[smackeyacky]

Wow that sounds very different to my experience back then. Nerdy kid trying to get time on a computer in a shop in Canberra - generally the sales dudes would chase you out of the shop. The "Computerland" store in Philip was the worst offender for that. The Microbee people were slightly better so I am pretty sure that's how we ended up with one (plus the Apple and Atari machines were insanely expensive back then, and the Commodores seemed like toys).

[oilbagz]

I think in this case, it was inevitable that the shop was going to be inundated with rich schoolkids from the neighborhood, and the sales guy as I remember him seemed to understand, intrinsically, that these computers were going to sell if the kids could convince their parents to buy it for them...

Not saying I didn't get chased out of the other computer shops of Perth in the 80's, but those are other tales of joyous mirth, for another time ..