A little trip down memory lane

The Sharp MZ-800, the second computer I ever owned (the first being the slightly inferior MZ-700, which was palmed off on my brother). PH34R its mighty 64K of memory, 3.5Mhz processor on a Z80 chip, and its super-advanced cassette data drive which could load BASIC in less than four minutes!!!

I remember writing a cricket scoreboard programme for that box, and even trying to use its 3-note polyphonic onboard sound chip to create cheap and nasty FM synthesis. (It didn't work.) In the days of the internet, where information on any crappy retro-fad* is cheap and plentiful, I am beginning to regret letting my mother throw that thing out. There are even ways and means discovered by hardcore nerds to transfer data - by audio signal, no less - from an MZ onto a modern computer.

(*Exception: I have never found a site which archives Look Blue Go Purple lyrics. I may have to start one myself.)