The most popular computer, yet often forgotten. Why?
On the occasion of my upcoming book Too Much Fun: The Five Lives of the Commodor 64 Computer, I am writing The History of the Commodore 64 in Twelve Objects, posted weekly from November 1st, 2024:
Object #1: The Commodore 64 itself, known affectionately as the breadbox for its shape. Launched in 1982, following the Commodore company’s successful VIC-20 computer (1980). At 12,5 million units sold, the C64 was by far the best-selling home computer of the era, and it was also the platform with the most video games from 1985 to 1993 – 5,500 games are known.
But there is a mystery: there are both computer and video game histories that never mention the machine. My new book tries to find out why. I have tried to write the best book I could about the C64, but this was also my own first computer, and revisiting it has been thrilling and full of surprises.
The C64’s longevity went beyond any expectation – home computers were known to have a short life span, and already in 1983 Sierra game developer Ken Williams was spreading the rumor that production was about to cease, yet the machine was produced until 1994.
Strangely, none of its three central chips were originally designed for a computer. The 6510 (6502) CPU was originally planned for control systems, the SID sound chip was designed for synthesizers, and the VIC-II graphics chip was originally planned for video game devices. This became the C64, combining state-of-the art graphics and sound with strange flaws, such as a limited BASIC programming language and slow tape and disk drive.
Though Commodore never updated the machine functionally, users and developers fixed its flaws and kept finding new ways to use it. In the book, I call this the five lives of the machine. The European box shows the first life – a serious computer for work, studying, and the home, and for programming in BASIC.
More about Too Much Fun: The Five Lives of the Commodore 64 Computer here: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262549516/too-much-fun/
Next week: Object #2, 10 PRINT “HELLO”: GOTO 10
What are your memories of the Commodore 64?