The Story

In the 80s, the world was happily typing away on their Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum computers. However, not everybody had access to these wonders of technology. In Yugoslavia, people weren’t allowed and couldn’t afford to have a computer in their home, so they had to improvise. This campaign is a story about the origins of the Balkans computer scene and Yugoslavia’s very own personal computer.

The Documentary: The Computer that Refused to Die

Just as the Yugoslav IT scene started developing and thousands of people got a (BASIC) computer literacy, all progress was stopped by the wars in the 90s. In times of turmoil, priorities change, education and fun get displaced by existential worries and so a thick layer of dust formed over the Galaksija project.

Time passes and, in 2023, we will witness the 40th anniversary of a project which once inspired a whole generation. A lot has happened since then and there is a lot to be told and a lot to be shown.

We want to piece together the complete story, interview all key people, and preserve this part of the history for future generations. For this, we need your help. The pledges available during this campaign offer you a way to get involved with the history and the future of Galaksija. Please help us tell the story of the computer’s development by supporting the new kit version that we’re creating.

Shooting Locations

Galaksija has its origins in the former Yugoslavia and quite a few people had a role in bringing this computer to the masses. To get the complete picture, we will shoot a video in multiple countries: Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, in scenic locations such as Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zagreb, Split, Ljubljana, Maribor, and Risan.

Video Technical Details

• Runtime: to be determined
• Resolution: UHD 3840 × 2160 25p
• Equipment: Sony a7s II + Atomos Ninja Inferno

You can check out the full working trailer here:

Galaksija Kits

As a part of this project, we would like to bring the experience of soldering a Galaksija kit computer to more people. So we are producing a new Galaksija - in kit form. Compared to the original, these kits are still based on through-hole parts, still have a Z80 processor, the same memory and 74 series logic. Unfortunately, we couldn’t source the original keyboard switches and keycaps, so, the new Galaksija kits will feature Gateron switches instead. Galaksija Kits sold through this campaign will also aid in the production of the documentary.

Each Galaksija Kit includes a power adapter, an AV cable, and all the parts you need to get up and running. This Kit does require assembly and soldering, there are no pre-populated parts.

Original Galaksija PCB

New Galaksija Kit PCB

As noted, the new Galaksija kits will have the same specifications as the original (excluding the key-switches).

Features & Specifications

• Processor: ZiLOG Z80A, running at 3.072 MHz
• ROM: 4 kB (2732 EPROM) - contains the OS and BASIC interpreter
• Character ROM: 2 kB (2716 EPROM) - contains character definition
• RAM: 6116 static RAM (up to 6 kB)
• Display: 32 × 16 character or 64 x 48 dots, black and white
• Sound: None, 3.5 mm jack is used to load and save programs

Galaksija During the 1980s

How did Galaksija compare to other computers of the 80s?

Documentation & Resources

We will have a website up and running by the time kits arrive to backers. The website will contain assembly instructions, and programs and games for backers to download. A website is already set up, but currently it’s only in Serbian and contains only information about the documentary. We’ll let everyone know when the website has more relevant information!

Fulfillment & Logistics

Once the campaign is over, we will immediately proceed to procure parts for the new Galaksija kits. All critical parts will be tested and kits assembled in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Currently, our plan is that all Galaksija Kits will be shipped from Serbia to the Crowd Supply warehouse for final distribution to backers.

Risks & Challenges

Most of the video material is ready, however, some scenes still need to be shot. For this, we need to travel to different parts of former Yugoslavia and interview some key people.

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, our video production plans for 2020 are postponed. We estimate that we will resume filming starting in 2021, and that the documentary will premiere in September 2021, on BalCCon2k21 conference.