#8-bit computing

8-Bit Home Computers at VCF Southwest 2025

Photo from Wikipedia - (By Evan-Amos - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17414881)

Commodore was one of those companies that were in the middle of the computer revolution. They were innovators in the industry, able to bring computers to the masses. They were the leaders in 8-bit computing. They controlled the home computer market through most of the 80's. That ended in the late 80's as the computer industry became more competitive.

The Brief History of Commodore's 8-Bit Computer Line (featuring their most notable models. 

Commodore launched in 1954 as an electronics company in 1954. They started out making calculators and other home and business electronics. In the 1970's and 80's they participated in the computer revolution. Commodore's first computer design was the KIM-1 designed for MOS Technologies in 1976.

In 1977 the first Commodore branded computer was the PET/CBM range of systems. PET stands for the Personal Electronic Transactor. The line formed the basis for all Commodore's 8-bit line of computers. This line of computers used the MOS Technologies 6502 microprocessor, and had up to 32K of RAM. The PET of computers used Basic 1.0 as it's operating system. Software for the PET came on cassette and disks. This First generation of the PET cost $795 US due to the integrated display.

In 1981 Commodore released the lower priced Vic-20. A successor to the PET. It ran the same MOS 6502 and has 5K of RAM (expandable to 32K like the first gen PET). Unlike the PET the VIC 20 connects to a regular TV which saved cost in manufacturing. Software for the Vic-20 came on cassettes, disks, and ROM cartridges. Cassettes and disks required external drives. This is another way Commodore saved money on manufacturing costs. The VIC-20 uses Command Kernel and Basic 2.0 for the Operating System. The introductory price of the Vic-20 was $299.95.

Between the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64  there was the release of the Commodore CBM-II. The CBM-II came in 2 models. The P-series sold as the home model , and used a MOS 6509, The B-series came with the Intel 8088 or the Zilog Z80. The B-Series came with an integrated display. Both the P and B series computers came with Microsoft Basic 4.0 pre-installed.

The Commodore MAX is another computer released before the 64. It runs on a MOS 6510, and 2KB of RAM. The MAX has a better graphics system than the VIC-20 due to it's .5KB of dedicated video memory. It also has better sound. The MAX has limited IO. It only has a cartridge slot for software cartridges. The MAX released in Japan in 1982 and discontinued in 1982. The Max is a failure, and that is likely due to the simultaneous release of the more powerful Commodore 64. The MAX cost $200.

The Commodore 64  released in January 1982. It is the successor of the VIC-20. It used the MOS 6510 and the MOS 8500, and has 64KB RAM and a 20KB ROM for the OS. It used the KERNEL, Basic 2.0 and GEOS (Gem OS, GUI based OS) operating systems. The Commodore 64 was a significant leap from the 6502-based VIC-20. With the extra processing power and memory, and it's sub $600 price it ruled the low-end computer market in the 80's. Part of the success of the 64 comes from it's availability at local department stores like Sears. It made the 64 accessible to the masses. The Commodore 64 was also released in an educational model titled the Educator 64. It shipped with a display and the open source Otiki OS, and Microsoft Basic 2.0. The Commodore 64 was also released as a portable computer as the Commodore SX-64. It released as a portable suitcase computer with a built in Floppy Disk drive. The Commodore 64 sold from 1982 through 1994. There were some minor releases like the Commodore 64 game system. The Commodore 64 can use the software from the VIC-20 and the MAX. It can run software on cassettes, cartridges, and floppy disks.

The Commodore 16 was an entry level computer designed to replace the VIC-20. It was released in 1984 for around $80. The Commodore 116 is identical to the Commodore 16 made for the European market. These computers use the MOS 7501 (compatible with the 5602). These computers come with 16KB RAM and 32KB ROM. These computers come with Commodore basic 3.5 as the OS. These computers can use software on cassette and cartridges. The Commodore Plus 4 is an upgraded version of the Commodore 16. It has an upgraded 64KB RAM and 64KB ROM. It sold for $299 marketed at business users. The key feature of the Plus 4 is that it came preinstalled with an office suite.

The Commodore 128 is the last 8-bit computer made by Commodore. It was released in 1985 running the MOS 8502 with 128KB of RAM. The second version of the 128 also had a Zilog Z80 microprocessor. This allowed it to run the 64's software. The 128 is expandable to 640KB RAM with upgrades. It runs Commodore Basic 7.0 and Digital Research CP/M 3.0 operating system. The Commodore 128 is the successor to the Commodore 64 and VIC-20. The 128 can run cassettes, cartridges, and floppy disks.

In 1985 Commodore also released the Amiga computer system. Although the Amiga is not an 8-bit computer it is important system in computing history. The Amiga, like the Macintosh, uses a graphical user interface (GUI) and a mouse to navigate the system. The computer also had advanced video and audio processors. For media purposes it was more capable than the Mac for video editing and audio production. Post production of many television shows in the 90's were processed on the Amiga. The Amiga was also the beginning of the end for Commodore. Poor management, engineering problems, and competition from competitors put pressure on Commodore. With that came internal strife in the upper management and engineering teams. Commodore lost its market share and went bankrupt in 1994. The Amiga technology, sold to other manufacturers, never made a comeback. The Commodore name did make a comeback in 2010 as Commodore USA. They sold Intel PCs in classic Commodore computer cases like the Commodore 64. It ran Microsoft Windows and emulated the Commodore 64. They licensed the Amiga name and the AROS (the current version of the Amiga OS) in 2012, but they went bankrupt in 2013.

My experience with the Commodore VIC-20

My experience with the VIC-20 came from my Uncle. My Uncle loaned my family his computer to use during his move to another state in 1982. It was my family's first experience with a computer. I was 6 at the time and I remember having to load all the software using cassette tapes and cartridges. I started to learn about computer programming  at that time. Adding abilities to the computer meant writing programs and entering programs from books. After using the VIC-20 for about a year we boxed it up and shipped it back to my Uncle.

My Experience with the Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 was also provided by my Uncle. We got it in 1983 for Christmas. For the most part it felt like the VIC-20. Unlike the VIC-20 we had access to software because of its availability at local Sears stores. At the time there were magazines available with shareware disks and programming examples. There were also hundreds of books available at the local library. We used the 64 until January 1986 when we replaced all our older computers with an Apple-IIGS.

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