Learning BASIC

Heh, tear of nostalgy. I'll share my very similar story bit later, just trying to make provision against inefficient solution :) Also just published the second task... and there is going to be third also, slightly different :)

UPD: I invite you to review your solution... I guess it should fail now reaching limit of statements. Just added testcase with thousand values.

Well... I really was surprised with your so quick submission of array rotation... And hoped at least self-printing thing will delay your for some time. You can imagine my astonishment when you not only solved it quickly - but when I saw the solution... Well... I spent whole yesterday evening on fruitless attempts (but I tried without chr - decided to add it only today, otherwise it seems quite annoying to deal with quotes).

Very curious story of this KC 87. I was about age of 7-8 when classmate told his family got "computer" made by his uncle. I hardly understand what he meant but some time later he demonstrated it... Impressive, of course. It was ZX Spectrum clone in DIY form. These were one of main streams of computerization in USSR. Not original versions, but multiple clones. It looks by description, they used the same approach (TV and cassete recorder as peripherals) and even built around same CPU.

The dream of my childhood, though it definitely wasn't something we can afford (I saw retail version around 1990 in the shop with price of thousand-and-something roubles - 1/3 of low-grade car I believe). So my own "computerization" started almost 10 years later with used PC (386). However, perhaps in 2005 I spotted ZX Spectrum being sold for parts in flea market - got it for 10 roubles (price of one trip in the bus or subway by then). Tried it out of curiosity, before disassembling - I think, attaching power and earphones - and found it giving clicks, tried to type blindly BEEP command (learnt from internet, I think) - and understood it working. I was able to invent and hand-solder monochrome video signal convertor (just few resistors and transistor I guess to merge and invert 4 signals) - and was jumping up to the ceiling with joy when plugged it into TV.

Sorry for many words, but nostalgy works like this. The picture below - is exactly this device :)

But as I know our colleague Graeme has much more to recollect and tell about that wonderful era, and ZX line particularly... One of his works - text quest engine "Quill" - is something I still dream of recreating something alike.

I started with a ZX80 in kit form. I remember it getting very hot, so I drilled some holes in the top of the case.

So, Chuck Peddle turn his vision into a reality! I'd say that was an accomplished man. The creator of the 6502 (one of them anyway) when approached by Jack Tramiel's son, described his vision to him, fuelled by 60's science fiction, to put a computer into every house, convinced him, began working for Tramiel's MOS technology, and the rest is, as they say, history. Again and again in this field you meet people that say "oh, I started with a ZX Spectrum" or a Commodore 64 or a PET/whatever, and it's a fantastic thing. Those machines had to somehow get to the hands of the future engineers and scientists in the first place for the revolution we live in to happen. I especially love what the Raspberry Pi foundation is doing with their line of computers in par with the old days, getting kids in touch with creative aspects of computing through inexpensive (literally throwaway in cases) pieces of hardware. It's true for any industry, and I'm waiting for the same to happen to the EV one. Cheaper, thus more accessible, thus widespread vehicles, not premium, bloated showcase items that few can touch.

Nostalgia is a tricky thing though. Careful how you tread! :)