#myfirstcomputer

[pbrstreetgang73]

I own a £1500 gaming PC but this might be the most excited I've been about a piece of computing tech in a long time #SinclairZXSpectrum Chuckie Egg here I come #MyFirstComputer

[cos]

Hello, old friend #MyFirstComputer #SinclairSpectrum

[memoriesohmymemories-blog]

My First Computer

Back in 1984 a lot of people were getting their first personal computer. The time had come that my first husband and I felt as though we couldn't live without one, so the search for what we needed was on.

After a couple of trips to the bookstore to get the right magazines for research, we decided that we needed nothing more than a PC, Jr. It would have all that we could EVER need. It would help the kids with homework once they started having some. I would be able to use a word processor and throw away my typewriter, and my hubby was going to learn to write programs and be able to "talk" on boards with his brother.  I thought that was crazy because instead of tying up our phone line to do that, he could just speak to him on the phone itself.

We went to the computer store and got completely ignored by the salespeople. After being there for forty-five minutes and asking several times for help, we decided to leave. We paid over $2000 for that IBM PC Jr. and some software that came with it. Then, I wrote a letter to the store where we had been ignored and sent a copy of the receipt. 

I didn't think we would ever hear from that company, but about two weeks later we received a big box in the mail filled with all kinds of software and an apology letter. I was so surprised. The letter had indicated that if we already had any of the software they sent us, feel free to take what they sent in to the store and trade it out for something else. So, I did. Everybody thought I was crazy to do that, but what good was it to have two of the same thing, right? 

We played games, learned how to use DOS, and were amazed at the colors on the computer. Most of our friends had computers that were only black screens with green or white writing. This was so much better! And, my husband did go on those boards and learn a lot about programming. He used the modem and that sound of the phone line being used became a standard sound in our house. I learned not to pick up the phone to make a call until I checked to see if he was online. 

That computer became obsolete within such a short period of time, but it was a good starting point for a family who had no idea of what we wanted or needed.