George Beckett
markgbeckett.bsky.social
George Beckett
@markgbeckett.bsky.social
I am an academic, computational scientist, and research-programme manager, working in high-performance computing, though often found tinkering with 1980s 8-bit micros.
#runthemonth 100-mile challenge for #ProstateCancerUK completed at the Vogrie Park Run with support from 21st Midlothian Scout Group. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
February 1, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Sadly I don't have a #ZX80, but I do own the next best thing, a @tynemouthsoftware.co.uk #Minstrel2. Happy birthday to the ZX80! #retrogaming
January 29, 2026 at 10:06 PM
One week and 15 miles to go to complete #runthemonth for #ProstateCancerUK. I wonder if my running shoes will ever be dry again, If you're able, please donate at runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/.../georges....
runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org
January 24, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Edinburgh buried in a dark rain cloud today, with a cold wind from North Sea, which made it all the more surprising that I really enjoyed my run today! #runthemonth runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 22, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Seventy miles down, 30 to go #runthemonth. We're on track to reach 100 miles by end of January though 30 miles in the next 10 days seems daunting. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 21, 2026 at 2:55 PM
#retrogaming fans: I am doing #runthemonth (runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...). In spirit of @sinclairresearch.bsky.social #TGIF, I will donate £5 for each retro message-of-support, created for a 1980s micro ( #ZX81, #VIC-20, #JupiterAce, ...) posted in January (capped at £100 GBP)
January 15, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Tough 12km around Newbattle Abbey this morning for #runthemonth. Not sure whether the mud or the ice was worse. At least there weren't too many climbs and descents ... Oh, wait a minute. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 11, 2026 at 12:23 PM
That's 30 miles down, 70 to go! #runthemonth. Today's run was a bit icy but I'm still in one piece. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 9, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by George Beckett
EPCC is hiring! We have the following vacancies:

Collaboration Manager for the UK AI Factory Antenna
Closes 14 Jan 2026
edin.ac/4oZHnuw

Applications Developers
Closes 14 Jan 2026
edin.ac/491r4HA

Applications Consultants
Closes 15 Jan 2026
edin.ac/4j0dXeq
January 9, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Lunchtime run around Arthur's Seat for #prostatecanceruk #runthemonth, though when I say "around", there is still a fair amount of climbing involved. Good to have the company of some work colleagues from @epcc.bsky.social. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 7, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by George Beckett
New blog post - a round up of the current range of modules and backplanes for the Minstrel Expansion Bus:
blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2026/01/mins...
Also a look at some of the things you can use them for on the Minstrel 2, Minstrel 3, ZX81 or TS1000.
January 4, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Cold but sunny 11km run around Dalkeith Palace and Newbattle Abbey for #runthemonth. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 3, 2026 at 11:38 AM
First leg of #runthemonth, enjoying some winter sunshine on a run along River Esk. Five miles down, 95 miles to do. runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/...
January 1, 2026 at 12:44 PM
I am Running The Month to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. If you see one of my runs give me a Like or, if you're able, make a donation at runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/.... #runthemonth #prostatecanceruk
I'm taking on Run the Month: Marathon Edition!
I'm raising money for Prostate Cancer UK by taking part in Run the Month: Marathon Edition in January.
runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org
January 1, 2026 at 11:21 AM
Making progress with my port of #PerilousSwamp to Tree Forth on #Minstrel4. #retrogaming
December 26, 2025 at 10:27 PM
If you need some more festive decorations for Christmas, why not power up your #JupiterAce/ #Minstrel4th and run AceSnow (inspired by Xsnow which adorned my Unix workstation in December for much of the 1990s). #retrogaming github.com/markgbeckett...
December 24, 2025 at 6:18 PM
For reasons I have not got to bottom of, Tree Forth's support for Timex Sinclair 2040 printer is broken (even though ZX Printer support seems correct). I have swapped out Tree #Forth kernel for Sinclair BASIC version and now works as expected. Testing here on #Minstrel4th. github.com/markgbeckett...
December 23, 2025 at 12:54 PM
With help of @robertprice.bsky.social , I've connected my Timex Sinclair 2040 printer to my @tynemouthsoftware.co.uk #Minstrel4th. ZX Printer was well-supported by #JupiterAce with lots of software, which I'll be exploring. www.robertprice.co.uk/robblog/usin... www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/sw_zxprinter...
December 19, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by George Beckett
New blog post - a new serial card for Minstrel 4th and RC2014 - blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/11/soft...
Yes, that's it. No UART, no ACIA, no DART, no SIO no microcontroller, no Raspberry Pi.
How did I do it?
November 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Reposted by George Beckett
Let's try something different. Let's make today "make me a reasonable offer Friday".

See something in my Tindie store, send me an email or a DM with a reasonable offer (please don't insult me) and where you are so I can include postage, and I'll see what I can do.

www.tindie.com/stores/tynem...
Tynemouth Software on Tindie
I write a blog about old computers, repairing them, upgrading them, replacing them. Read more at blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk
www.tindie.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:06 AM
#Somerville research cloud (host for much of Data Access Centre) has a new look, celebrationg @vrubinobs.bsky.social #FirstLook and the significant contributions of the famous Scottish mathematician and astronomer. Mary Fairfax Somerville. #capturethecosmos www.epcc.ed.ac.uk/whats-happen...
November 24, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Commentary of ZX81-Forth (Tree #Forth) disassembly is complete. I may add some more detail in due course but every routine has an explanation to help people understand it - github.com/markgbeckett... #retrogaming
November 23, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Reposted by George Beckett
New blog post - Converting a ZX81 BASIC game to run in Commodore BASIC on the VIC 20 (and the PET, C64 and TED)

blog.tynemouthsoftware.co.uk/2025/11/peri...

BASIC is quite a portable language, so let's see how easily it ports.
November 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Doing a bit more experimenting with ZX81 #Forth multitasking on #Minstrel4th. Combined several example programs from user manual to make a real-time clock. A must-have for a personal computer in 2025! #retrogaming
November 17, 2025 at 7:55 PM
@lsstuk.bsky.social and @vrubinobs.bsky.social need your help to train our computing systems to sort through the tens of millions of alerts we will detect every night during the Vera C. Rubin Observatory #LSST survey. www.zooniverse.org/projects/ebe... #capturethecosmos
Zooniverse
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www.zooniverse.org
November 14, 2025 at 9:59 AM