News - Jack Tramiel, founder of Commodore, dies aged 83

[HEXUS]

Computer industry pioneer who brought us the C64.

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[Smudger]

Quite sad. Just a shame the Amiga didn't take off like it should have...*

* Of course I now know that Tramiel went off to Atari before the Amiga came out...

[Ferral]

This man alongside Sinclair is a legend to home computing. His legacy lives on today and will for years to come.

[rabbid]

yeap the spectrum, c64, amiga and st brought home computing & gaming to the masses

[mikerr]

yeap the spectrum, c64, amiga and st brought home computing & gaming to the masses

"We need to build computers for the masses, not the classes." - Jack Tramiel

[HSK]

RIP!

I'll always have fond memories of My +4 and Amiga.

[Brewster0101]

yeap the spectrum, c64, amiga and st brought home computing & gaming to the masses

Not sure the Atari ST was a running success, it was not that popular..

[crossy]

yeap the spectrum, c64, amiga and st brought home computing & gaming to the masses

Swap that Spectrum for a combo of a ZX81 and a VIC-20 and you've pretty much got a summary of my computing experience up to the point I spent an exorbitant amount on a 486/DX PC (with Windows 3.1)

"We need to build computers for the masses, not the classes." - Jack Tramiel

So true - and looking at OPC, RaspberryPi, etc - perhaps he should be regarded as a visionary. Personally speaking he did 1000x more for my computer career than Steve Jobs and co ever did.

And I've still got a VIC-20 and an Amiga A1500 in my loft! Just wish there was someway to connect the former to my current computer monitor - be a great thing to show the kids what I had to use when I was their age.

[mikerr]

And I've still got a VIC-20 and an Amiga A1500 in my loft! Just wish there was someway to connect the former to my current computer monitor - be a great thing to show the kids what I had to use when I was their age.

I use a winTV usb stick to do that amongst other things.

[crossy]

(VIC-20 on a monitor) I use a winTV usb stick to do that amongst other things.

Good thought - especially as I've got a couple of these lying around - useless since the digital switch-over.

Unfortunately, got the usual VIC-20 problem - dicky modulator - last time I tried it, the top 1/3 of the picture was displaced. Heck, it is nearly 30 years old! Think I might raid eBay and try one of those To-SCART convertors.

[pauleden]

RIP Jack. Thank you for your work.

[KeyboardDemon]

Some of my earliest memories computing memories are of the days I spent playing with my Vic 20 and after that my Commodore 64. This is really sad news, and my thoughts are with his family.

May he Rest in Peace.

[Jimbo75]

Not sure the Atari ST was a running success, it was not that popular..

The ST was a very popular machine. A lot was made about the Amiga having better graphics but it was never really seen due to most Amiga games being ST ports. They were basically identical gaming machines. The ST was also a superior music platform due to the MIDI interface and it gained a lot of traction because of that.

I had both - both great machines without a doubt. I remember the days when ST and Amiga gamers used to laugh at PC gamers EGA graphics. Even VGA and SVGA couldn't quite compete.

[MaddAussie]

RIP Jack

Thanks to Jack I'm working in a job I love.

[Mutley]

RIP.

I started out with my Dad's ZX-81 programming Basic, then moved to a Vic-20 (class machine that).

Next was a Commodore 64, which I absolutely loved. Had Commodore monitor for it, the Commodore dot matrix (8 pin mind) printer, 5.25" floppy disk drive... And 'The Final Cartride II' - anybody else have one of those?

Had endless arguments with friends who had either BBC Micros or Spectrums - the early fanboi days.

Then got an Atari ST-FM, then an Amiga. Good times.

[crossy]

I started out with my Dad's ZX-81 programming Basic, then moved to a Vic-20 (class machine that). Next was a Commodore 64, which I absolutely loved. Had ... 5.25" floppy disk drive... Then got an Atari ST-FM, then an Amiga. Good times.

Wow - that's machine-for-machine my route too!

ZX-81 (and sellotaped RAM pack), VIC-20 (plus one of those switchable multi-cart boards out the back), C64 (plus disk unit - what a revelation after endless cassette tapes), Atari 1040ST (moved onto an external HDD by then - real "pro" computing, Amiga 1500, (internal HDD plus a ROM switcher). Still got the VIC and Amiga in my loft - I really must get around to dusting 'em off and seeing if either still works.