computer science

Hobbit (computer)

Hobbit (computer) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hobbit (computer) rather than just read about it. In short: Hobbit (Russian: Хоббит) is a Soviet/Russian 8-bit home computer, based on the ZX Spectrum hardware architecture. Besides Sinclair BASIC it also featured CP/M, Forth or LOGO modes, with the Forth or LOGO operating environment residing in an on-board ROM chip.

Key takeaways

Hobbit (computer) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hobbit (computer) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hobbit (computer) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Hobbit (Russian: Хоббит) is a Soviet/Russian 8-bit home computer, based on the ZX Spectrum hardware architecture. Besides Sinclair BASIC it also featured CP/M, Forth or LOGO modes, with the Forth or LOGO operating environment residing in an on-board ROM chip.

Overview

Hobbit was invented by Dmitry Mikhailov (Russian: Дмитрий Михайлов) (all R&D) and Mikhail Osetinskii (Russian: Михаил Осетинский) (management) in Leningrad, Russia in the late 1980s. The original circuit layout was designed on a home-made computer (built in 1979 using ASMP of three KR580 chips – Soviet Intel 8080 clones), also created by Dmitry Mikhailov. The computer was manufactured by the joint venture InterCompex. Hobbit was marketed in the former Soviet Union as a low-cost personal computer solution for basic educational and office needs, in addition to its obvious use as a home computer. Schools would use it on the classrooms, interconnecting several machines and forming a 56K baud network. It was possible to use another Hobbit or a IBM PC compatible with a special Hobbit network adapter card by InterCompex as a master host on the network. The Hobbit was also briefly marketed in the U.K., targeted mainly at the existing ZX Spectrum fans wanting a more advanced computer compatible with the familiar architecture. It was mentioned on Your Sinclair September 1990 and January 1991 issues; Crash April 1992 issue, and on Sinclair User August and September 1992 issues, highlighting the available Forth language and CP/M operating system. Domestic models often did not include the TV output, the internal speaker or both. The AY8910 chip for the domestic models was sold separately as an external extension module, hanging off the same extension bus as the optional external disk drive. Another extension was the SME (Screen and Memory Extension) board. This featured 32 KB of cache memory, some of which could be dedicated to a video text buffer in CGA mode (only supported by drivers in the Forth or the CP/M environments; no known programs using the Sinclair-based BASIC mode used this feature). SME worked at astonishing speed – one machine code command made an output of an entire display line. SME was capable of rendering several dozens of windows per second, and its capabilities were fully utilized only in the Forth environment.

Technical details Source:

Z80A at 3.5 MHz 64K RAM Disk drives: external 2 × 5.25-inch drives (up to 4 connectable) or internal 3.5-inch drive Connections: joystick (2 × Sinclair, 1 × Kempston), Centronics, RS-232, audio in/out (for cassette recorder), system bus extension 74-key keyboard (33 keys freely programmable) Video output: Composite video TV out, EGA monitor Operating system: built in disassembler, CP/M clone called "Beta", system language switchable between English and Russian

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hobbit (computer)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hobbit (computer) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hobbit (computer) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hobbit (computer) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hobbit (computer)

In research: Hobbit (computer) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hobbit (computer) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hobbit (computer) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1990, Soviet Union–United Kingdom relations, Soviet computer systems, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hobbit (computer) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Hobbit (computer) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hobbit (computer) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hobbit (computer) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hobbit (computer) in simple terms?

Why does Hobbit (computer) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hobbit (computer)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hobbit (computer).