Micro Men - 10th Anniversary - The Chat After the Film

[@pradolover]

These guys have given thousands of 80s British kids a career in computers, myself included!

[@dworkin7110]

Smoking in the workplace in the 80s was commonplace. In 1994 I built PCs, the shop they were sold in was yellow with tobacco stains.

[@8-bitsteve500]

I got a BBC Model B for my 21st birthday in 1983, I fell in love with it instantly and Chris and Hermann are total heroes of mine! I would dearly love to meet them and say a huge 'Thank you'.

[@bolshevikproductions]

I loved playing elite on mine.

[@HenryMcGuinnessGuitar]

Curry, Hauser, Sinclair. They're all legends really, to me.

[@EgoShredder]

@Z80 I did and it truly was AMAZING and MAGICAL.

[@andyhowlett2231]

@@EgoShredder I was about 28 when the ZX81 came out and I had to have one! What an amazing experience, learning BASIC and writing my own programs. Then onto a BBC-B Micro which seemed so powerful! Still got it and it still works!

[@SteveDaviesCPT]

Thanks for this! Hard to imagine three senior statesmen of the US personal computer industry talking about the past in such a self-deprecating manner. Interesting to notice how Steve Furber, the mostly technical by far, sees the problems of the past from a different perspective from Hauser and Curry.

[@johncourtneidge]

US or UK?

[@Nick_R_]

Americans are not big on self-deprecation, especially not when it comes to their working lives. But then these guys are not all that self-deprecating either.

[@Zadster]

I could listen to these chaps all night. What an amazing occasion. Thanks to all of you for putting this on, it was something I never even suspected could happen.

[@TheRetroShed]

RIP Sir Clive. Thanks for this interview gents. Fascinating to listen to.

[@ElectronicazMusic]

Brilliant vid! Regards smoking in offices in UK, I worked in banks 87-90 and everyone smoked around me all day. It was gruesome!

[@rich_in_paradise]

I love this discussion as people try to remember all the little details from 40 years ago. I've got so much respect for these people and what they achieved back in the day. Even if it didn't work out from a business perspective, they can look back and say they made some damn fine computers.

[@GadgetUK164]

That chat was fantastic! It's a shame some of the points talked about didn't make it into an extended version of the film. Amazing to hear so many bits of information here behind the history. Was one of the most interesting videos I've watched in a while.

[@333darthste]

Superb. As others have said, I could have listened to Steve, Hermann and Chris talk for hours. Fascinating, amusing and honest. Brilliant - thanks again for arranging this.

[@EstraNiato]

Honest to a degree Curry is still defending the Electron :D

[@RetroDawn]

This was amazing! I'm a yank, but I've always had a fascination for the British computer scene, and loved Micro Men. Having an Atari ST and Amiga BITD and now, I played a lot of British games and read a lot of British computer mags and watched a lot of British (and Euro) demos. I wish you could have let them talk a lot longer. I loved learning everything I learned from this!

[@johncourtneidge]

Since I am now 73-years' old, I found this set of reminisences fascinating. As a Chemistry undergraduate at Bristol 1969-73 we we called in early in, I think, September 1970 to take an Algol-w course. I rember thinking at the time, 'This is astounding, but I can't think of a use for it'. My subsequent career as a PhD Research and Teaching Chemist led to a world where we can scarcely breath with computing intervention. Which, I guess many of my generation still haven't got any clue about (RAM, ROM? Huh? Etc.). But the human personality conflicts, sheenanigans, etc, 'Oh yes!. What opportunities were lost! Ah well. The then 'Cultural Controllers', the Economic 'Élite, the 2%, and their bullied, the 10%, were/are only interested in fiddling: as Britain's 'Rome' is in flames. Oh dear. But a film well worth watching. Thank-you!

[@KarlHamilton]

Brilliant. Could listen to these guys talk for hours. Someone should make a serious documentary about Acorn with these guys in it.

[@TimGilberts]

Really enjoyed this and the actual screening - well done to all for some real insights into two of my favourite machines from the day - we used the BBC with its Z80 co-pro on CPM (and the 6502 one) to do all our development for most other machines including later products for ironically enough the ZX Spectrum... so thank you all.

[@whatamalike]

This is such a lovely enduring and down to earth discussion. Especially when hauser mentions what charm Sinclair had, it comes across as sincere and non bumlicky.

