Sir Clive Sinclair

[trousers]

The ZX81 was my first foray into the world of computing and pretty much shaped and determined how the rest of my life panned out.

RIP Sir Clive

 

Edited 16 September, 2021 by trousers

[Whitey Grandad]

A good friend of mine at Cambridge worked for him in the early 70s and I asked him if Clive had a research and development section. “Yes”, he said, “himself”. Sadly my friend succumbed to prostate cancer in his mid thirties.

I remember when he started in the 1960s selling small home electronics kits through sensationalistic adverts in the hobby magazines. They never worked as well as promised and it used to be said that he made his money from the kits that were thrown in the bin.

His first wife used to help him pack the kits on their kitchen table and when they got divorced she successfully used this to win a bigger divorce settlement.

I was never really impressed by any of his developments myself but he seemed to capture the public imagination.

How apt that he died at the age of 81. If only he’d called it the ZX105 he might still be with us.

[Fan The Flames]

He was a real part of moving electronics from the nerdy hobbyist to the main stream market. My mate used to bring his Spectrum around my house and we would play Jet Set Willy and Football Manager all night long.

There were a few C5s in Brighton where I went to school and the school kids would gob on them as they drove past. It became a bit of an issue and we had an assembly about not gobbing at the public.

[buctootim]

You'd think an updated C5 with lithium batteries, bigger range and say 30mph speed would be viable for around town now. Better than a scooter. 

[buctootim]

13 hours ago, trousers said:

The ZX81 was my first foray into the world of computing and pretty much shaped and determined how the rest of my life panned out

You can't blame him for everything. 

[Fan The Flames]

41 minutes ago, buctootim said:

You'd think an updated C5 with lithium batteries, bigger range and say 30mph speed would be viable for around town now. Better than a scooter. 

Ideal for cycle paths, too low for roads. Lorries couldn't see them, they had to rush out tall mod style foxtail flags after a couple of accidents.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, Fan The Flames said:

Ideal for cycle paths, too low for roads. Lorries couldn't see them, they had to rush out tall mod style foxtail flags after a couple of accidents.

Yes, too dangerous. On the news obituary last night there was a thing about him inventing a little fold up electric bike (I think called the zike) which at first glance genuinely did look like an idea better than scooters. 

[Lighthouse]

There are already a few urban electric vehicles out there which basically do the job of the C5. As stupid as the programme was, with a vehicle obviously designed for comic effect, Top Gear basically had it right with their 'P45', only with an electric motor and full, weatherproof cabin.

 

[Whitey Grandad]

There was a Spitting Image episode with Clive Sinclair in a C5. 
 

Clive: “Would you like to have a ride in my invalid carriage?”

Answer: “But I’m not an invalid”

Clive: “You haven’t ridden in it yet”

[Dyslexic Saint]

Proof that gingers can get laid. We salute you sir Clive.