Our Trusty Little Computers

by Val DeCot

Oh, no! Not another pep talk article about Commodore computers? Well, sorta.

It seems that when you speak to people about your C-64 or C-128, they sigh, and predictably answer,
"It didn't die?" No, it didn't die. The reason it didn't is that it is an excellent platform with a lot of room
for expansion. There is as much future in front of it as it has history behind it. The C-64 today, does
more, does it faster, handles more RAM, prints using the latest printer technology, and runs larger and
more sophisticated programs than Commodore's Research & Development team ever envisioned.
Many of us still remember when 256k or, God forbid, 512k of expanded memory made you the king of
Commodore hill!

As I type this, many of us die hard Commodore users are already running our C-64's and 128's at 20
mHz and with RAM capacities as high as 16 megabytes. Certainly that wasn't foreseen 10 years ago.
Soon we will have the capacity to increase our RAM another 16 MB through the use of Fast Page and
EDO 72 pin SIMMS and the rocket socket which will fit directly into the Super CPU.

What does the future hold for us and our favorite computers? Who's to really say at what speed they
will run and the amount of information they will process?

I guess the point I'm trying to make is this...Many of us purchased our computers in the 1980's when
Commodore was king. We were witness to the changes taking place in the late 1980's and early
1990's. We hung on and watched from the sidelines as Commodore slid into its corporate grave. A
strange thing then occurred, the little 8 bit computers lived on. I think that it would not be news if I
stated, we all know that our friendly, trusty, little ole C-64 and 128's are not cutting edge computer
technology today, but, keep in mind, we're closer than we were last year. I personally think our
machines will keep getting closer to the cutting edge. After all, these are probably some of the most
expandable computers ever sold to the public.

Our 64's and 128's send and receive FAX documents that can be saved, converted and/or printed. We
have point and click technology which is very near to being upgraded. It's the machine you stuck with,
the machine you know, and it's the easiest platform to learn on. We have not caught up to the big boys,
but we're getting a little closer and I think I can just see them off in the distance. From where I stand, I
think that it's only going to get better.

(From Input/Out, newsletter of the Arizona Commodore User Group, via the Commodore Information
Center, http://home.att.net/~rmestel/commodore.html)