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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 8th Oct 2021, 4:47 pm   #1
john_newcombe
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Default ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

You may well have seen this already but thought that it may be of interest.

The video linked below, is a ‘tongue in cheek’ look at controlling a nuclear power plant with a ZX81 and is inspired by the ZX80 marketing of the time.

The software available as a .P file and .wav file can be downloaded from a link in the video description.

https://youtu.be/tB6CC8UbJLU

Enjoy!
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Old 8th Oct 2021, 5:32 pm   #2
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

A Z80 is more than capable of controlling a reactor, humans with knobs did it (do it?) it's the safety systems that take a lot more thought. All you have to do is turn it off and on again, not the best idea when it comes to nuclear reactors, fussy old things they are.
 
Old 10th Oct 2021, 5:28 pm   #3
Richard_FM
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

I remember hearing about this being one of Sir Clive's claims, possibly embellished to running a whole power station.

The later QL managed to by used by some government departments.
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Old 10th Oct 2021, 5:43 pm   #4
paulsherwin
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

Quote:
Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
A Z80 is more than capable of controlling a reactor, humans with knobs did it (do it?) it's the safety systems that take a lot more thought. All you have to do is turn it off and on again, not the best idea when it comes to nuclear reactors, fussy old things they are.
It does depend on what you mean by 'controlling' though. If all you want it to do is scram the reactor if there's an overtemp alarm then that's well within a ZX81's capabilities, though there might be a problem if the lump of Blu-tack fails and the 16K memory module falls off.

As you imply, these safety systems started off with a bloke with an axe standing by to chop through the ropes lifting the control rods. Who would argue that a ZX81 control system is less safe than that?
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Old 10th Oct 2021, 5:46 pm   #5
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

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Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
The later QL managed to by used by some government departments.
The civil service bought lots of ICL OPDs (One Per Desk), which were basically a QL integrated with a phone. Smartphone!
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Old 10th Oct 2021, 10:02 pm   #6
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

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Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard_FM View Post
The later QL managed to by used by some government departments.
The civil service bought lots of ICL OPDs (One Per Desk), which were basically a QL integrated with a phone. Smartphone!
That's what I was thinking of, I knew there was a computer based on the QL but made by someone else.
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Old 15th Oct 2021, 1:04 pm   #7
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Default Re: ZX81 Controls a Nuclear Power Station

>>ICL OPDs (One Per Desk)

also sold by BT as the "BT Merlin Tonto" with (I think) different color plastics to the ICL product.

https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/...-Merlin-Tonto/

Seemed like a nice idea; conceptual grandfather to the Amstrad Emailer?
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