[@AudieHolland]

All I ever saw of Clive Sinclair before this movie, were photos from interviews and other articles about the ZX Spectrum, Quantum Leap, etc. He always appeared as a good natured, rather likeable, British gentleman. Of course, that was just the image he created for the outside world because I do believe he did have a temper. The sad thing is, if he hadn't kept pushing the limits, just sat back enjoying the success of his computers selling in massive numbers and not waging everything on something new simply because he had to bring out something entirely new. I did learn from the newspapers at the time that he ruined himself financially. And one or two decades later he tried to launch his son as his co-CEO but I don't think much ever came from that.

[@vtx24alpha]

Thank you for sharing, being from Latin America, never had the pleasure of working with a Spectrum or a BBC micro, I had a Commodore 64. After watching Micro Men got an emulator for the electron on my Debian system and their basic was awesome, did the same for the BBC micro and the Spectrum. Never got anything done on the emulator for the spectrum because the way the IO was designed with Basic commands on the keys. But the BBC Micro basic was awesome and the ease you could go from 40 to 80 columns that was cool. The "8-bit guy" made a video on how difficult it was to accomplish that on the C64. But just to keep the story short, always did wondered about the altercation with Mr Curry and Mr. Sinclair.

[@markburton3306]

Thanks to those guys building those machines. I owned electron, beeb and an archie. It’s given me a career as a developer

[@DavieRobertson]

Thank you so much for getting these guys together and making this.

[@davidwhaite3330]

Entertaining film, I bloody loved the ZX Spectrum brilliant games machine,

[@0xC0DE]

This is great! Love the details about my favorite Acorn: the Electron

[@timmatthews773]

Thanks so much for this and the commentary video. These chaps, and Sophie, are absolute heroes mine! The insights are fascinating, especially the extra info about the Electron, fascinating but sad. But the laughter and happy memories more than made up for that... THANK YOU!

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

This was a splendid video, well done for making it. I only wish it went on for much longer. I wonder if those guys could get together and design a new PC now and what would the spec be.

[@nightbeast8105]

As someone growing up around computing during these times, this is just pure gold. When you get guys like this in a room together to reminisce, the memories/nostalgia will always fuel the chatter. Straight from the horses mouths, just missing a few gin and tonics (along with clive and richard) and we really would have gotten into the muck and bullets.

[@electronash]

Ten years. :o I LOVED the film, obviously. But I've always said that it would be great to do a follow-up to it, explaining how Acorn too on the bigger companies, and created the ARM processor. (now apparently the single biggest-selling CPU core in history. Used in most phones, tablets, TVs, Satnav etc.)

[@galier2]

The you should not miss Ken Shirrif's reverse engineering of the ARM 1 on his blog. www.righto.com/search?q=ARM

[@fredg8328]

You can find several interviews here: kzbin.infosearch?query=sophie

[@microknigh7]

I was never a Sinclair or Acorn fanboy, but loved the film and liked the openness of the Chris, Herman and Steve. Shame they couldn't get Sophie, Clive et al along for the ride

[@Desmaad]

I think Sinclair would've been annoyed at the suggestion. He's always been an irritable workaholic.

[@microknigh7]

@@Desmaad unfortunately, I think you're probably right

[@xyz2112zyx]

I just saw that film about 50-70 times. Mainly, I listen the dialogues when building some Electronics or computers in my workbench... so inspirational!

[@pureboxofscartcables]

Herman Hauser seems to be exactly as he is portrayed in the film.

[@garyproffitt5941]

It's in your left shirt pocket Christopher Curry including Reduced Instruction Set Circuit with the iPhone and every ware 😉👍

[@dvdchas]

Really great video! Funny to see how the memories have faded. I've not been to the museum since the first acorn world a year or so back. I bought a replacement BBC B on Ebay after that. Will try and visit again soon.

[@martinbennett9908]

People were absolutely still smoking in public office spaces right up until the middle of the 90's, and I'm ashamed to admit I was one of them!

[@ColinHoad]

Had to watch this as soon as I finished the previous video - again, thank you for this, what a fantastic event.

[@OzRetrocomp]

The BBC Micro was pretty big in Australia, especially in schools. Although it was a three way battle between the Beeb, Apple II and Microbee through most of the '80s. I went to a school with Beebs, which is where/how I became a Beeb fanboy (despite having a C64 at home). As for Sinclair... The ZX81 did quite well down here, but between Commodore and Dick Smith, most other micros got squeezed out of the Aussie home computer market by the mid 1980s. The Speccy was an also-ran down here, and the Australian Acorn importer's grand plan to sell the Electron as a cut-price Econet terminal didn't really gain traction either (as far as I can tell). Thanks for the video, and thanks to Messrs Curry, Hauser and Furber for their time.

