Atom, Proton and now Electron. From the beginning there has been a consistency and individuality in Acorn's hardware, software and styling. The Proton of course became the BBC Microcomputer. The series now continues with the launch of Acorn's 'home' computer, a stylish machine, an excellent package but inevitably some compromises. The Electron is packed with BBC-based facilities, e.g. BBC BASIC, Assembler, Modes 0-6 and sound. There are also many differences and some disappointments.

The Electron is an exciting micro. There is a lot of performance packed into the tough cream plastic shell - at least that is what the adverts say and it is what we would expect from the BBC stable. The size feels right, about the length and breadth of a BBC keyboard. We are told that the casing has withstood the rigours of the British Aerospace testing laboratories.

The mains transformer comes separately as part of the mains plug. It is quite a weighty object but appears not to put any strain on the wall socket and sits comfortably beside other plugs on a double socket. The power supply lead is sensibly long enough to reach a desktop or table. The Electron manages without an on/off switch.

The UHF connection and cassette DIN plug are likely to be the most frequently used connections but there are also VIDEO (for monochrome monitor) and RGB (for colour monitor) outputs.

The underside of the computer reveals an edge connector - sensibly protected with a polthene cover and some threaded mouldings which will take the strain of future Acorn add-ons. The credits state: "Designed in Great Britain" but "Constructed in Malaysia".

Taking off the lid reveals a beautifully laid out board with the outstanding feature the flat pack ULA, which has been custom designed by Acorn to carry out many of the functions of the Electron.

The total Electron package which retails at £199 consists of the computer hardware, an excellent manual, Welcome cassette and introductory book entitled "Start Programming With The Electron" by Masoud Yazdani. Newcomes to computing will find the manual helpful as they proceed but might well benefit from carefully going through the "Start Programming" book which introduces procedures and structured programming from the very beginning. The book introduces all the main interest areas including sound and graphics and does so in a very helpful manner with exercises, summary charts and examples. Turtle graphics are also utilised to demonstrate some of the programming capabilities of the Electron. There are cassette versions of the longer programs included on the Welcome tape.

The new owner of the Electron is also going to be interested in seeing immediately what the Electron can do. The Welcome tape fulfills this purpose.

The programs ideas are lifted from the BBC Welcome tape but adapted to show off the Electron. The Keyboard demonstration reveals the slightly different positioning of some keys, like the square brackets on the COPY key which itself has moved up beneath the BREAK key (so watch out). There are all differences from the BBC keyboard and will not affect newcomers. They will presumably take to the single key entry of BASIC keywords immediately while seasoned BBC typists naturally opt for the full word or abbreviated input - both of which are still catered for. Single key entry remains a big plus on the Electron, especially since both RUN and OLD also include a carriage return for instant action.

The sound capabilities of the Electron are excellent when compared with most other machines although they fall well short of the BBC's. Only one sound channel can be used at any one time but the noise channel remains for games' enhancement. The Welcome tape has a simple demonstration of a keyboard instrument accompanied by the appropriate notes displayed on the screen.

The Electron makes do with six of the seven modes which the BBC possesses. Mode 7, the teletext mode, is missing and software incorporating Mode 7 is treated as though it were Mode 6. This can lead to some amusing displays of control characters and lines of text printed twice as the Electron interprets the Mode 7 commands literally.

Hardware compromises mean that the high resolution modes 0, 1 and 2 perform graphics drawing functions considerably slower than the BBC. Compared with other machines (including the Commodore 64) the speed is acceptable and the colour and resolution far superior. The excellent software control of BBC BASIC remains, and there are commands for sideways and righthand fill. The Welcome tape has a neat drawing utility which fully exploits all these points. The high resolution graphics are also demonstrated with two programs that build up pictures of an island, complete with swaying palms and some planets whose motion is brilliantly simulated.

Of course, some things have gone missing from the Electron when compared with the BBC. These include the analogue input, user port, printer interface, disc interface, Tube and serial interface port. Acorn however have plans to provide add-ons for most if not all of this hardware in the near future. Certainly the BBC BASIC commands remain (ADVAL returns a value, for instance) and the operating system calls are all documented for these future additions.

At the Acorn User Show back in August there was must testing going on in the first three graphics modes. Everyone had their own favourite routine learned off by heart to try out the newcomer. Despite the noticeable slowing down (compared with the BBC), everyone seemed happy that the little machine could perform in this class at all. Those who use the BBC microcomputer in school will naturally take to the Electron at home and this gives the new Acorn computer an edge over its rivals in the 'home' computer market.

The advanced BASIC, so positively stressed in the accompanying package and the instant availability of some excellent software make the Electron very attractive to the computer novice. Those who already own computers could well look to the Electron as a passport to more advanced performance and to the use of peripherals like disc and printer which the Electron will eventually support.