When I had no computer, I wanted one of those <USD$200 ZX81s so badly – just from seeing it magazines, & maybe pressing some of its keys at the electronics counter of someplace like maybe a Sears.
IIRC the video output often cut out whenever a user program was running?
I'm sure I would have enjoyed having one, but was fortunate enough my parents picked up an Apple ][+ instead. Still, warm feelings towards that unit, & its series, as something that made home computing thinkable.
Drawing video took up a very large fraction of the CPU cycles on the ZX81 so there was a 'fast mode' and 'slow mode'. Fast mode cut out video output when programs were running, slow mode left it on and ran at something like 1/4 the speed.
The scary thing: this all seems like yesterday to me. For years I thought we were counting up to when we die, but now I realize we are actually counting down.
IIRC the video output often cut out whenever a user program was running?
I'm sure I would have enjoyed having one, but was fortunate enough my parents picked up an Apple ][+ instead. Still, warm feelings towards that unit, & its series, as something that made home computing thinkable.