Bill Cosby The Computer Dude

[gardnerbm]

I just played GTA 4 on it yesterday

[GWhiz99]

I was a middle school student in the rural South when Bill Cosby shilled for Texas Instruments TI-99 home computers in 1980s TV ads. Never athletic or romance love-machine material in school, I gravitated toward technology and longed for peers to share that interest. It wasn't sports. You couldn’t pay them! My first was not a Texas Instruments TI 99, but an Atari 800XL with a whopping 64 kilobytes of RAM—laughable by today's standards since wristwatches have more. Jersey Girl got a Commodore 64 

[GWhiz99]

I was a middle school student in the rural South when Bill Cosby shilled for Texas Instruments TI-99 home computer in 1980s TV ads. Never athletic or romance love-machine material in school, I gravitated toward technology and tried desperately to find peers to share that interest. You couldn’t pay them! Instead of a Texas Instruments TI-99, my first was an Atari 800XL with a whopping 64 kilobytes of RAM—laughable by today's standards since wristwatches have more. Jersey Girl got a Commodore 64

[big9nic]

It just doesn't get any more 80's than that!

[moneyline]

Shill Cosby strikes again.

[Lumotaku]

at the beggining of 1983 this was the best selling computer in one year commodore waged a price war that drove ti out of the computer business.

[Ibringthetruth1]

No assembler with this computer made it suck.

[freemanstrip]

I had that computer. I recall feeling ripped off when all I could do on it was play an awful looping alien spaceship game.

Learned Ti Basic and a version of Assembler to make a game I wouldn't play.

And then I quit it for the Commodore community.

Another of many hardware advances that went no where because everyone was trying to design in largely superficial proprietary functionality.

Intel 8080 and the Motorola chip used in the APPLE would be the only survivor.

[Ibringthetruth1]

@freemanstrip

yeah me too. 64 keyboard was junk also. No C or assemblers with these computers.

[BlazunRazun]

Wow! thats alot of catridges! It's the one!

[cant1rac]

when you think the commodore vic 20 had 5kb, the zx81 had 1kb, the atari 400 had 8kb,16kb wasnt to bad for a machine released 1981

off course every computer off that era was massively outclassed by the atari 800 (79) that had 48kb.

increased competion and falling component prices would see ram in most machines from mid 82 featuring 48kb to 64 kb as a base standard on release.

with thoughs with lower (bbc, dragon/tandy 32) failing in the market, with the new memory demands with the games market

[Lumotaku]

@cant1rac

the atari 400 had 16 k expandable to 48k

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku yes and most computers of the early machines of that era could be expanded the zx81 could and most people did.

a standard Atari 400 had 8 or 16 kb.

i wasnt talking about after market expanded machines, a bbc micro as well could be expanded.

also the extra expense of buying a machine and expanding its memory was pointless, because the software market revolved around the standard unexpanded machine.

how many games were sold that were zx spectrum 128k only ? i cant remember any

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku there was a point in expanding the atari 400 because it would give you an atari 800 which i belive was the more popular model.

but im from the uk and these didnt sell over here, i had a msx and i knew 4 people who had 1 as well, ive only ever met 1 person that actually had a atari 8 bit computer.

all 128 spectrum version had a 48k version, the 128 version really didnt offer much extra, sometimes in game music, less loading breaks but never any gain in graphics or the gameplay

[Lumotaku]

@cant1rac

I cant comment on anything in the Uk only the us market and in the us market the atari 400 came standard with 16k the 800 had 48k i have no experience with british computers other than timex sinclairs which were considered door stops over here.

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku they were extremely popular over here, think mainly because they were cheap.

and you had the worst fan boys ever for the spectrum.

really they looked and performed cheap, bad mainly monochromatic color with bad color clash, a little farting speaker for sound (no real sound chip at all on the zx 48k)

i had a msx then an amstrad and finished off with a cmd 64.

all extremly good capable computers.

i agree the sinclairs were better used as door stops..lol

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku i also bought a spectrum.

speccy fanboys claiming despite its limited graphics and sound the games were better.

hmm!!! what a lot of crap.

the games were slower, less fun to play and still had terrible graphics and sound, just more games than most other systems. and the build quality of the machines were awful as well.

returned 3 spectrum +2 that developed power connector problems, had 48k that over heated and caught fire because they were so small and no proper ventalation

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku heres a little fact for you the the 32kb extension used to take the standard zx from 16k to 48k were built using faulty memory the company got cheap, they used 8 64kilobit chips with only half of their capacity avilable.

really they were built from junk.

cheap

and performed like it.

really we got gripped in spectrum mania in the uk.

the american market was a little more intelligent and timex sinclairs i belive, never really penetrated the american market

[Lumotaku]

@cant1rac

The american market missed out on some great computers and games because of our different tv formats. The Timex sinclair over here was the cheapest compuer you could buy once the vic 20 and other computers came down in price it was pretty useless to most people although im sure it's users would disagree.

