In a number of posts on RISCOSitory.com over the last year, I’ve mentioned that we were approaching the BBC Micro’s 30th birthday and linked to a single page website about it. It appears that more details have now appeared on another single page site, describing it as “an anniversary celebration of the BBC Micro and Computer Literacy Project.”
The date set for the celebration is Sunday, 25th March, 2012, with the location given as – fittingly – Cambridge. There is a link to a contact form, and another to a Twitter feed.
The funny thing is that the Beeb was released at the end of ’81 and The Computer Programme began showing in January ’82. Therefore I think March is a little late – but better than never, I guess! And didn’t I also read somewhere that London’s Science Museum were also planning an event for 2012? Any news from anyone?
According to Richard Russell’s website, the first Model A BBCs went on sale at the beginning of 1982:
(Grr… I hate frames! Goes back and opens the *right* page for the link…)
“…at the beginning of 1982, when the first Model A BBC Microcomputers went on sale…”
The domain name beeb30.org.uk appears to belong to Simon Hewitt.
“… and the first series of The Computer Programme was broadcast on BBC television …”
“Unveiled on 1 December 1981”, according to reghardware.com. Maybe they weren’t actually on sale in ’81 but that seems to be the official launch – unless anyone knows any different.
Yeah, I didn’t include the bit about The Computer Programme because that tallied with what you said. I agree December 1981 looks like the official launch date, but that still only makes the 30 year celebration a few months late from the launch, and only a couple of months after (and in the same calendar year that) the first ones went on sale and the programme itself was first broadcast. The timing seems reasonable enough to me.
As well as that page on Richard Russell’s website, ISTR him specifically mentioning the anniversary recently on the BBC BASIC mailing list. I’ll check the archives later.