Before the IBM PC changed the computer world forever, for many the pinnacle of personal computing was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and the BBC Micro. For gamers these computers defined the first screen generation. As an object of desire the ZX81 may not have won any design awards, but for many it was their first true computer.Anyone who would love a trip down 8-bit memory lane can take one thanks to a range of emulators that have been developing for several years. The rise of virtualisation has also heralded a new era of emulation with powerful desktop PCs from Apple and Windows offering platforms for the retro gamer to exploit.