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku the vic 20 was released the same year as the zx 80 (1980).

the zx spectrum wasnt to be released until april 1982.

the vic 20 was heavily discounted before the august release of the commodore 64 in 1982.

really the vic was a better contendor on price and features at the time, i remember packs with music software and optional keyboards being sold off cheaper than a new zx spectrum.

really the memory difference wasnt as great as it would seam know, and wasnt a real issue

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku i think maybe more of a reason why few people in the uk bought a vic-20, was tramiel went to far with the discounted packages in the uk.

made it look as though it was off loading stock from a sinking ship.

and correctly that once commodore had off loaded its backload off vic-20 machines and the cmb64 released, any software

support for the machine would vanish.

speccy mainia is a british phenomenon, probably because its a british computer, even the russians prefered the msx

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku another major reason was far fewer people than today were tech savay.

they really didnt know what they were buying.

they just saw a cheap product from a british manufacturer, who had some favourable media coverage before.

and could quote favorable levels of system memory compared with most competitors.

i remember a sales man telling my dad an atari 800 was just an atari 2600 with a keyboard (completely untrue) but their was a heavily biased market in the uk toward spectrum

[cant1rac]

@Lumotaku this bias and my first computer being the far superiour and very rare in the uk msx, has lead me to examine as i got older, thoughs machines that never stood a fair chance in the uk market the msx, atari 8 bits the enterprise 128, the texas ti, and most are better machine than the zx spectrums that everyone had and that i eventually ended up owning to see what all the fuss was about. only to find that coming from a msx or cmb64 it really was a piece of cheap and nasty rubbish

[Lumotaku]

@cant1rac

Lol and then you will experience its usefulness as a door stop!

[samos280]

Wait when he say 16k does he mean 16kb, my god that's small

[tapedeckghost4]

Hmmmm I thought the only instrument in Texas a banjo.

[skmuzikjunkee]

Holly crap! Just think about what all you could do with 16k memory!

[JMoney4shoTV]

It's funny how advanced we've gotten over the years and to think back then that was high tech and state of the art.. Can't wait to see where computers will be in the next 25 years...

[spitfirelmd]

i wonder in 10 years.... omg... OMG ,...... the machines are revolting

[alwayson09]

16K! Oh god. So my iMac is 8GB RAM, 1024 Kb in a MB, 1024 MB in a GB, that is 524,288 times more memory. Holy CRAP!

[CynicalVision]

@alwayson09

Yup,and in another 20 years people will be going Holy Crap at your specs. :P

[infekkkkt]

im 23 and never heard about that freaking machine ... .

[gjc82071]

That's not surprising. My generation grew up with it (& Atari, Commodore, etc) 20-25 years from now, your kids will be asking you, "Dad, what the heck was a "PSP3/X-Box/Wii?". Then they might see some old commercials of them & say "How the heck do you play it? It doesn't even have a "mind link"! What's a "joystick"? Those graphics were so slow & primitive! Noting like our 2048bit, 5000ghz games. BTW dad, I need a new 10,000 terabyte flash drive for school. They're on sale for $10". :-P

[Membrane556]

@gjc82071

They might even remark they once made computers from sand and they did not use qubits?

[bountyhunter552]

@gjc82071 10PB Flashdrive? Probably.

[lazarusthehucast]

@gjc82071 Fail. you tried way too hard. Computers are semi-plateauing right now.

[gjc82071]

It was just a joke man. Chill out. And only the CPU speeds have kinda stagnated. Not the actual computing power. In 20-40 years, there will probably be some totally new type of computer. It will be as revolutionary as microchips were to vacuum tubes. They are actually working on something like that now, but I can't remember the name. Quantum, Quantitative, etc? I don't know, I  only read a small article 2 years ago. But it's a totally new/different approach to CPU's.

[lazarusthehucast]

@gjc82071 You tell me to chill out yet I'm very calm. Quit sounding so paranoid lol. Yeah I'd say in about 12 years there will be a somewhat new type of computer with a new architechture and all, but no I would not say it will be as revolutionary as microchips compared to vacuum tubes. That difference is about 5000x fold in difference, which makes me believe you werent joking in your post. Trust me it wont ever make that kind of jump again.

