49 replies to this topic

[Ross PK]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...5b92/Micro_Men/

Affectionately comic drama about the British home computer boom of the early 1980s.

Legendary inventor Clive Sinclair battles it out with ex-employee Chris Curry, founder of Acorn Computers, for dominance in the fledgling market.

The rivalry comes to a head when the BBC announce their Computer Literacy Project, with the stated aim of putting a micro in every school in Britain. When Acorn wins the contract, Sinclair is furious, and determines to outsell the BBC Micro with his ZX Spectrum computer.

Home computing arrives in Britain in a big way, but is the country big enough for both men?

I'm not sure if this is available to all countries, but if it isn't I'm sure it'll end up on Youtube.

I watched this last night and thought it was a really really great show, and I loved the symbollic ending.

What did you guys make of it?

Edited by Ross PK, Fri Oct 9, 2009 9:43 AM.

[GroovyBee]

I liked it. I think that the clip of the Amstrad CPC464 at the trade show in 81(ish) was before its time. From what I've read before the demo of the new computer (that became Acorn's BBC micro) to the BBC was exactly like that. It was done in record time and was only really working shortly before the demonstration.

It was interesting to read what was on the white board behind Chris Curry's head in the closing minutes. It was pretty much what became the ARM core we know today.

Having read Steve Furber's ARM SoC book I can see why he was portrayed as the ultimate geek .

The only atari related scenes were some kids playing Adventure and some magazine shots of the 400/800 range.

[Jay Silverheels]

"Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only, but all BBC iPlayer Radio programmes are available to you."

[darthkur]

Jay Silverheels, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 11:55 AM, said:

"Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only, but all BBC iPlayer Radio programmes are available to you."

Boo. That's not very internationally friendly of them.

[Ross PK]

GroovyBee, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 10:29 AM, said:

I liked it. I think that the clip of the Amstrad CPC464 at the trade show in 81(ish) was before its time. From what I've read before the demo of the new computer (that became Acorn's BBC micro) to the BBC was exactly like that. It was done in record time and was only really working shortly before the demonstration.

It was interesting to read what was on the white board behind Chris Curry's head in the closing minutes. It was pretty much what became the ARM core we know today.

Having read Steve Furber's ARM SoC book I can see why he was portrayed as the ultimate geek .

The only atari related scenes were some kids playing Adventure and some magazine shots of the 400/800 range.

Yeah I remember seeing an Atari 800 for a brief few seconds, I wasn't expecting it so I was like 'Cool! An Atari 800!'

There was also the shot of the shop window that had a green Atari sign in it, amongst the other green signs for the Dragon and Spectrum, etc.

[Ross PK]

Jay Silverheels, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 11:55 AM, said:

"Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only, but all BBC iPlayer Radio programmes are available to you."

That's a real shame. I can't understand why they don't make it available to other countries.

There are however 3 or 4 short clips of it on Youtube at the moment.

[mimo]

Think there was an Atari Keyboard on a poster at the computer fair. I enjoyed the program. I have enjoyed the two installments of electric dreams too

[deathtrappomegranate]

I watched the first episode, and I was surprised and pleased that they mentioned the NewBrain a few times.

Not nearly enough geek detail for an informed audience, of course, but pretty well-done for a (sort-of) mainstream dramatised history.

[Jay Silverheels]

Ross PK, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 2:21 PM, said:

Jay Silverheels, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 11:55 AM, said:

"Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only, but all BBC iPlayer Radio programmes are available to you."

That's a real shame. I can't understand why they don't make it available to other countries.

There are however 3 or 4 short clips of it on Youtube at the moment.

Yes, this xenophobia and unilateralism must end!

I'll try the Youtube route.

Thanks.

[Ross PK]

mimo, on Fri Oct 9, 2009 5:22 PM, said:

I have enjoyed the two installments of electric dreams too

I saw one of those electric dreams episodes. The mother was really annoying though, it was as though she had a phobia of computers and was pushing it onto everyone else.

[JamesD]

http://www.mininova.org/tor/3033109

[darthkur]

JamesD, on Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:06 PM, said:

http://www.mininova.org/tor/3033109

Thanks for the link. Looking forward to watching this.

[mimo]

http://www.starringthecomputer.com/
some of the computers that stared in micro men

[darthkur]

So, I got to watch the whole thing and found it quite interesting. It's funny though, all this time I've had this image of Sir Sinclair as being a brilliant, refined old guy that made these computers for the betterment of mankind. Boy, was I way off base. If that show accurately depicts him that he was a real tool. Very smart, yes, but treated people terrible.
Now I'd like to see a movie like that about the drama of the early 8-bit computer wars for here in the States.
Watching that reminded me that I STILL don't have either an Electron or a Beeb. Anyone want to donate one?

