Why Two Enthusiasts Decided to Create a Digital Home for the Tatung Einstein
There is something magical about the early days of computing. For those of us who lived through it, the sound of a tape loading, the flicker of a monitor warming up, and the sense of wonder when a few lines of code produced something that felt like pure wizardry never really leaves you. For Adam Groome and Gavin Watson, that magic was encapsulated in one machine – the Tatung Einstein.
The Einstein was a British designed computer released in the mid 1980s. It was never the most famous machine of its time, yet it carved out a loyal following. With models like the TC01 and later the Einstein 256, it became a favourite among hobbyists, developers, and those who wanted a computer that felt both powerful and personal. Decades later, Adam and Gavin decided that the legacy of this often overlooked gem deserved more than to gather dust in collections or fade from memory. That is where TatungBytes.co.uk was born.
From Collector to Creator
Adam Groome is more than just a fan. He is a collector in the truest sense of the word, with an enormous collection of both TC01 and Einstein 256 hardware and software. His passion lies with the 256 model, a machine that represented the height of Tatung’s vision for the Einstein line. For Adam, collecting was never just about ownership, it was about preservation. Each disc, each manual, each box of software represented a piece of British computing history that should not be lost.
Gavin Watson’s story is a little different but equally passionate. Gavin’s first personal computer was the Tatung Einstein TC01. Growing up in the early 1980s, it opened his eyes to what technology could do. While he has always been an enthusiast, his focus has turned towards learning assembly language and creating something new for the Einstein. His dream has been to write a game for the platform, to contribute to the software legacy of the computer that gave him his start.
A Meeting of Minds
The story of TatungBytes begins in a very modern way, with a purchase. Gavin bought a rare TM01 monitor from Adam, a piece of kit not easy to come by. That simple transaction sparked a conversation, and it soon became clear that they shared the same vision. Their chat moved from nostalgia to ambition. They began discussing how modern tools, including the possibilities of artificial intelligence, could be used to speed up the process of porting games to the Einstein. From there, the idea of building a website took shape.
Building TatungBytes
The website became more than just an archive. Adam and Gavin imagined it as a living hub, a place where everything Einstein could be gathered and shared. TatungBytes.co.uk is designed to host guides on assembly language programming for the Einstein, disc images, resources, artwork, and blogs. It is a place where enthusiasts can contribute their own guides, articles, and tools.
Their ambition does not stop there. They plan to release software and development tools that will allow modern programmers to create new games and utilities for the Einstein. These tools will work alongside the guides hosted on the site, giving both new and experienced coders the opportunity to bring fresh life to a computer that many believed had had its day.
Preserving History, Inspiring the Future
At its heart, TatungBytes is about more than nostalgia. It is about preserving a piece of British computing history and at the same time inspiring a new generation. By introducing younger enthusiasts to assembly programming, Adam and Gavin hope to spark the same sense of discovery that they experienced. They know that the Einstein community is global, and the website provides a space for people from around the world to contribute, collaborate, and celebrate a computer that still has so much to give.
