The moment of truth has arrived for Enterprise, the longest-running soap opera never to be televised.

If you've been patiently saving up over the last fifteen months to buy an Enterprise 64 you may be able to snap one up before Christmas as the machines are now available in limited quantities.

As of this week, 3,000 of the £249 machines should be in some shops, with four software packages selling at £5.95 each. The packages are Dictator, Five In A Row, and two games packs.

In addition, Quicksilva has produced a games designer and a sprite editor to sell at about £7.

Mike Shirley, marketing manager of Enterprise Computer said: "The reason we've produced only 3,000 machines before Christmas is for quality control purposes. We want to make sure that the Enterprise is reliable and good.

"By mid-February 1985 we shall be going into full-scale production."

Through the long months of non-production, when the marketing manager's job must have been the cushiest in the UK, Enterprise has been making plans. In addition to the UK market, it intends to hit the European market in a big way.

In the light of its track record, these and other plans are hostages to fortune. Here, for the record, is the Enterprise development schedule:

• The company is now geared up to launch its 128K follow-up machine in two months time; this will sell for £330. In addition it has a number of add-ons in the pipeline.
• By February 1985 it will unveil a printer and monitor.
• In June it will have a RAM pack and a base unit - which is an interface to hook up a disk.