Original subtitles

(Transcrito por TurboScribe.ai. Actualizar a Ilimitado para eliminar este mensaje.) Tonight we're going to paint a picture of success.

People with characters who have imagination, confidence in themselves, faith in

the future, and a very positive attitude to life.

Which means simply that they never, ever take no for an answer.

Like Joe Radley, griller of fine holes for the electronics boom.

Like George Taylor, who has turned £15 of holiday money into a £3 million

business.

Like Clive Sinclair, electronics wizard, who could beat the Japs and the

Americans at their own game.

I consider it very much my role to foresee the future.

For example, I anticipate totally automatic personalised cars powered by

electricity, drawn from internal batteries or the mains.

That's a very real goal.

Starting in the early 1960s, Sinclair has introduced the world to a series of

remarkable technological advances.

Miniature amplifiers, personal in-ear radios, and his real breakthrough, the

world's first slimline pocket calculator.

Sinclair went on to produce dozens of models before foreign manufacturers

flooded the market.

Undaunted, Sinclair moved on to the world's first digital quartz watch.

But faulty components spelt disaster.

Faced with financial ruin, Sinclair had to turn to the government for help,

selling a share of his company to the National Enterprise Board in order to

fund future projects.

What we've brought in is public investment and business know-how.

And we're confident the portable television we've developed together will be a

great success.

This is claimed to be the world's first truly commercial pocket television.

It's being launched by an English company in London today, in America.

Later this week.

This is one of the things we hope will be making money for Britain this year

and in years to come.

Whether it does or not, you can at least say that it works and that it goes

into your pocket.

The answer is no.

But why?

Have you even looked at these accounts?

We're in no position to throw away taxpayers' money on concept products.

This is not a concept product.

It's dreamland, Clive.

We're running a proper business here, not an amusement arcade.

There is no more research money for the car.

I'm sorry.

Nothing personal, Clive.

Who are these people?

What do they think they're running here?

You know, what's the point of funding an invention if you can't stop at the

inventor?

Oh, Clive.

Jesus Christ!

What the bloody hell's the matter with you?

I don't give a shit about components.

Just get it working!

What the bloody hell do you think I pay you for?

For fuck's sake, I'm surrounded by incompetents.

The top end, I've got people who don't know their arse from their elbow.

At the bottom end, I've got people who can't even answer a fucking telephone!

Sorry about that.

Yes, maybe later.

Come on, pub.

Cheers, man.

I've had enough of these bolshevik penny pinchers.

And bugger technical instruments.

We've taken technical instruments and hi-fi as far as they can go.

I've watched the pocket calculator we invented be hijacked by the Japanese in

their ugly plastic grot.

I'll be damned if they take away my car.

They don't have the first idea about Sinclair radionics.

Can't they see we exist to push barriers?

We won't be constrained like this.

What's that line from Browning?

Man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?

Who's that for?

No grudges.

You know me.

As inventors, we're obliged to dream.

To be unconstrained in our quest for progress.

Always to be pushing up the barriers.

But we must never forget that allied to innovation is a clear Sinclair

aesthetic.

Practicality, simplicity and elegance are the pillars of my vision.

Remember that, boys.

Elegance above all.

Excuse me, Clive.

I'd like you to meet a friend of mine.

Herman Hauser.

Herman, this is Clive Sinclair.

Oh, a pleasure to meet you.

German?

I'm Austrian, a common error.

I was just talking about the importance of elegance in innovative design.

Oh, as with your black watch?

Oh, yes.

But your watch didn't work properly.

Elegance and functionality, no?

Herman's doing a PhD at the Cavendish.

It's on oxidisation.

Yes, well, some of us didn't go to university, did we, Chris?

We prefer the cut and thrust of the real world.

But I'm sure watching things rust has its interest.

I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive him.

Chris, Clive here.

I'd like to have a word with you in private.

Meet me in the Rolls in five minutes.

We've had six months of this state control, and it's been even worse than I

thought.

This interference in my business is intolerable.

I've asked you here because I trust you, Chris.

I want you to consider yourself freed from your employment.

At Sinclair Radionics.

What?

Don't worry, you'll still work for me.

I hold another company name.

Science of Cambridge is a shell, no more than that.

But I want you to start operating it.

Right.

I've rented a property in King's Parade.

Probably start with a couple of small projects.

But some of those calculator chips down in the store, do help yourself to

those.

Okay.

I mean, I have been speaking to Herman about a basic microcomputing kit.

Yes, yes.

What you'll be doing is preparing the ground for me to move in when this

Stalinist shibboleth crumbles, as it surely will.

You, Chris, will be keeping the flame alive.

He'll drive you up the wall, but there is something about him.

An absolute...

...belief in what he's doing.

And he's loyal to his staff like nobody else.

You know, he took me and Jim when we were just kids.

And this whole thing, starting this company, it's been great.

A real chance to show what I can do.

He's coming to see the new computing kit tomorrow.

I think he's gonna like it.

