Martin Green wrote:

> My first PC was a Z80 based Sinclair ZX-81, but I quickly discarded Basic
> and started writing machine language (I still didn't have an assembler) and
> designing add-on hardware for the machine.  I remember having pages of
> assembler code with me at all times, which I converted line by line into
> opcodes with a Z80 reference manual.

I remember those door stops.  Actually had one back when it was still knownas a
ZX-80.  Had to buy it direct from England itself for $200 (mail order).
Don't know why but could never get a good working machine to do anything
with it.  The tape recorder didn't work on the first one, RAM was dead on
the second one, etc...  After my 7th one, finally got my money back.

My next computer was something called a 'Bally Arcadian' (A video machine
and computer in one.  Kind of like the old Atari's).  This was when I learned
that there was something called 'machine language' but still didn't know
anything
about it.

>From there I went off and learned Unix and have only recently gotten into
learning this 'machine language' stuff.  Boy, do I have alot to learn!!!!!