On This Day - 8th October

1985

Final issue of Home Computing Weekly

Issue 133 of Home Computing Weekly, dated 8–14 October 1985, was the final issue of the weekly home-computing magazine.

Published by Argus Specialist Publications, Home Computing Weekly had begun publication in March 1983 and covered the rapidly expanding British home-computer market, including the ZX81, ZX Spectrum, Commodore, BBC Micro, Dragon and other popular machines.

During its 133-issue run, the magazine provided contemporary news, reviews, programming material and reports from events such as the ZX Microfairs. Its final issue appeared in October 1985.

Source: Home Computing Weekly, Issue 133

Issue 133 is dated 8–14 October 1985 and is identified as the final issue of Home Computing Weekly. The magazine began with Issue 1 dated 8–14 March 1983 and ran for 133 issues. The publication covered the British home-computer market, including Sinclair computers, and provided news, reviews, programming, software and hardware coverage.

https://archive.org/details/home-computing-weekly-133

2009

BBC drama Micro Men is broadcast

The BBC drama Micro Men is broadcast for the first time on BBC Four. The drama focuses on the rivalry between Clive Sinclair and Chris Curry and starred Alexander Armstrong as Clive Sinclair, and Martin Freeman as Chris Curry.

Also in this month

Other historical information recorded for October.

1983

Spectrum sales top 500,000

Sinclair Research announced that sales of the ZX Spectrum had passed half a million machines. The figure covered mail-order and retail sales between April 1982 and August 1983. Sinclair said the Spectrum had sold faster than the ZX81 over comparable periods and promised continued support through new peripherals, including the recently launched ZX Interface 1 and Microdrives.

Source: Sinclair User October 1983

Sinclair User Issue 19 reported that Sinclair Spectrum sales had exceeded 500,000. The figures covered sales from April 1982 to August 1983 and included both mail-order and retail sales. The article compared this with 400,000 ZX81s sold between March 1981 and July 1982. It also mentioned the August launch of the ZX Interface 1 and Microdrive, with a joystick and cartridge interface planned for later in the year.

Sinclair User Issue 19

1984

Deus Ex Machina Released

Automata released Deus Ex Machina, an ambitious multimedia work created by Mel Croucher and programmed for the ZX Spectrum by Andrew Stagg. Designed as an experience combining computer graphics, narration, music and a separate synchronised audio soundtrack, the 48K Spectrum program follows a lifeform through creation, birth, development, adulthood and death. The soundtrack featured contributions from performers including Ian Dury, Jon Pertwee, Frankie Howerd, Donna Bailey and E. P. Thompson. Croucher later described Deus Ex Machina as “the best game you never played”, a phrase subsequently used as the title of his book about the project and its creation.

Source: Sinclair User, November 1984; Your Spectrum, December 1984; Mel Croucher interview; Deus Ex Machina: The Best Game You Never Played in Your Life

Contemporary Sinclair User and Your Spectrum material documents Automata's Deus Ex Machina as a highly unusual 48K Spectrum production combining a computer program with a separate synchronised audio soundtrack. The work was created by Mel Croucher and programmed by Andrew Stagg, with contributions from Ian Dury, Jon Pertwee, Frankie Howerd, Donna Bailey and E. P. Thompson. In later interviews and his book about the project, Croucher reflected on Deus Ex Machina and described it as “the best game you never played”. The commonly cited release period is October 1984, although an exact day has not yet been established from contemporary evidence.