Do-it-yourself microcomputers

In 1977 the American journal Byte, a well produced glossy aimed specifically at the amateur computer enthusiast, conducted a survey of its readership with most interesting results. First was the staggering figure of over 100 000 circulation. Secondly, from a random sample of 2163 readers, 35% owned their own computer, which, with a crude estimate, implies around 50 000 installed systems by now. In the UK, growth has been less spectacular, but companies such as Computer Workshop, Computer, Comart, Haywood etc. are importing both complete systems and kits. Computer Workshop and Sintel are now manufacturing in the UK, and there are numerous other `minimum¿ systems appearing. There is, however, an intriguing side effect for the professional engineer. These systems can be of industrial quality, and systems backed up by floppy discs make cost-effective program development systems. There is also a good range of interfaces available, so that they can well be used in process control applications