Now, whose move?

What is a pawn?

A piece whose only function is to protect the king.

To lay down his life, if necessary, as part of a greater plan.

But the object of the game, this is to kill the king.

Now, are you a pawn, Chris?

Or a bigger piece on the board?

Checkmate.

No, it's not.

Oh, maybe you're right.

I don't really know the rules.

CPU.

RAM chips.

Eight-digit LED display.

Five-volt regulator.

It's a basic microprocessing system.

It's a kit.

To make your own computer at home.

Whatever for?

Right, well, you can find out how chips work.

How to programme using computer language.

Once they've got that, they'll want more powerful computers.

Computers we can produce.

Hardly gonna have IBM quaking in their boots.

It's a bloody ugly thing.

But it's better than nothing.

Some people like putting these things together, I suppose.

Is this the best furniture you could find?

Well, yes.

It doesn't exactly smack of the Sinclair brand.

Still, it won't be long before I'm out of this NEB cage.

Then we can really get cracking.

Start work on some serious products.

You've got to face facts.

Sales for the television have been disappointing.

With a little more time and further investment...

What?

More money?

As I keep telling you, innovation is not something you can pay for in green

shield stamps.

Excuse me.

We've pumped nearly eight million into Sinclair Radionics.

For what?

The taxpayer has to get something back for their investment.

There are some areas of the business we can salvage.

Salvage?

It's time to break this business up.

We're calling in the receivers.

It'll be wonderful to be running my own company again.

Oh, it's marvellous.

It's been a terrible time for Clive.

It's so nice to see him happy and relaxed again.

So a brave new future lies before us.

I've mapped out a number of new products the company might set about

developing.

Those communists at the NEB have got the instruments and the calculators both

dive held onto the television.

And the car is still mine.

Yes, I was going to suggest that we try developing a new upgraded

microcomputer.

Chris.

Chris, it's an amusing little gizmo aimed at a few hobbyists.

No, no, it's something I want to pursue.

Well, it's not exactly the Commodore PET.

No, it's not meant to be.

It's a brand.

Did your Prussian friend put you up to this?

I don't know what you mean.

I don't wish to discuss it any further.

I wonder why that is.

I beg your pardon.

Look, I'm sorry, Clive, but I've always believed in what you've been trying to

do.

Now I'm asking for the chance to take this forward.

I feel I can do something with this.

It's a worthwhile project.

It's pointless, amateurish, ugly.

All I am asking is that you allow me the chance to develop the idea.

No.

But why?

Because we haven't got the funds to waste.

We have to concentrate on developing authentic Sinclair products like the

television, the electric car.

The car?

Christ's sake, Clive, what the car?

Get out of my bloody house.

Get out!

Is everything all right?

It's nothing.

He'll be back at work tomorrow morning.

I can't believe what I said.

I mean, you don't know what he thinks of that car.

Christ, what have I done?

Freed yourself.

You've had a taste of being the boss and you liked it.

There's no going back.

So what am I going to do?

My father wants to know if I'm coming back to work in the family firm.

What are they in?

They make wine.

Oh, really?

I didn't know that.

But I like Cambridge.

I've been thinking of starting a business here.

Computers interest me.

Maybe you could do with a partner.

Seriously?

You'd give all that up to go into business with me?

Have you ever tried Austrian wine, Chris?

No.

If you had, you might understand.

As the Americans would say, a golden handshake.

Good luck with your future endeavours.

10,000 pounds, you say?

What sort of business did you say it was?

Computers.

Oh, I see.

How interesting.

Very science fiction.

Well, we like to help new concerns where we can.

Just need to check a few bona fides.

You know how it is.

Tell me again, which college were you at?

That one.

Jolly good.

Thought as much just by looking at you.

A fresh start.

Better.

They say that in business, the key to success is to use the resources you have.

Well, here in Cambridge, we have one resource in abundance.

Cambridge Processor Group.

They build computer systems for funding.

Our secret weapon.

Steve?

Steve Furber.

Um, could we have a word?

Uh, that's him.

Roger Wilson.

Spent the summer of their building in programming a computerised cow feeding

device for a firm up in Harrogate.

The computer journals you asked for.

You said you wanted all of them.

Thank you, Nigel.

It was nearly 2,000 pounds.

Still too much.

It was so expensive.

But why so expensive?

You must observe the British tea ritual.

Thank you.

So, we all know the MK14.

Sinclair.

I saved up for one of his hi-fi kits when I was a kid.

Looked nice.

Matt Black, System 2000.

System 3000.

System 2000 was in silver 20 watts as opposed to 40 watts in the System 3000.

Uh, whatever it was called, never bloody worked.

Anyway, we all want to go with the 6503 processor.

Of course.

It's the only choice.

For the moment.

Plus, a whole new look.

That's right.

We start with kits, but we want to market it with a proper, ready-made, moulded

keyboard and built-in assembler.

The products we produce are going to be led by you, the engineers.

