E chi sarebbe Paul Sneesby?
Giusta domanda.
Ieri sera nel cazzeggio estivo su FB ho chiesto al gruppo ZX Spectrum Next se
esistesse qualche progetto di convertire al Next i vecchi word processor per ZX
in versione upgradata.
In particolare mi riferivo al DTP Pack, che potrebbe usufruire delle nuove
caratteristiche del Next per gestire pagine multiple, colori, conversione dei
files in PDF e stampa wireless su stampanti di rete.
Così, tanto per divertirsi.
Poi prima di andare a dormire ho fatto una ricerca su FB per vedere se riuscivo
ad individuare i programmatori della software house P.C.G. Computer Software
(ex-Cardex): Barry Parkinson e Paul Sneesby.
In questi casi di norma si trovano un sacco di omonimi, la maggior parte dei
quali non ha nulla a che fare con le persone che cerchiamo.
Tra i vari Paul Sneesby che ho trovato ce n’era però uno che abitava a
Barrow-in-Furness, la stessa città inglese dove aveva sede la P.C.G. ... e così
ho deciso di tentare.
L’ho contattato via Messenger chiedendogli se era lui uno dei programmatori del
DTP Pack.
Stamattina Paul Sneesby mi ha risposto via Messenger dicendomi che ... si, era
lui quello del DTP Pack!
:-D
Così ci siamo fatti una lunga chiacchierata.
Ve ne riporto le frasi salienti.
Conceptually Barry Parkinson was into typesetting and came up with the idea
without realising the work involved.
He was a complete novice assembly programming when we started.
By the time we finished it he was competent enough but had a very good business
head on him.
I coded all of Wordmaster, font editor Headliner and about a third of Typeliner.
Haven't seen him for over 25 years.
By the time it took off I had already passed over the copyright to him. Not a
great relationship once the money started coming in and I didn't really get my
share. Same old story for Spectrum programmers in the 80s. As I said the P is
for Parkinson and it was his idea and business. I was just the workhorse.
A poor idea to ditch the copyright ... born out of frustration. I just settled
for a lump sum. I got over it and would still have a drink with him if I
bumped into him.
Had some success with X86 after that.
I'm interested in retrostuff but don't really like re doing stuff I have
already done.
It makes me a little obsessive.
We ended up with our own assembler/disassembler loaded into Wordmaster. You get
used to your own quirky interfaces and found it handled macros and edited
better than the assembler we had been using (Gen?, I can't remember now).
You've given me food for thought anyway.
Interessante, no?
Chissà che non ne nasca qualcosa ... ;-)
Carlo
Inviato da iPhone
