Acorn co-founder talks early computers

Introduced in 1981, the BBC Micro was a runaway success for Cambridge-based Acorn Computers, which anticipated it would shift 12,000 but went on to sell 1.5 million, with a BBC being the machine of choice for UK schools.

Acorn co-founder Andy Hopper told silicon.com that he believes the BBC Micro - with its easy to grasp Basic programming language - offered an experience that is missing today.

"I love the BBC Micro because of its open architecture, the way it was like a Meccano kit in the digital world, where you could make it into many things," he said.

"In a way it's too bad that the world has moved on. There is not an equivalent open platform today where you can construct something Meccano-style, for example to interest kids."

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