The Sinclair ZX lost their father |Macgeneration

It is a chapter in the history of computer science which closes with the announcement yesterday of the death of Sir Clive Sinclair.The inventor of computers who bore his name and who were at the forefront of the personal computer revolution, died at 81, defeated by cancer.

For those who have seen, with their eyes seen and not in a museum, the beginnings of computer science at home, the name of Sinclair will certainly revive sacred memories.There was the ZX 80 but especially the ZX 81 of 1981-very popular in France like other computers from across the Channel at that time-a small flat plastic box, with its membranes keyboard and its unique kilo-Minociate.

A cheap computer that we plugged into a television.Despite his weak capacities and his black and white display, he opened an incredible field of possibilities for apprentice programmers, who were going to juggle with the Peek and Poke and Tap, character after character, the very dense lists of weekly.

The ZX Spectrum followed, bringing color and a real playful universe, then the Sinclair QL, more powerful but which did not have the same success as its predecessors.Amstrad, another British pioneer, ended up buying Sinclair Research in the late 1980s.

Sir Clive Sinclair then embarked on the design of a small single -seater electric vehicle, he also developed a watch, a PDA ... But none of the products of this inveterate inveteur had as much impact and success as his first computers.

Testimonials: How was it before the Mac?It was great !