[JamesD]

darthkur, on Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:15 PM, said:

So, I got to watch the whole thing and found it quite interesting. It's funny though, all this time I've had this image of Sir Sinclair as being a brilliant, refined old guy that made these computers for the betterment of mankind. Boy, was I way off base. If that show accurately depicts him that he was a real tool. Very smart, yes, but treated people terrible.

He sounds a little like Steve Jobs.

Funny, he screwed up with a high failure rate on watches and turned around and repeated the mistake with computers.
He clearly didn't learn from his mistakes.
And when it came to the car, he tried to make the car fit the technology rather than the technology fit a car.
He seemed so convinced he was right that he didn't bother to see if anyone else actually wanted one.

[Ross PK]

By watching the show it was very interesting and cool to learn that we were ahead of anywhere else in the world at that time. I never realised that.

[cd-w]

Ross PK, on Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:31 AM, said:

By watching the show it was very interesting and cool to learn that we were ahead of anywhere else in the world at that time. I never realised that.

Yes, and no. It was an interesting story, but it isn't entirely factually correct. There were more homes with computers in percentage terms, but then we have a small population. In terms of technology, we were really only ahead (briefly) in terms of price. Nonetheless, both the BBC Micro and ZX Spectrum were good computers and let directly to a lot of people (such as myself) having a career in computing.

Chris

[JamesD]

Ross PK, on Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:31 AM, said:

By watching the show it was very interesting and cool to learn that we were ahead of anywhere else in the world at that time. I never realised that.

I don't think the rest of the world realized that either... I think that was a bit of BBC spin.
Apple, Atari, Commodore, TI, Tandy... they sold millions of machines. And a few of those companies even survive today.
And lets not forget where ALL the microprocessors in their machines came from.
All the 8 bit CPUs popular in computers were designed by US companies. 8080, Z80, 6800, 6809, 6502... Intel, Zilog, Motorola, and Mostek. Sound chips were General Instruments, TI, Atari, CBM... well, you get the picture.
IF Acorn hadn't screwed up, their RISC CPU (which was unreleased when they sold out) alone would have kept the company alive. I think it was their most innovative creation.

I find it odd that Sinclair gets so much adoration for an idea that wasn't even his to begin with.
It looks to me like Chris Curry of Acorn was the one that wanted to make personal computers and Clive only got into it because of him. At least if the show is factual.

Edited by JamesD, Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:31 PM.

[liveinabin]

It was well made but absolutely savaged Sir Clive. Worth noting that Chris Curry was a consultant on this project, while Sinclair wasn't - and boy, does it show!

[JamesD]

liveinabin, on Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:39 PM, said:

It was well made but absolutely savaged Sir Clive. Worth noting that Chris Curry was a consultant on this project, while Sinclair wasn't - and boy, does it show!

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Clive deserved it?

[ventrra]

JamesD, on Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:12 AM, said:

liveinabin, on Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:39 PM, said:

It was well made but absolutely savaged Sir Clive. Worth noting that Chris Curry was a consultant on this project, while Sinclair wasn't - and boy, does it show!

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Clive deserved it?

I t certainly occurred to me. I've been reading the UK magazine Computer And Video Games from the 80's, it doesn't seem like he was terribly well liked even back then. (People seemed to like his computers when used for playing games, though.)

[Ross PK]

I can understand why people think he is an ass, but I thought he still had a certain charm to him in the show.

[Herbarius]

I really look forward to seeing this, I hope it will be uploaded to youtube or Google Video soon.

[liveinabin]

JamesD, on Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:12 AM, said:

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Clive deserved it?

Possibly. However, are we to believe that Chris Curry never got angry or made a stupid decision? And, while I'm sure their basic facts are right, some of the scenes were a bit much - one in particular springs to mind; Clive is sitting in his dining room with his wife eating dinner, but he's sitting there like the freaking Emperor, in this dark hall in a high backed oak chair, brooding in some self imposed solitude. They might as well have flashed the word 'BADDIE' on the screen

I'm no Sinclair apologist, but I know a biased dramatisation when I see it.

Edited by liveinabin, Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:22 PM.

[JamesD]

liveinabin, on Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:21 PM, said:

JamesD, on Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:12 AM, said:

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Clive deserved it?

Possibly. However, are we to believe that Chris Curry never got angry or made a stupid decision? And, while I'm sure their basic facts are right, some of the scenes were a bit much - one in particular springs to mind; Clive is sitting in his dining room with his wife eating dinner, but he's sitting there like the freaking Emperor, in this dark hall in a high backed oak chair, brooding in some self imposed solitude. They might as well have flashed the word 'BADDIE' on the screen

I'm no Sinclair apologist, but I know a biased dramatisation when I see it.

The guy owned a Rolls, wouldn't listen to the govt when they saved his business, wouldn't listen to his employees, ended up divorced, loved to appear in his own commercials... and you think this guy wasn't an egomaniac capable of that behavior?

Chris Curry DID make a stupid decision and it killed Acorn.