The Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48Kb was my first personal computer. I purchased it in 1982 together with most of the accessories which were then available, I even bought a Sony 10” color tv to be used as a dedicated ZX monitor, and during the next two years I extensively programmed my ZX, implementing a few games, some nice graphic tricks, and my first, infamous, home accounting procedure, which later I even moved to the Macintosh.

When the Sinclair QL was announced in 1984, the stunning quality of the ZX and my confidence in its robustness after two years of full use made the QL the perfect candidate as a successor. But 1984 was also the year of the first Macintosh. And that changed everything.

I still own my Sinclair ZX Spectrum though, and I’ve kept it in perfect conditions.

And I’ve also kept the rich set of ZX books describing all aspects of this little jewel.