What does ZX mean?

[Mpk]

I imagine this has come up before, so apologies if I'm repeating a stupid question, but what is the significance of the ZX in ZX80, ZX81, ZX Spectrum ?

Is it just the 2 coolest letters?

[Mad Fritz]

https:/en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX80

[Seven.FFF]

Z80 as in Zilog’s CPU, with X added for the unknown eXciting factor. I read this on an ex-Sinclair Radionics and Science of Cambridge engineer’s history/reminiscence website the other day.

[Mpk]

Cool, thanks. I can sleep tonight.

[Lee Bee]

Given how cumbersome it is to have to type "ZX Spectrum" into search engines, I kind of wish the computer had simpler, snappier name. Something like Zextrum.

[1024MAK]

But the “Spectrum” bit is there to tell you that it’s a multicolour computer…

Mark

[Juan F. Ramirez]

Then, Citröen took over the idea...

[Journeyman]

Given how cumbersome it is to have to type "ZX Spectrum" into search engines, I kind of wish the computer had simpler, snappier name. Something like Zextrum.

People generally referred to it as the Spectrum without the ZX, of course, but often I'd hear people refer to it as the "Spectrum ZX", and it always filled me with rage whenever it happened.

[8BitSC]

People generally referred to it as the Spectrum without the ZX, of course, but often I'd hear people refer to it as the "Spectrum ZX", and it always filled me with rage whenever it happened.

We should all visit the Lemon64 forums and start posting questions about the 64 Commodore!

[Mpk]

Given how cumbersome it is to have to type "ZX Spectrum" into search engines, I kind of wish the computer had simpler, snappier name. Something like Zextrum.

Sexdrum !
What time does the patent office open?

often I'd hear people refer to it as the "Spectrum ZX", and it always filled me with rage whenever it happened.

There's a guy on a podcast that constantly calls it 'The ZX' and it sets my teeth on edge.

[+3code]

Given how cumbersome it is to have to type "ZX Spectrum" into search engines...

WHAAAT?! Heretic! Where are the torches!? Igor, come here whith the ropes!!

[Jbizzel]

ZX Crumpets

Who knew crumpets is an anagram of spectrum.

[Timmy]

Given how cumbersome it is to have to type "ZX Spectrum" into search engines, I kind of wish the computer had simpler, snappier name. Something like Zextrum.

Well, I think the problem usually is that if you use any simple, sensible name, you would not find it using any search engine until page 15 of the search results. Especially with older stuff.

Imagine your computer was called the Dragon, or the BBC, or Bing, or just Spectrum.

I guess the name is just unique enough now to be easily search for in a search engine.

[ZXDunny]

There was an intern working at Sinclair, kind of a work experience kind of deal, and Clive said to the guy "We need a name that gets us to the top in any list, you know like how Google chose a name that would appear at the start of an alphabetical list of websites" - but the poor sod didn't know anything about computers (because Clive had not done the deed yet), much less his student copy of MS Office, and got his sorting direction reversed.

hence, "ZX" appeared at the top of his sorted list of names in Word97 and the rest, as they say, is history.

[Mpk]

hence, "ZX" appeared at the top of his sorted list of names

Same thing happened to your parents, I believe.

[Nitrowing]

People generally referred to it as the Spectrum without the ZX, of course, but often I'd hear people refer to it as the "Spectrum ZX", and it always filled me with rage whenever it happened.

As an owner of a pair of Reliants, watch my eye twitch when people talk about "Robin Reliant"

[Vampyre]

ZX Crumpets

Who knew crumpets is an anagram of spectrum.

I remember a few years back on the WoS forums the surprise from a lot of users, me included, when told that the user "murtceps" is Spectrum spelt backwards.

[Morkin]

I remember a few years back on the WoS forums the surprise from a lot of users, me included, when told that the user "murtceps" is Spectrum spelt backwards.

I twigged quite early on this one, as Sorcerer's Castle (1983) was one of my guilty pleasures. The sorcerer is called Murtceps in that.

IIRC at one point on WoS a new user appeared with the username 'Spectrum' - everyone was astounded that after multiple years on the site and thousands of members, nobody had picked it

[Timmy]

Also, did you know that Google ZX (yes, that's a real thing, use a search engine like DDG to search for it), was based on the ZX?

[flange]

As an owner of a pair of Reliants, watch my eye twitch when people talk about "Robin Reliant"

As a fellow tripod lover thank god it's not just me who thinks this, and don't get me started on lazy journalists who refer to Del boys van as a Robin Reliant.

It's a fecking Reliant Regal Supervan three!

[bluespikey]

Sexdrum !
What time does the patent office open?

There's a guy on a podcast that constantly calls it 'The ZX' and it sets my teeth on edge.

Or when I'm delighted to see that an American electronics youtube channel has a new episode talking about the Spectrum, but then refer to it throughout as 'The Zee-Ex'. Oh that burns.

[Nitrowing]

As a fellow tripod lover thank god it's not just me who thinks this, and don't get me started on lazy journalists who refer to Del boys van as a Robin Reliant.

It's a fecking Reliant Regal Supervan three!

Considering what I actually own are Kittens, yeah, my eye twitches