21-07-2012, 07:54 PM
Oh dear Al - I didn't want to make it sound like the second coming or an 'Archimedes moment' and it's not in the same league as was the invention of the flying shuttle or spinning jenny were in their day. I do agree that a lot of hype has surrounded the Rasperry pi, but I find it uplifting when an amateur on a shoestring budget, using a bit of enterprise and ingenuity, achieves results which rival that of that many agencies with big budgets.
"Beagle 2" comes to mind - the unsuccessful British spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 'Mars Express' mission. Yes, I know it failed, but Beagle 2 was conceived not by NASA with a multi-billion dollar budget - just a group of British academics and scientists on a tight budget, headed by Professor Colin Pillinger of the Open University, in collaboration with the University of Leicester. Its purpose was to search for signs of life on Mars, but all contact with it was lost upon its separation from the Mars Express six days before its scheduled entry into the atmosphere. At least they tried.
As to Sinclair and Sugar - I wouldn't dignify Alan Sugar by sparing him a moment of my time. I think Sinclair did more to establish home computers than did Sugar and his ill-fated Amstrad offerings, and Sir Clive also paved the way for pocket calculators. His little TVs were quite innovative too - made by Timex under licence till they fizzled out. Uncle Clive well and truly lost the plot with the C5 - an electric car powered by a Hoover motor? I don't think so!
It wasn't marketing bull-feathers which was Sinclair's downfall - quite the reverse - it was a lack of marketing expertise in not understanding the market for personal transport. An electric car which looked like a child's pedal car, with a top speed of 15MPH, (fasted speed permitted without a driving licence), afforded no protection from the elements for the driver, was low down so posed a danger, had a short range (later addressed by a second battery), brought to market in 1985, 20 years after bubble cars had fizzled out. What was that all about?
Using Sterling Moss - a formula 1 racing driver - was another example of lack of marketing expertise and inevitably held Sinclair and the C5 up to ridicule. Although it was a commercial disaster and sold only around 17,000 units, as Sir Clive is not slow to point out, it was "the best selling electric vehicle" in the UK until November 2011 - 25 years later - when the Nissan Leaf had sold over 20,000 units.
"Beagle 2" comes to mind - the unsuccessful British spacecraft that formed part of the European Space Agency's 2003 'Mars Express' mission. Yes, I know it failed, but Beagle 2 was conceived not by NASA with a multi-billion dollar budget - just a group of British academics and scientists on a tight budget, headed by Professor Colin Pillinger of the Open University, in collaboration with the University of Leicester. Its purpose was to search for signs of life on Mars, but all contact with it was lost upon its separation from the Mars Express six days before its scheduled entry into the atmosphere. At least they tried.
As to Sinclair and Sugar - I wouldn't dignify Alan Sugar by sparing him a moment of my time. I think Sinclair did more to establish home computers than did Sugar and his ill-fated Amstrad offerings, and Sir Clive also paved the way for pocket calculators. His little TVs were quite innovative too - made by Timex under licence till they fizzled out. Uncle Clive well and truly lost the plot with the C5 - an electric car powered by a Hoover motor? I don't think so!
It wasn't marketing bull-feathers which was Sinclair's downfall - quite the reverse - it was a lack of marketing expertise in not understanding the market for personal transport. An electric car which looked like a child's pedal car, with a top speed of 15MPH, (fasted speed permitted without a driving licence), afforded no protection from the elements for the driver, was low down so posed a danger, had a short range (later addressed by a second battery), brought to market in 1985, 20 years after bubble cars had fizzled out. What was that all about?
Using Sterling Moss - a formula 1 racing driver - was another example of lack of marketing expertise and inevitably held Sinclair and the C5 up to ridicule. Although it was a commercial disaster and sold only around 17,000 units, as Sir Clive is not slow to point out, it was "the best selling electric vehicle" in the UK until November 2011 - 25 years later - when the Nissan Leaf had sold over 20,000 units.
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
