Welcome to Part 5 of the story of my story of computers. To read the previous parts click on the numbers : Part 1, 2, 3 or 4.

It was the early to mid-eighties. Computer geeks like myself were addicted to the new must have gadget, a home computer. I had plumped for a Dragon 32, but other people had bought other models (see Part 2).

Anyway, on this page I thought I'd tell you about the computer shows I visited in the eighties.

One of the times that people like me would leave the house (other than for school/college/visiting relatives), was when a computer show would visit town.

Around the early and mid-eighties, computer shows would tour the country and computer geeks would leave the comfort of there chairs to see the latest computer hardware/software/games available. The sellers would hope that they would part with there hard earned pocket money and buy the gadgets on offers.

It was like a char-a-banc (only without the booze) for those of us who loved all items home computer related. I used to walk around these events for hours and hours looking in awe at the products I wished I could afford.

Most of the games cost would cost between £2 and £10. The more unusual pieces of software would cost a little more (but never more than £20. £20 was a lot of money in those days).

Compare this to the £40 you have to pay for some computer games today. Mind you, the games do take a lot more time to write these days and the hardware has moved on at a rate that would put concorde to shame.

As the market grew and grew towards the mid-eighties, the size of the market for each individual make of computer outgrew the general computer shows.

For Dragon Users, there was the 6809 Colour Show for both the Tandy Coco and Dragon Users.

Held in the Royal Horticultural Halls in November, it was an annual event that was a must for all Dragon users that could get to it.

I think I visited it every year (with the family), and would spend ages deciding which games to buy. Microdeal, as you would expect, always had the best stand, and in its hey-day was the hardest stand to get to. People would flock around the games on show, while other people at the back wondered what all the fuss was about. It was like a bar in a busy pub at closing time.

For a few years, those people who couldn't make it to London would venture out to the John Penn Dragon shows held at Ossett town hall. As was always the case with these shows, I always persuaded my Dad to take me to the shows.

The article on the left, taken from Dragon User August 1986, gives a review of the show which took place on the 31 May of the same year. You can see the full size scan by clicking the picture (1mb).

Now the question at this point is do I admit something or not? Go on then, you've twisted my arm. Demm42 is actually in one of the photos shown. I'm not telling you which photo or where I am (and no amount of arm twisting will get me to reveal that information), but demm42 as he was in 1986 is in one of the pictures. (Don't you just hate looking at old pictures of yourself. It's just as bad as your mum getting out your baby photos when you bring your girlfriend around for tea).

Towards the mid to late eighties, as the Dragon market started to wane (more on this in a future part), it featured less and less at the shows. In fact it was a shame to see it go. The best years of the home computer were coming to an end.

Please check back in the coming months for part 6 of the story, where I'll take a look at the computer magazines I read during the eighties.

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