[@checktheevidence]

Good to see these guys together.... Thanks for making and posting!

[@janstergaard703]

Love it, thanks alot! Champs all of them!

[@spudhead169]

Chris really looked like he didn't want to be there for the entire thing, plus he practically said as much.

[@speakertreatz]

Only when the conversation centres on the film itself.

[@outaspaceman]

This is wonderful..!

[@JonnBlanchard]

Very candid, wonderful

[@glenwoofit]

I love Micro Men, I know it's dramatised for TV but still, it must have been an exciting time to be making computers.

[@jimherbert007]

Chris Curry amusingly looks a bit like Ian Holm’s Bilbo Baggins - well done casting people! Loved the film, used to program assembler on ARM2!

[@aerotube7291]

Yeah great days as an 80s computer kid....

[@AlainHubert]

All living legends, including Sir Clive Sinclair, and Sophie Wilson of course. The world of computers wouldn't have been the same without those pioneering, audacious, giants. It's funny the comments made by Chris Curry about the FCC being there to "slow down" the imports to America in the eighties because I remember vividly how bad the radio interference was on the American-designed C-64 when used with a regular TV set via the RF modulator box!

[@ohdear2001]

Roger Wilson.

[@AlainHubert]

@@ohdear2001 She's been known as Sophie Wilson for over 27 years now, show a little respect.

[@michaelturner4457]

I'm sure the FCC slowed down and hindered many American manufacturers as well. I know Radio Shack(a Tandy company) had a lot of trouble with the original TRS-80 model-1 computer and the FCC.

[@UncleBooBoo]

Very enjoyable conversation. There’s a video to be made on how the BBC B could have killed the Apple II.

[@Ndlanding]

Thanks for this. I'm still tempted to get a BBC just to finish the compressed assembler I started writing, before I got swept overseas.

[@EgoShredder]

Do it!

[@Ndlanding]

@@EgoShredder Thanks for your encouragement, but I don't think anyone needs an assembler anymore. Dem days be past, mon!

[@EgoShredder]

@@Ndlanding Haha! I was actually sending good vibes, to tie up a loose end for your own personal satisfaction. I've done this myself in other ways, and its a nice feeling even if not strictly necessary.

[@Ndlanding]

@@EgoShredder I did appreciate that, thanks! Now, I'm trying to talk myself into recording more music.

[@EgoShredder]

@@Ndlanding Me too!

[@kins749]

Fascinating seeing these computing pioneers chat

[@wisteela]

Fantastic. And RIP, Uncle Clive. I was thinking about the ABC, and if they've got one, and then...

[@KaitainCPS]

Not entirely true re: removing Chris Curry's cunning side. The scene where he drives down to London immediately after hearing that Grundy have pulled the NewBrain out from the BBC deal is designed to make him look like a smart, almost underhand operator, walking out of the meeting at the Beeb looking very pleased with himself while smoking a cigarette. "He's sharper than a serpent's tooth!", curses Sinclair in the following scene.

[@danps7167]

Chris Curry looks quite bemused about it all. Because of these men we would not have the smart phones we hold in our hands today.

[@bolshevikproductions]

You wouldn’t have a smart phone due these and other tech pioneers. Ya titty

[@EstraNiato]

We would but they would run on Intel and could double up as personal heating device :)

[@drittz7840]

Fascinating listening to these guys. I grew up in the era of the BBC Micro and ZX Spectrum and loved both machines. Such a shame neither company went on to challenge IBM and Apple as they could of done.

[@bolshevikproductions]

That’s thatcher for you. And uk mentality. Ooh look at covid19

[@another3997]

@@bolshevikproductions How did Thatcher cause a global crash of the home computer market? And Covid 19 isn't an issue of mentality, it's an issue of a virus and a global pandemic. it's just that some people are too stupid to understand simple facts.

[@RichardPaynter-j2r]

I worked at GEC Avionics as a software developer in 1990 and I can confirm that people did smoke in the office... in fact, an amusing Welsh colleague of mine who self-proclaimed himself to be 'shit' at development and also a bit of a pot-head would roll 21 skin rizlas and stick these to the top of his VT-100 terminal with Blu-Tac and smoke it. Even in the 90s, when I worked for Nomura you could still smoke in the canteen around 1996-97 so I think smoking in the office carried on for longer than people care to remember. Definitely in the early 80s, for sure.

[@ZEUSDAZ]

Has Clive Sinclair ever seen the film?!

