreds of thousands of dollars, still get a loan of $65,000 from the bank? And for what! - He promised to sell 800 "do-it-yourself" computer kits by mail. Later, bankers recalled that they "considered him a madman" and expected that there would be at most 200 buyers... but they lent him the money, which surprised Roberts himself.
...The author is convinced that there are no coincidences (and even more so, miracles): they only seem so without knowledge of the causes and history of the phenomenon.
-//-
The excitement began a week before Christmas 1974, when the January (already for 1975) issue of "Popular Electronics" appeared. The entire cover featured a photograph of a computer announced as "the world's first mini-computer kit that can compete with industrial samples." The price of the "constructor" was reported as $379 ("it does not yield to existing machines but costs significantly less"). This was the legendary "ALTAIR" - the world's first PC created by E. Roberts.
In fact, the author named it the RE-8, in honor of the magazine "Popular Electronics," with which he had collaborated since his radio amateur days: now there are 3 versions of who first thought of giving it a more appealing name (for example, in honor of the computer from the TV series "STARTRACK," which was popular at the time).
At that time, the author had no time for such trifles: a disaster struck: the only completed sample of the computer (the last hope) was lost by the shipping company on the way from the province to the New York office of "Popular Electronics." In despair, the editorial staff and the unfortunate ones from MITS decided on a forgery: "The Altair" photographed on the cover of the magazine was actually an empty box, devoid of electronic circuits and, of course, could not perform any calculations."
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"One should not create anything oneself; one must only wait until one hears the footsteps of the Lord in events, and then one must grab him by the coat - that's all."
Bismarck.
Three months later, the small company MITS was already unable to cope with the huge influx of orders: 4000 unsatisfied orders piled up. One of the first buyers recalls that "it was an absolute, instant, crazy success"... Now it is worth peeking behind the scenes of the "Great American Dream" in search of the reasons (or perhaps the puppeteers) of the third (or whatever number it is?) industrial revolution. The situation is classic: the "tops" could no longer, and the "bottoms" no longer wanted, etc....
1. After the war, enormous resources and, most importantly, brains were concentrated in the USA. It was realized that whoever controls information, methods of processing and applying it would rule the world.
2. By the early 70s, industry specialists had become clear: the growth rate of demand for programmers was such that under the old conditions, the demand for programmers would exceed the population. The solution was to give each user a computer to solve their specific tasks "on the spot." Then one could also profit from the vast number of programs written by the users themselves - the fruit of "collective intelligence," which could not be compared to any state-employed programmers. And so it happened: computer stores, magazines were created... at the dawn of this business, MITS sent an "agitprop team" across the USA in a van, demonstrating the first PC to everyone: everywhere it went, computer clubs emerged.
Soon, a young programmer named Paul Allen came to MITS from Boston - he brought an adapted BASIC for the "Altair" (before that, programs had to be written only in codes)... Later, someone named Peter Norton came up with a way to restore deleted clusters and mailed his program, which became hugely successful, etc.
3. The creation of microelectronics required large investments, and mass production promised (and then delivered) huge profits, but it was necessary to create a market for microchips. After all, the first Intel microprocessors found no market(!). E. Roberts bought I8080 microprocessors for $75 each, while they cost $360. That is why the price of the first PC was $397 and "looked ridiculously low - buying it was "like stealing." Thus, computers in the USA were practically given away to anyone who wanted them by the "sharks of capitalism." And there were many who wanted them.
"The monkey decided to work: she found a log and began to fiddle with it."
I.A. Krylov.
"Once you start programming, it is very hard to give up this activity."
Ruben Herr.
Editor-in-Chief
"PC MAGAZINE"
"They have nothing to lose but their chains:
they will gain the whole world."
K. Marx.
So who bought this set of radio components from which one still had to be able to assemble the "Altair," and then make it work?
Moreover, by modern standards, it was not even a PC: a box with toggles and lights (no display, no keyboard). Programming in binary codes: 010111011011101: the result displayed on a board of blinking lights... And what kind of program (if even able) can fit in 256 BYTES (this is not a typo) of RAM?
Who are these people who created not a "party of fools," but a non-profit organization called "People's Computer," quickly attaching a television, keyboard, and tape recorder to the "Altair" and eagerly reading articles like "MITS DOS-Disk to Disk Copy Routine."
Correctly, they were provincial amateurs, dilettantes (DUMMIES). And what did they want to achieve as a result?
Contents of the publication: Oberon #04
- From the Editorial
This editorial discusses the legal 'charges' against the creators of Oberon #4 as a humorous narrative, highlights the challenges faced in publishing this issue, and announces a potential hiatus for the magazine.
- Scroll
Analysis of the game 'Chaos' by Julian Gollop. Simplified gameplay mechanics and strategic elements. Description of creatures, spells, and tactics.
- Scroll - Unbeliever
Description of a mathematical game for ZX Spectrum where players collect formula symbols while navigating gears.
