I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
9 messages · 2008-11-13 → 2008-11-28 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org
Participants: Adam Trionfo, dolst, Mark Scheck, Mark Martin, Lucas Salvador DigitA, zxbruno, Mauricio Impallari
Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.
Messages
1. RE: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Adam Trionfo · Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:55
>>
I don't know if this is the most appropriate place to tell this story,
but I sure got a kick out of it.
>>
This is THE place to tell the story.
>>
my family already had a TS2068.
>>
So you upgraded to the TS2068. Did you ever learn ML on that machine?
How old were you? I typed in MANY programs on my C64 in 6'th-8'th grade.
>>
I wrote at length about this on my website (which is currently on
hiatus/in limbo)
>>
If it's still online, then I'd like to check it out-- even if it
isn't updated anymore.
>>
Sure I do PHP and Perl now, but it was that old Sinclair BASIC from
back in the day that got me started.
>>
We all start someplace-- and that little black box is as good a place
as any. I live in the U.S. When I think about how many bedroom
programmers got started on the Spectrum over in Europe, it really makes
me wonder if we might have missed out on something really big here.
Great story!
Adam
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2. Re: [ts2068] I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Mark Scheck · Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:40
What a great story. Yes typing on a Vic20 then a TS2068 got me started as well, now I'm a Unix admin. Still love those days though, everything seemed so new and fresh. Sigh must be getting old ;-)
--- On Thu, 11/13/08, dolst <[email]> wrote:
From: dolst <[email]>
Subject: [ts2068] I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
To: [email]
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2008, 4:40 PM
Hi all,
I don't know if this is the most appropriate place to tell this story,
but I sure got a kick out of it. I'm sure most of us here (who are old
enough) remember typing in code from the old Sync mags back in the
dark ages of the early 80s. There was one in particular called "Castle
Doors" by Weldon J. Horton, PhD, written for the ZX81/TS1000. Well, by
the time I was old enough to know what I was doing, my family already
had a TS2068. I copied "Castle Doors", a simple adventure-type game,
and then I proceeded to update it for the 2068.
The short version is, I added color graphics, a few new player
variables, and "multiple" quests (translation: you had to beat it 3
times), and I never did much of anything with it.
Incidentally, I tried to track down Dr. Horton, the author of the
original program, so that I might pay him homage/respect (but no
royalties!) but I was never able to find him.
After finding a Spectrum/2068 emulator, I was able to dig out my old
cassette with "Demon Castle" (which was my updated version of the
game) and get the program into the emulator. I wrote at length about
this on my website (which is currently on hiatus/in limbo) and
mentioned the good Dr. Horton. This was probably six months ago.
Of all the luck, he found me! He happened upon my site and commented
that he was glad that I had enjoyed "Castle Doors", a program he had
written somewhere around 1982 or '83. I thanked him for writing it,
and let him know that it helped me stay on the programming track that
I'm on now.
Sure I do PHP and Perl now, but it was that old Sinclair BASIC from
back in the day that got me started. I wish I still had my old 2068!
Thanks for letting me ramble here. If not, just delete this message
and I will not be offended. Surf Wisely!
3. Re: [ts2068] I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Mark Martin · Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:48
On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 3:40 PM, dolst <[email]> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
[snip]
Thanks for sharing the story. It does hit home. I'm a software
architect today due in large part because of similar "Castle Doors".
4. RE: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Adam Trionfo · Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:03
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
>>
typing on a Vic20 then a TS2068 got me started as well, now I'm a Unix admin.
Still love those days though, everything seemed so new and fresh.
Sigh must be getting old ;-)
>>
I can see that! I'm currently taking electronic classes at the local community
college. The other day I was mentioning to my lab partner something that
happened to me in ninth grade. He asked when that was. Well, it was 1986. He
gave me this strange look, then said, "I wasn't even born!" Yikes. He was
born in 1988. I'm not sure if that makes me feel old, but it certainly gave me
some perspective.
Adam
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5. I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
dolst · Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:40
Hi all,
I don't know if this is the most appropriate place to tell this story,
but I sure got a kick out of it. I'm sure most of us here (who are old
enough) remember typing in code from the old Sync mags back in the
dark ages of the early 80s. There was one in particular called "Castle
Doors" by Weldon J. Horton, PhD, written for the ZX81/TS1000. Well, by
the time I was old enough to know what I was doing, my family already
had a TS2068. I copied "Castle Doors", a simple adventure-type game,
and then I proceeded to update it for the 2068.
The short version is, I added color graphics, a few new player
variables, and "multiple" quests (translation: you had to beat it 3
times), and I never did much of anything with it.
Incidentally, I tried to track down Dr. Horton, the author of the
original program, so that I might pay him homage/respect (but no
royalties!) but I was never able to find him.
