(Very) Old Work Stuff

1980


Spacies
The beginning of the love affair ... I was brought up on the likes of "Spacies" and "Defender". Proper Taito and Midway's Spacies you understand ... none of the spinoff clones and crap! I used to annoy all my school friends at lunchtime by going "Round the Clock" on Space Invaders on a single 10p (which was almost certainly my dinner money!)
Space Invaders was probably the sole reason that I became interested in computers and programming. This is a photo of an (underage) me when I sneaked out to the pub to get my fix (while I was supposed to be visiting my grandmother) in the Black Bear, Whitchurch circa 1980 (Aged 16). You can play my modern online HTeMuLator based homage which I recently wrote here You'll need a fast(ish) modern browser which supports the <canvas> tag, although I have several improvements to make which should speed it up a lot! What I'd have given for this all those years ago :-)

Computer Class
Original Article
Another Sixth Form Computer Studies photo. This is a scan of the original press cutting

Computer Class
Reconstructed Article
Edited press cutting. Mold Alun pupil Gerald Davison tries out the new computer. The Kelsterton College principal, Dr. Glyn Phillips, joins programmer Margaret Williams and headmaster Mr. James Hanson in watching the first input. My Sixth Form Computer Studies class was shared with Mold Alun school (which was next door), When I left half way through the 'A' level computing course to work at The Coach House (Microprocessor Development Center) I worked with Margaret Williams. Dr. Glyn Phillips later became Prof. G. O. Philips. The system pictured was one of four SWTPC terminals hooked up to a SWTPC 6800 multi-user system with massive 12" floppy disks

Computer Class
Original Photo
The original uncropped photo used to reconstruct the press cutting

1981


What's New?
Microchip Technology
Students working with microchips, March 1981.
Trainees at Kelsterton - Danielle Roberts , Ian Jackson, and Paul Green, (all 18 years old). TRANSLATION: Ian pretends to adjust the Trim Pot of the UHF Modulator on an Acorn Atom whilst, a very confused, Paul looks on wondering why he's holding the screwdriver at the base instead of by the handle. Danielle tests the resistance of the workbench and tries to look interested in some bit of new fangled tech but really just wants to know how long she and her two buddies will have to hold their pose for this staged photo ;-) Unpictured: "Bostick" climbs under the desk to demonstrate how a crocodile clip can be used to attach a lit firework to a female colleague. Ian and Paul went on to form the Synth-Pop group Kraftwerk ... We are the Robots - Nah not really

1982


Computer Class
Second Year
Sixth Form Computer Studies photo. ?, ?, Jill Williams, Gerald Davison. Just out of shot and behind Gerald is an Acorn Atom Econet server. Also visible are the 5 pin-din plug sockets on the wall used to connect to the Econet

1984


Computer Fair
Computer Fair, Kelsterton College Deeside. Friday January 20th 1984

Lyndon
Fig. 1 - Perkins Brailler with software and Votrax Type 'n' Talk Speech Synthesiser

Me
Fig. 2 - Me controlling a BBC buggy via a Kode voice recognition system. Note also the DEC VT100 terminal used to train up the Kode system via an RS 232 interface with the user's voice

* Not many people know this but shiney bomber jackets and white "decking shoes" (for your yacht obviously) were compulsory work attire back then :) And yes it is a digital watch - Casio no less don't you know

Trekker PCB
PM = Phil Mainwaring, CTL = Clwyd Technics Limited. Designed by me on one of the first PCB design software packages.
I have the teletext graphics and control software for it if anyone has one!

Trekker Flyer - Front
Trekker Flyer - Front

Trekker Flyer - Back
Trekker Flyer - Back

Trekker Alive!
Trekker Alive! - He's just like a human. Only not so much :-/

Trekker
In HD, 3D Colour

Keymaster Pamphlet 1
Keymaster Pamphlet 1

Keymaster Pamphlet 2
Keymaster Pamphlet 2

Keymaster Leaflet - Front
Keymaster Leaflet - Front

Keymaster Leaflet - Back
Keymaster Leaflet - Back

Computing for
the Disabled
Computing for the Disabled - Clwyd Technics price list with information on the Perkins Brailler system

Perkins Brailler Flyer
Perkins Brailler Flyer

SPOC
Speech output and Environmental Control for disabled

Photonic Wand
We didn't manufacture this product but it really was a great bit of kit and we made use of it by adapting it to some of our software packages. It's probably best described as a long-range light pen mounted on a helmet that the user wore on their head. Amazing accurate for a light pen of the time, even from several feet away from the screen

"Break Killer"
This was basically a simple set of straight through connections apart from one track which was gouged out and bridged with the switch on the twisted wire pair. There may well have been a PCB version later but I can't really see it ever having been worthwhile though as the same amount of soldering was involved with both versions; with the VeroBoard version, however, there was no time-consuming etching and drilling to do. I seem to remember us calling it the "Break Killer" but according to the literature they decided to go with the much "snappier" title of "The Break Key Disabler Switch" which sold back then for £5. The main reason it was produced was because it was particularly useful when used in conjunction with another product used at NewTech. This was a sort of soft "finger" on the end of a stiff length of wire which was attached to a mounting worn on the head. This low-tech solution enabled disabled people to type on a keyboard by moving their head. One drawback with this was that, occasionally, they would accidently press the BREAK key when aiming for f9 or one of the other keys which were close to it. This, of course, resets the system and the user would loose whatever they were working on. For this reason the "Break Killer" made a nice companion product to the head mounted "finger". Photo courtesy of Dave / Arcadian

"Break Killer" flyer
"Break Killer" flyer

"Break Killer" Artwork
"Break Killer" Artwork

1985


Newtech
Opening - 1
Opening of Newtech by Prince Charles, December 17th 1985. Yours truly (far right) with the bad 80s haircut and equally bad 80s clothes

Newtech
Opening - 2
Alex Whittiker, a teacher at a local school, designed Trekker. It was developed into a marketable product by Newtech and Clwtd Technics Limited. I designed the PCB using one of the first PCB layout software packages and wrote all the Trekker demo programs. Prince Charles took one away with him as a Christmas present for Prince William (2 1/2 at the time :-S)

Newtech
Opening - 3
Me 'n' Charlie. Using the Kode voice recognition system again - this time to access the BBC CEEFAX and PRESTEL system

Newtech
Opening - 4
... and again ...

Newtech
Opening - 5
Think he's getting bored now!

Newtech
Opening - 6
Me (Far left) showing the full extent of the depths of 80s fashions :-S

1986


Telesoftware &
Education Project - 1
A truly awful "Interactive Video" system based on a BBC controled VHS tape player and a light pen. To be fair it didn't really work that badly and it did land me a job in "the city" (London) working on the first CD-ROMs and a year later developing "proper" interactive video using Laser Discs :-)

Telesoftware &
Education Project - 2
Telesoftware & Education Project - 2

Telesoftware &
Education Project - 3
Telesoftware & Education Project - 3

Telesoftware &
Education Project - 4
Telesoftware & Education Project - 4