[gjc82071]

@lazarusthehucast Obviously I was grossly exaggerating in my initial PC speeds/power comment. Ever hear the saying: Everything is possible , the impossible just takes a little longer. There is really no way to know what the future has in store. At 1 time, the worlds greatest scientist were positive that the speed of sound could not be broken. Ancient astronomers were positive that the sun revolved around the earth, manned flight was impossible, etc. Never say "never". :-)

[cs512tr]

@gjc82071 so true.

just like from the movie back to the future "you have to use your hands to play" ...

[scaleop4]

@gjc82071 so very right .

[thewolfpackalpha]

this computer will give you the tastiest puddin pop you've ever tasted

[bryonlape]

An early (perhaps first) 16-bit home computer with a really crappy keyboard.

[dave4shmups]

Awesome! Was this for the TI-99/4A??

[mptrax]

C64 that ... is the ONE !

[MattTheSaiyan]

I'm sure it is a nice computer...but last time I checked, wasn't limited software support one of the major issues with it? Though the wide range of educational software for it was highly praised at the time (and that keyboard looks far more robust than my PC keyboard...)

[gjc82071]

@MattTheSaiyan There were quite a few games made for it. A fair number of arcade game ports. (Pacman, Donkey Kong, etc).

[computerkid1416]

16 K? My brain can't handle the awesomeness.

[RollOnToVictory]

hey, aren't you the guy who told us to all go out and buy New Coke?

[arhuxtable]

Ycan't be a kid without a Texas Instruments computer. LOL I still have my Christmas 1981 gift,a Speak and Spell. I love that male voice says "That is correct.,"That is right.","You are correct" and "You are right". LOL

[xiaochicash]

Want a computer with a lot of software? *ZAP* This is the one! XD

[fjccommish]

It had the Jello Pudding cartridge, the picture pages cartridge, the Fat Albert "HEY HEY HEY" cartridge, kids saying funny things, Theo get a job, bahdooo, hoddey, boo boo.

[heliscat]

Obsolete, inefficient, and outdated. Just like carburetors. 

[heliscat]

I see advertising hasn't changed much. It's still about "YOU NEED THIS"

[copraiders1]

The kids these days with their laptops and x box 360's don't get the blah blah blah......jello puddin' pops.

[nintendoatarikiller]

I have a Ti-99/4A sitting in my lap right now. No power adapter, one game in the slot and no screen. :(

[PaddyFitz215]

Yes, but does it come with jello? 

[summer20105707]

No offense to TI fans but this computer may have been good, but a lack of appropriate software ensured that it was not "the one".

[mrsparkle001]

16k, wow that was a different time huh?

In 20 years we will be looking back on these 4 gig machines the same way. "Remember when computers didn't interface directly with your brain? You'd have to carry them around or sit them on your desk"

[craigmatik]

@mrsparkle001 Lol are you kidding me I got 4 gigs in my stop watch! We're lookin at Terabytes now, however, in 20 years who knows what kind of gadgitry we'll have. It all serves the same purpose make us lazy, and preocupied...

[mrsparkle001]

@craigmatik 4 gigs ram I meant :) We will be seeing terabyte ram in the future though, it will just take a while.

[BrightBurner]

I must have it!

[Jessica1044]

good times

[DrHorrible13Medic]

1 person didn't get the one!

[kirin3x]

Tch...Forget Being a mac or Pc, I'm bout to be a TI

[BigDogJang0]

16k of memory? I could download a jpeg that's 16k!

[GuyEndore]

This or an IPAD?

[elgatoshadow]

@GuyEndore TI over IPAD!

[GuyEndore]

@elgatoshadow Absolutely!

[dmace81]

I think this is my computers great grandfather. lol.

[HikaruKaoru090]

Wait a second, let me replay this video again... I think my PC here needs to get a good look at his grandfather.

[deathfalk]

Plays two seconds of Halo.

[SkyfireTheFox]

What didn't Cosby pitch - Kodak, Jello Pudding Pops, etc.

[slickcross]

Saw this on the Jack Hall show. Funny as hell. Computer are gonna freaking take over the world one day.

[TheLegoTrio]

Not The Best Anymore... Haha... Windows 7!

[potsy5656]

Oh god know. I found this computer at a yard sale. It was awful.

[hailtothejedi]

I would love to find a place or site that sells vintage PCs and Macintoshes.

[AlexBurtonFilms]

ah the good old days.

[JASONFIED]

Who would of though that Bill Cosby would know just as much about home computers as he does about Jello pudding...lol.