After finding a Spectrum/2068 emulator, I was able to dig out my old
cassette with "Demon Castle" (which was my updated version of the
game) and get the program into the emulator. I wrote at length about
this on my website (which is currently on hiatus/in limbo) and
mentioned the good Dr. Horton. This was probably six months ago.
Of all the luck, he found me! He happened upon my site and commented
that he was glad that I had enjoyed "Castle Doors", a program he had
written somewhere around 1982 or '83. I thanked him for writing it,
and let him know that it helped me stay on the programming track that
I'm on now.
Sure I do PHP and Perl now, but it was that old Sinclair BASIC from
back in the day that got me started. I wish I still had my old 2068!
Thanks for letting me ramble here. If not, just delete this message
and I will not be offended. Surf Wisely!
6. RE: [ts2068] RE: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Lucas Salvador DigitA · Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:47
Very good history, thanks...Lucas
To: [email]: [email]: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:03:01 -0800Subject: [ts2068] RE: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789>>typing on a Vic20 then a TS2068 got me started as well, now I'm a Unix admin. Still love those days though, everything seemed so new and fresh. Sigh must be getting old ;-) >>I can see that! I'm currently taking electronic classes at the local communitycollege. The other day I was mentioning to my lab partner something that happened to me in ninth grade. He asked when that was. Well, it was 1986. Hegave me this strange look, then said, "I wasn't even born!" Yikes. He wasborn in 1988. I'm not sure if that makes me feel old, but it certainly gave mesome perspective.Adam__________________________________________________________Stay up to date on your PC, the Web, and your mobile phone with Windows Livehttp://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/119462413/direct/01/
_________________________________________________________________
7. Re: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Adam Trionfo · Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:02
>>
inviting people to dance at the sound of AY music, etc. I don't
see that happening here in the U.S. anytime soon.
>>
If they had AY music parties (or whatever they are called in Europe),
here in the U.S. I would certainly check them out. I like
electronic music in general, but I'm also geeky and just hearing
an old computer or videogame system make beeps that TRY to be
music fascinates me.
Someone on this group once pointed to an AY group's website and I
downloaded several MP3 songs from the website. The music was made
with some version of the Spectrum. Watching a band play that music
live would just be COOL.
Adam
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8. Re: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
zxbruno · Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:21
Very good story indeed. I wish I could meet someone here in CA who was
still active in the world of Sinclair computers... I made a post at
the vintage computers forum asking if someone in the West Coast was
still interested.. no replies after more than one week.
Sometimes I think this lack of interest in old computers by some it's
not just with the Sinclair, but with most 8-bit computers who were
once sold in the U.S. In Europe people have also moved on, but they
maintain the old machines alive. It's not just emulation and a visit
down nostalgia lane. People are still developing hardware, having
group meetings, gathering in warehouses, inviting people to dance at
the sound of AY music, etc. I don't see that happening here in the
U.S. anytime soon.
--- In [email], Lucas Salvador DigitA <hanark63@...> wrote:
>
>
> Very good history, thanks...Lucas
>
> To: ts2068@...: ballyalley@...: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:03:01
-0800Subject: [ts2068] RE: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades
after the fact!
9. Re: I "met" the author of a ZX program, decades after the fact!
Mauricio Impallari · Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:50
Hi,
Could you share with the group your TS2068 version of "Castle Doors"?
Thanks
Mauricio
--- In [email], "dolst" <sw_vsr@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I don't know if this is the most appropriate place to tell this story,
> but I sure got a kick out of it. I'm sure most of us here (who are old
> enough) remember typing in code from the old Sync mags back in the
> dark ages of the early 80s. There was one in particular called "Castle
> Doors" by Weldon J. Horton, PhD, written for the ZX81/TS1000. Well, by
> the time I was old enough to know what I was doing, my family already
> had a TS2068. I copied "Castle Doors", a simple adventure-type game,
> and then I proceeded to update it for the 2068.
> The short version is, I added color graphics, a few new player
> variables, and "multiple" quests (translation: you had to beat it 3
> times), and I never did much of anything with it.
> Incidentally, I tried to track down Dr. Horton, the author of the
> original program, so that I might pay him homage/respect (but no
> royalties!) but I was never able to find him.
> After finding a Spectrum/2068 emulator, I was able to dig out my old
> cassette with "Demon Castle" (which was my updated version of the
> game) and get the program into the emulator. I wrote at length about
> this on my website (which is currently on hiatus/in limbo) and
> mentioned the good Dr. Horton. This was probably six months ago.
> Of all the luck, he found me! He happened upon my site and commented
> that he was glad that I had enjoyed "Castle Doors", a program he had
> written somewhere around 1982 or '83. I thanked him for writing it,
> and let him know that it helped me stay on the programming track that
> I'm on now.
> Sure I do PHP and Perl now, but it was that old Sinclair BASIC from
> back in the day that got me started. I wish I still had my old 2068!
> Thanks for letting me ramble here. If not, just delete this message
> and I will not be offended. Surf Wisely!
>