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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 15th Oct 2009, 10:15 pm   #41
draenog
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Default Re: Micro Men. Thursday 8 October, 9PM, BBC4

I worked for Acorn right at the end, from 1996 to 1998 (yes, most people are surprised Acorn lasted that long!) Acorn tried to first diversify into video-on-demand (Online Media) and then into network computers (Acorn Network Computers). There was also ART (Acorn Risc Technologies, which was designing Risc PC 2, codenamed Phoebe, after Friends).

Unfortunately, it was too early for video-on-demand, and the network computer concept was a flop (businesses wanted Intel Inside - ARM was still unknown - and consumers only had dial-up). After the failure of both Online Media and ANC, everything remerged, shortly before the end.

Strangely enough, it was ARM that lead to the end of Acorn! ARM originally stood for Acorn RISC Machine, but Acorn spun development out into a separate company, Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. This was jointly owned by Acorn and Apple (the first chip, ARM 610, was used in Apple's Newton PDA). ARM Ltd floated on the London stock exchange and the NASDAQ in 1998.

Acorn by this time was well and truly up the creek. So much so that its remaining 24% holdings in ARM was worth more than Acorn! This lead to Acorn being liquidated, the ARM shares being distributed to Acorn's shareholders.

Of course, Chris Curry was long gone. But Roger Wilson was still there as chief scientist, although he was known as Sophie by then!

Rob.
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Old 4th Jan 2010, 9:04 pm   #42
OliOliOli
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Default Re: Micro Men. Thursday 8 October, 9PM, BBC4

I loved this programme and watched it over and over.

I hadn't spotted the continuity errors, but the only bit that made me cringe was when Hermann suggests cutting the wire to get the BBC demo working and Roger Wilson says "no no no, that's its backup life support".

When I was too young to have any money to invest I really wanted to get some shares in ARM when they were 8p each. If only I'd had a grand or two to invest then.

Oli
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Old 7th Jan 2010, 3:43 pm   #43
peter_scott
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Default Re: Micro Men. Thursday 8 October, 9PM, BBC4

My wife's boss worked at Sinclair for a while. He jotted his thoughts on "Micro Men" here: http://homepage.mac.com/matthew_elton/index.html

Peter
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