[plr14]

ZIP ZOP ZOOBITY BOP!

[abernam]

@plr14 Oh, we're skiing now?

[Feedmadcat]

"The One" from my resolution looks like "The Game" on first glance. xD

[TheLoadingScreenz]

lolos "this is the one"

[bopkick5]

i would trade in my present computer anytime for a TI-994A.

[OBSysteme]

I like this little computer :)

[jchase1970]

@websuspect What are you talking about, computers back then couldn't even access 1meg of memory. This computer blew away pcs at the time, 16 colors compared to 4 3 channel sounds compared to beeps, near perfect arcade games to play. If only TI had not pulled the plug on the home computer division.

[websuspect]

@jchase1970 MSs pirated memory manager in DOS could handle between 320 and 640 K of memory which was close to 1 Meg.

[jchase1970]

@websuspect the original 8088 in the pc could access 640k of memory, but it was not possible to get that in the computer in 1981, the time of this ad. The pc had 5 expansion slots if you didn't have a disk drive and you didn't have a printer. typically you had 2 slots used leaving 3 slots. the pc had 64k and the memory expansion cards were 64k, so a useful pc would have a max of 256k. And those 64k cards at that time cost $599.

[jchase1970]

@jchase1970 The pc was a office computer the TI was a home computer it was against the atari 400 with 4k of memory the vic 20 with 8k the sinclair with 2k, so yeah when it was release 16k was a big deal.

[gamewizard]

@jchase1970

The Atari 400 came with 8 or 16k of memory and the Vic 20 came with 5k, but less than 4k was user accessible. The 400 was designed around 4k, but by the time it was released it was changed to 8k or 16k because RAM prices fell. Atari only ever manufactured 8k and 16k memory boards for the 400 and 800.

[luistigerfox]

@websuspect between 320 and 640k isn't really "close" to 1 meg.. not at that time. 1024k was an absurdly expensive amount of memory then.

[laurence265]

so I should throw away my 2010 computer and go back in time and get "The One" is neo inside?

[supertech88]

We got these pcs now that were considered supercomputers back then. Technology has really come a long way.

[luistigerfox]

@supertech88 hehe, actually our PCs are /way/ beyond what was considered a supercomputer back then. What we have now, was, at the time, inconceivable. It verges on physically impossible from peoples' perceptions back then. Computers 20 years from now may be equally advanced in comparison to these.

[catolog96]

LOL where DIDN'T u find this guy!

[armst012]

16k memory.. Thats alot of Pudding....

[Nadav34]

As a long time TI Fan, I still use my TI from time to time. I have a full blown system with everything.. 3 Myarc disk controllers, an HFDC hard drive controller card and tons of other goodies. Yep, its sitting alongside my mac pro.

[kdeez]

You could probably charge admission to see that!

[ATARI800XLfan]

Excellent system for its time. I have come across the opurtunity to get one with disk drives, Speech synth, expansion bay, expander to hold up to three carts at once, controllers, and games and some software and all the hookups for free plus there is nothing wrong with it, I am not to sure if I should get it though what is your opinion. I have a Atari 7800 but not computers from the good old days, would this be a good one to start with.

[OBSysteme]

@Nadav34 I only have the computer with none of the expanssions, looking forward to make more out of it someday.

[SRNF]

@Nadav34 i love how you mentioned your *mac pro* so people wouldn't feel sorry for you.

[BrotherDarky]

@SRNF I think it only made things worse.

[sentrytec]

No doubt Texas Instruments will always be the brand people will turn to when they need a computer.

[Car0den]

Respect your ancestors.

[yotsubakowai]

ZIP ZOP ZOBBITY BOP! USIN A COMPUTER!

[hypershadow250]

bedddeeerrrro!

this is the one

.....FO' PUDDIN" POPS!

[PwnzorBob]

Your child will stare at the monitor and ask, "What's for dessert." and you answer "Pudding Pop".

Suddenly, your child loves his computer.

[atari2602]

I'm sold. Hook me up, Cos.

[tennist0]

I had a "WOO" moment watching this vid on my 500gb, 4 gb RAM, HP, Vista computer...we've come a long way

[XuliusCaesar]

@tennist0 I wouldn't brag about having vista.

[tennist0]

@XuliusCaesar I would, it worked very well! But since then, I was offered a copy of 7 and decided to keep up with the times. RIP Vista, you were always good to me!

[XuliusCaesar]

@tennist0 I'm glad it worked out for you. Didn't work out for me though.

[Skrikles]

That IS the one

[jokerfrown]

LMAO 16k memory

[plyerv]

lol