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Sinclair ZX81 Made Out of Lego

Posted by samzenpus on from the blast-from-the-past dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I used Lego's Digital Designer software to build a model of a Sinclair ZX81 — the computer that kicked me off on my interest in such matters way back in 1981. Until very recently, the software allowed you to upload your model, buy it and get a boxed set with all the pieces to build it (as well as instructions). The ZX81 model is as close to the shape of the original as I could make it, considering that Lego is quite a lo-resolution modelling tool. I even made it so that you can lift off the lid and see a representation of the PCB in side. I have also posted the model to Lego's Cuusoo site — a place where you can post ideas, and if they gain enough support they will be considered for production."

6 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Why would anyone care about this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't understand how this would be important to anyone. I want the last 30 seconds of my life back.

  2. Wow.... by ZigZagJoe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...and this is slashdot worthy, why?

    1. Re:Wow.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Absolutely agree... when I first saw this I had assumed he was using mechanical logic or something to simulate the instruction set, but... a black box?!? Why in the world would anyone over the age of 6 care about this?

  3. Now by CSMoran · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Next step -- make it compute.

    --
    Every end has half a stick.
  4. I like lego (legos?) as much as the next guy... by AngryDeuce · · Score: 1, Insightful

    But why do this? It's not interesting to look at or anything...

    It'd be like me building a lego replica of my first computer, a Hewlett Packard 386 beige monstrosity. Who the hell would look at it and say anything other than "why did you build a big beige box out of lego?"

  5. The Decline of Slashdot by wjcofkc · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The singularity hub might make a good replacement for slashdot. They have all the great nerdy articles but nothing of psychics on the moon or lego calculators that can't actually calculate. They have a commenting system but no users to comment. We have the commenting users, they have great content. Sucks to say this as I have been here since 97

    singularityhub.com

    by by karma, something had to be said.

    --
    Brought to you by Carl's Junior.