---
title: "A ZXmas Letter from Prison"
type: "article"
slug: "a-zxmas-letter-from-prison"
url: "http://localhost/article/a-zxmas-letter-from-prison/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/a-zxmas-letter-from-prison.md"
published_at: "2026-03-14T13:38:45+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-14T13:38:46+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "A Christmas letter from inmate Robert Dale Kelly (#12415) at Southern Desert Correctional Center, Nevada, describing his experience learning BASIC programming using the TS1500 and Technical Literacy Series donated by PUG. Background context provided by George Mockridge describing the multi-year prison computing support project, which has helped multiple inmates including Robert Rhodes and Ron Hummel."
category:
  - name: "Timelinez"
    slug: "timelinez"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/timelinez/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-1000/"
indiv:
  - name: "Robert Dale Kelly"
    slug: "robert-dale-kelly"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/robert-dale-kelly/"
publication_r:
  id: 21571
  title: "Timelinez"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/timelinez/"
authors_r:
  - name: "Robert Dale Kelly"
    slug: "robert-dale-kelly"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/robert-dale-kelly/"
volume: "4"
issue: "1"
issues_articles:
  - id: 38829
    title: "Timelinez v4 n1"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/timelinez-v4-n1/"
pages: "3"
pubdate: "January 1986"
archive_link: false
---

A Christmas letter from inmate Robert Dale Kelly (#12415) at Southern Desert Correctional Center, Nevada, describing his experience learning BASIC programming using the TS1500 and Technical Literacy Series donated by PUG. Background context provided by George Mockridge describing the multi-year prison computing support project, which has helped multiple inmates including Robert Rhodes and Ron Hummel.