I always thought my first computer was a Texas Instruments TI99 computer (cassette *and* cartridge loaded). It was with that I learnt how to code basic when I was 7 or 8 or something. Well after seeing The Journey Robot I realized that BigTrak was actually my first computer.
You could program BigTrak with up to 16 instructions before setting it off, and it would execute them. Say forward for 5 seconds, turn, forward for 10 seconds, fire phasers etc. (or something like that, I don’t remember it fully). I’d love to play with it again, but they are rather rare now I hear.
Comments
I think mine was a Merlin handheld game.
My first real computer was a Nascom 2, Z80processor and built from a kit. 1K video ram and 1k system monitor (Nas-sys) clock speed 1 Mhz. very useful for its time and performed a lot of data logging etc with it. I still have two of them. Just last week I picked up a Bigtrak for £2 at a flea market. Put a set of batteries in and off it went!!! In the early daysof computers and just before PLCs, they were bough up and stripped by lab technicians and used in automatic control systems…. What a waste!!! The Bigtrak was way ahead of its time and a great toy. I wonder how many are still about? I am now 64 and using a computer for all the usual things plus programming PICs and synthesising a midi controlled theatre organ. I came across this site by typing Bigtrak into Google
Best regards. John