RIP Sir Clive Sinclair

Colin_E · Post by **Colin_E** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:59 pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58587521
Sorry to read this. I always rather admired this guy. Often managed not to get things quite right (that "car") but had some ideas that were pretty groundbreaking for their time.

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:15 pm

Colin_E wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:59 pm Often managed not to get things quite right (that "car")

Seriously?
Have you forgotten abut the Sinclair ZX80, 81 and Spectrum? The first truly 'home computers'.
The man was a genius and has probably shaped our modern world much more than he was ever given credit for.
RIP Clive

GuidoK · Post by **GuidoK** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:24 pm

RIP

Both the zx81 and the spectrum had quite an influence on my life in the early/mid 80's as a kid.

craig3.2 · Post by **craig3.2** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:25 pm

Rip Sir Clive Sinclair....loved his zx spectrum computers. Set the trend for Atari at etc layer on,and as said, first true home computer for many folks.
The c5 was a riot,not safe,but ahead of its time,lol

Colin_E · Post by **Colin_E** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:35 pm

Pondrew wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:15 pm
Colin_E wrote: ↑Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:59 pm Often managed not to get things quite right (that "car")
Seriously?
Have you forgotten abut the Sinclair ZX80, 81 and Spectrum? The first truly 'home computers'.
The man was a genius and has probably shaped our modern world much more than he was ever given credit for.
RIP Clive

Not at all. I admire his genius too. But he brought things to market with flaws. He admitted as much himself. I was the geek back in the day who bought so many of them. The little thermal printer, the microdrives that self-destructed and the quirky but brilliant QL that ICL remarketed as the 'One Per Desk'. No disrespect intended.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:43 am

A clever man who was ahead of his times.

However I bought one of his Scientific Calculators in the late 70´s When the other fellas were then using log tables I was flash Harry with a calculator.

I completed a set of calculations not really knowing what a proper result should have looked like. I was then called into the Chief Engineers Office to have my results questioned.

The Chief Engineer entered 45° sin then cos then tan — he then went backwards from those results and the answer shown was 67° 49‘. a wee bit of an error i would say. Calculators now go back to 45°

I never trusted it after that!

enuff_zed · Post by **enuff_zed** » Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:46 am

So has he died, or just suffered a terminal error?

He'll be up at the pearly gates now, pressed Enter hours ago and still waiting patiently for something to happen!

Jembo · Post by **Jembo** » Fri Sep 17, 2021 1:25 pm

enuff_zed wrote: ↑Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:46 am So has he died, or just suffered a terminal error?

He'll be up at the pearly gates now, pressed Enter hours ago and still waiting patiently for something to happen!

Unless he saw the light & took one of PVR’s Digigate gizmos with him

beanie · Post by **beanie** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:19 am

The C5 may have been ridiculed at the time but the expansion and acceptance of alternative personal mobility has made it more relevant than ever. Even Microcars are coming back and making more and more sense.

At least he got to see his vision proved right, even if he wasn’t the one to make it a reality

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 5:53 pm

RIP Sir Clive. Too often busy on the next great idea to get the last one sorted. A very clever engineer.

Oddly for a Nerd of the late 70's early 80's, I don't think I ever bought any thing that he designed though.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:00 pm

I think he was limited by the technology available at the time- perhaps if he had been doing what he was doing during these times there might be a different story to write?

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:43 am

ronk wrote: ↑Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:00 pm I think he was limited by the technology available at the time- perhaps if he had been doing what he was doing during these times there might be a different story to write?

He just needed a dragon type to sort the selling bit out. Hard for such a man to let someone like that it on the act I imagine. He left his mark all the same.

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com