Commodore 64 Turns 25

The Commodore 64 home computer celebrated its 25th birthday at the Computer History Museum with several luminaries of the 8-bit computing era present. We take a peek at this popular pesky piece of silicon and plastic and try to get an idea of why the Commodore 64 was the best selling personal computer in history at 30 million units moved. GETV's Roving Retro Reporter Violet Blue puts the question to Jack Tramiel, founder and head of Commodore, as well as his son Leonard Tramiel. Violet gets a bit of insight from a couple of the C64's competitors, Steve Wozniak, creator of the first Apple computer, and Bill Lowe, known as the father of the IBM PC.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• getv
• commodore
• 64
• c64
• 8bit
• 25
• anniversary
• jack
• tramiel
• steve
• wozniak
• bill
• lowe

[9sunskungfu]

Of all C64 commercials,yous picked the aussie one,nice XD

[SaganAppreciationSoc]

Actually the Apple II series used the 6502 and the C64 used the 6510. Woz was FAILING until Chuck Peddle showed him where he was screwing up. Chuck Peddle was the guy behind the KIM and the Commodore PET. Woz is full of it- NTSC is not an impediment to sound. The Vic-20, C64 and Amiga were all NTSC and all had better sound than the Apple IIs. Woz just wasn't that good. He's also fibbing- the Apple/Beatles agreement didn't happen until years later!

[blade004]

"Pesky" piece of silicon? Silly comment.

[sprucepantherkmt]

such a lame first question this geek goth asked

[SarahKreuz31]

interesting video

[dvamateur]

Nah.... Woz is as humble as he's ever been. Steve Jobs has a big ego, I think. And even if Woz had a big ego, it would be completeley justified, because he was the real creator of the apple II. Jobs had an idea, yeah, whatever... Everybody has ideas. But only only very few people can actually implement their ideas, just like The Woz! Mr. Wozniak is the man, I think.

[Borin81]

woz is just one big piece of ego.

[snake2006]

The reason why is because it was made for the masses not the classes.

Commodore 64 forever. Hell I would still play mine if it hadn't got stolen. So all I am left with is a emulator.

[CoolDudeClem]

Ah, the good ol' days! I remember my old C64.

[yorick8080]

Decades before a machine could out-do the c64 in sound? Who is he kidding...