[@kenknight5983]

Maybe now that this is out the Sinclair team will sit down and do it

[@cp665533]

@7:25 - wierd hearing them say that now 🥺

[@eliotmansfield]

remember working at mercedes benz hq in milton keynes around 1998 and they were still smoking in the offices - one particular person smoked cigars and it was 🤢

[@snx70]

Great stuff!

[@mckengineer5727]

Briliant

[@TheStevenWhiting]

First time I used a BBC was in the 80s in Gunnersbury High School. Was 2 boys to one BBC. I was always paired with a selfish arse that would never let me have a go. I think they had a turtle but rarely used. I remember they'd run some education games on them. This was in about 1987 in the 1st year of high school. They only lasted a year I believe then we stopped having those classes and they all eventually went. I do have a small memory of seeing one in middle school. Only one in a class that no one ever used just the teacher, very rarely and because they weren't sure what they were doing a kid in the class would help them. As it turned out he had it all at home, the BBC, monitor and printer so he was the only kid that knew what he was doing.

[@michielhimself]

our (Dutch) secondary school had an Acorn BBC Network in the computer / math classroom before we got IBM XT's and AT's. And most pupils had either a Spectrum or Commodore 64/128 at home, though a few had Beebs and Electrons. The game comparisons were weekly occurences, in which the Acorn guys usually lost out ... but Repton was awesome, much better than BoulderDash on either Spectrum or C64.

[@ms-ex8em]

hello do u know how to turn on switch on sound on lander? thanks

[@nytrex2001]

Lander's sound should work by default. Are you using a real machine or emulator?

[@ms-ex8em]

Alan Robertson Yep emulator and also real Machine too Just wondering it doesn’t work the sound doesn’t work thanks

[@nytrex2001]

@@ms-ex8em I don't have Lander any more, but if my memory serves me correct I think it did have sound. Certainly, Zarch (the full game) did. Perhaps try opening a TaskWindow, and typing *ROMMODULES, and check if one of the sound modules needs to be reinstated with *RmReInit . Failing that, then perhaps try the Stardot forums at stardot.org.uk/forums/ for help. Or get a copy of Zarch. Someone was working on updating Zarch to make it better - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqOxY6algJtjmKM

[@NatureAndTech]

Why wasn't Sinclair there?

[@TheCentreforComputingHistory]

Sadly, we never had a response to the invitation.

[@EstraNiato]

Yep what I felt was missing was a Sinclair panel - it's a great movie but I agree with Hermann Hauser that Clive's portrait is a bit ungenerous and a bit biased towards Acorn. I grew up in Italy and the battle was mostly C=64 vs ZX Spectrum - I feel like Acorn was mostly an UK phenomenon ( up until ARM at least ).

[@timmatthews773]

@@TheCentreforComputingHistory You could've asked Molly!

[@bolshevikproductions]

@@TheCentreforComputingHistory Sir Clive is a business man. He’s Not really interested in computers.

[@bolshevikproductions]

Sir Clive found this humorous. To say the least.

[@paulanderson7796]

Chris Curry is built like a tank.

[@davenz000]

Even the guys running the company didn't know WTF was going on.

[@stevec00ps]

Loved this! I was never a Spectrum or an Acorn user (Atari and PC for me) so this was a great insight. Enjoyed rewatching the film too... 10 years though :o

[@bolshevikproductions]

Spectrum and Acorn are pc you fuckwit

[@PrivateSi]

The smoking ban was in the 90s. I found the film annoying for many reasons, not just the historical accuracy sacrificed for 'entertainment' purposes. It did at least highlight how boffins, business and end user requirements clash as often as the colours in a speccy game.

[@havoctrousers]

I was still smoking in the office I worked in in 1998

[@PrivateSi]

@@Wildeheart79.. Yep, fair enough. There had been so many nagging TV presenters and media articles pushing it since the 1980s it was a bit of a blur. The media demonisation of smokers really got going in the 1990s. Full onslaught, soaps, magazines, morning TV, school campaigns, with rapid tax rises on top. It seems longer than 2007....

[@ms-ex8em]

how do u reinstate the module because theyre all listed working and yes ticked

[@paulanderson7796]

In the seventies smoking wasn't uncommon in food shops. Especially independent grocers.

[@petermitchell6348]

The cutting of the clock wire was, in my humble opinion, a metaphor for cutting the umbilical cord and giving birth to the BBC Micro.

[@ohdear2001]

No shit Sherlock...

[@petermitchell6348]

You missed the point! Herman said it represented cutting the fuse of an unexploded bomb!@@ohdear2001

[@unlokia]

Whatever nostalgic blinkers you have on, these guys are APPALLING businessmen; they’d bankrupt you! 😂