And so, I'm pleased to announce that Nigel will be heading the new computer

division.

Not just a division, but an entirely new company.

Sinclair Computers.

A new company, gentlemen.

A new beginning.

Perhaps we should remind ourselves of the secret of the Sinclair success.

That is, being first to market.

Letting people know what they want before even they know about it.

Now, the MK14 is a new product.

The MK14 has been a modest success, as I knew it would be, appealing to a

specialist interest.

And yes, there are companies making more advanced computers, but these are

affordable only for use in offices or laboratories.

But is the personal computer not a desirable notion?

Something every citizen would quietly crave if he actually knew what it was.

This is my vision.

A computing device in every home in Britain.

I quote, personal computers will become steadily cheaper.

Prices could drop to around £100 within the next five years.

Poppycock!

Because, gentlemen, we are going to achieve that in a matter of months.

Price is the key.

Whatever happens, I want a computer that we can sell for the magic sum of £99.

At that price, the man on the Clapham Omnibus will want one, even if he has

absolutely no idea what to do with it.

Beg, borrow, or steal components.

But one thing is clear in my mind.

It has to look like this.

Now, just imagine a future where anybody could go and buy a computer kit to

programme at home.

We could sell, what, 8,000, maybe even 10,000 computers.

What programming language are you proposing?

Which one's the best?

They all have their limitations.

Then why don't you write us a better one?

Look, I've heard Sinclair might be developing a new computer of his own.

Is that true?

I don't know.

We don't speak.

Besides, with the team we've assembled, I'm 100% certain that we're way ahead

of Sinclair.

Good evening, and welcome to the Money Programme.

Tonight, we enter the world of the microchip and report on a story of British

perseverance and invention.

And we ask, will the personal computer be Clive Sinclair's ticket to a fortune?

It took Sinclair just nine months to develop the ZX80, and he began to sell it

by mail order in March this year.

It costs £99, measures 9 by 7 inches, and weighs just 12 ounces.

All you have to do is add an ordinary TV and a cheap cassette recorder.

Eventually, there'll be some 200 programmes available, mostly educational, some

technical, and many suitable for children.

Jesus, it's like trying to read braille through a pair of gardening gloves.

Clumsy programming language.

Limited.

Z80A processor.

Big ROM.

Nice bit of circuitry there.

Ah, well, it's like we thought.

It's clever.

Done on the cheap, but clever.

So, we know what we're up against.

We produce something better.

Better keyboard, bigger memory, smarter chip, and improved language.

I know, but the genie is out of the bottle.

He's done it.

He's got there first.

It's a working computer for less than a tonne.

It's brilliant.

The clear run on us.

Look at the positive.

Clive is playing his hand first.

If he is bluffing, we will know.

If he is holding the full house, we will be able to look through the pack and

find the three aces with which to beat him.

You don't play cards either, do you?

No.

So, it goes well.

We still need to push on.

Progress on the ZX81?

Our first specs are done, and we start work on an initial prototype next week.

What about that bloody screen flicker?

Hopefully not.

Jim.

I was wondering if you'd had any contact with Chris.

I'm always in the lab.

I hear he might be going to market with a new product.

Well, I have...

He hasn't...

I'm not really sure.

It seems a shame.

He's not still with us.

He'd have enjoyed this.

That's all.

2K of RAM, twice as much as the ZX80.

8K of ROM, again double what the Sinclair computer offers.

And a proper integrated keyboard that won't give you arthritis.

The Acorn Atom is the product that serious computer users have been waiting

for.

You seem intent on attacking Clyde Sinclair.

No, it's not personal.

It's a vastly superior product, that's all.

You're attacking him again.

It's about computers, that's all.

It pains me to say it, but many of these companies won't survive this gold rush

in the personal computing market.

There may be many clever people in the industry, but business acumen is thin on

the ground.

Far too much of what I call kite flying, that is to say, people announcing

products that just aren't ready.

But make no mistake, I welcome competition.

We are a market leader, but we don't take our position for granted.

Great.

Okay, can I ask you about the new RAMPAC attachment?

Yes, well, it was thought that we might do something to boost the machine's

memory.

Yes, right, because a lot of our readers are saying that the connexion's not

that good, that they fall off.

We are aware of this issue.

Our engineers have looked into it, and I am informed that the use of a piece of

BluTAC about the size of a runner beam will resolve the problem.

BluTAC?

Quite so.

Well, that's genius.

See, our readers would love that.

Which magazine did you say?

Um, Sinclair User.

Ah, yes, yes, well, you have my blessing.

Clive.

Chris.

Everything, uh, going well?

I've given up.

What's the progress on the new machine?

Well, the boys in the lab are doing their best.

Well, they need to do better.

Getting it out quickly is vital.

It needs to trump the 80, but also to obliterate the competition.

We need to keep our revs simpler.

Take a memo to all staff.

In this competitive environment, we cannot afford information to leak out about

our new products.

Be hereby notified that work on the ZX81 is top secret.