- Scroll - M.M.A
Discussion of 'Doc the Destroyer', a unique fighting and adventure game for ZX Spectrum. The article covers controls, character customization, and game mechanics. Compatibility issues on different ZX Spectrum models are also addressed.
- Overview - M.M.A
The article provides a review of games for ZX Spectrum, including KOMANDO 2, WRESTLING SUPERSTARS, TAG TEAM WRESTLING, and CAPTAIN PLANET. It highlights the features, graphics, and gameplay of each game, noting both strengths and weaknesses. The review concludes with recommendations and comparisons to other platforms and games.
- Overview
Overview of various ZX Spectrum games, highlighting their unique features, gameplay mechanics, and design elements. Includes critique on sound effects, graphics, and technical issues. Discusses games like 'Stryker in the Crypts of Trogan', 'Phileas Fogg's Balloon Battles', and 'Survival'.
- Overview - Alex Noman
The article reviews games for the ZX Spectrum, including BOOVIE, MOTOR MASSACRE, SOCCER PINBALL, and HUXLEY PIG 1 & 2. Each game is detailed in terms of gameplay, graphics, and unique features. The discussion includes comparisons to other games and highlights specific technical aspects.
- Review
A review of various games, including Little Computer People and Lost Caves, highlighting their features and versions. It also discusses 75Occ Grand Prix by Codemasters with its limitations. The article provides insights into game mechanics and versions.
- Review
Detailed review of various assemblers like Alasm 3.8, TASM 4.12, and others, highlighting their features and shortcomings.
- About Everything
Announcement of the creation of the SamZxNet network in Samara and the challenges of setting it up with HAYES modems. Explanation of the modems' power requirements and potential difficulties. Invitation for technical advice from experienced readers.
- About Everything
Description of travel to ENLIGHT'97 and meeting various demoscene participants. Observations of event organization and issues. Insights into participant experiences and scene discussions.
- About Everything
Report on the second day of ENLIGHT'97: events, challenges, and reflections. Describes voting results and organizational difficulties. Highlights future prospects for Spectrum demo parties.
- About Everything
The article features reader feedback on Oberon #04, critiquing design and content choices and discussing issues with software protection and game enhancements.
- About Everything
Discussion of the adventure game KAYLETH with gameplay tips and advice. Includes a game dictionary and suggestions from the author and their team. Calls for a local artist for future RPG development.
- About Everything
Reflection on the closure of the 'ZX-REVIEW' magazine and the adaptation of its article for 'Oberon'. Discussion on the development of ultra-short boot loaders. Optimization techniques for writing one-sector boot loaders on ZX Spectrum.
- About Everything
Exploration of amateur contributions to electronics, music, and computing history, highlighting figures like Faraday and Babbage. The evolution from handmade instruments to personal computers. Discussion on jazz, blues, and rock'n'roll's informal origins.
- About Everything
The story of Lieutenant Edward Roberts' journey from radio kits to creating the first PC, the Altair 8800, overcoming skepticism and challenges.
- About Everything
The article explores the rise and evolution of the computer industry, highlighting the transformation from passionate hobbyists to corporate dominance by giants like IBM and Microsoft.
- About Everything
An exploration of Sir Clive Sinclair's project after selling the Sinclair brand, detailing the features of the Cambridge Computers Z88 laptop.
- About Everything
Discussion of software market problems in 1997 for ZX Spectrum, highlighting lack of new software and user reluctance to pay.
- Announcement - M.M.A
Announcement of 'Black Raven' game by V. Mednonogov, focusing on gameplay, technical challenges, and upcoming features.
- Announcement
Discussion of the decline in ZX Spectrum development, reviews of new games and utilities, and announcements of future projects.
- Educational Program
The article provides an overview of FidoNet, a non-commercial computer network often considered the predecessor of the Internet, detailing its origins, growth, and unique cultural aspects.
- Hardware
Instructions for connecting the 'ALEGRO' modem to computers with normal port #FF, detailing hardware modifications required for proper signal handling.
- Hardware
Connecting Hayes-compatible modems to ZX Spectrum, focusing on Scorpion and Pentagon models, detailing hardware modifications. Specific instructions for internal port blocking and signal alignment provided. Step-by-step process and technical intricacies explained.
- Hardware
Discussion of the transition from 5.25' to 3.5' floppy disks for ZX Spectrum, including installation issues and solutions for compatibility with existing software.
- Let's Feast
A satirical story about a Rabbit who lost his house to a cunning Fox and how a Rooster helped him reclaim it.
- Let's Gourmet
A humorous tale about Malysh and Karlson's adventures with technology, drawing parallels between computers and everyday life, culminating in a comic mishap with an AMIGA computer.
- Advertising
Article discusses free advertising policy of Oberon, catalog of programs and hardware for ZX Spectrum, and adventure game engagement.
- Advertisement - Kano
Promotional campaign by Magic Soft and RPSG in Russia for Amiga multimedia computers, offering exhibitions, sales, and consultations. They highlight Amiga's advantages over other systems, describe various models, and provide price lists. Collaboration with 'Computers for Population' for distribution and services.
