The Commodore Vic-20, Part I

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Episode 73 of the Floppy Days Podcast, where modern computers are simply considered peripherals to the classic computers.  My name is Randy Kindig.  In the computer timeline, we’re still squarely in the year 1980.  In that year, a breakthrough computer, with a great keyboard, color graphics and sound was announced for under $300.  Of course, if you’ve been listening to the last few episodes of the podcast, you know that we’re talking about the Commodore Vic-20.  William Shatner said it best in the TV ads of the time: “The wonder computer of the 1980’s: The Commodore Vic-20”.  So far on Floppy Days, we’ve covered the history of the machine from the perspective of three different gentlemen: Brian Bagnall, historian; Neil Harris, member of the Vic Commando Team; and Michael Tomczyk, leader of that same Vic Commando Team and assistant to Jack Tramiel.  In this episode, friends and fellow podcasters Jeff Salzman and Todd George, help me go through tech specs, peripherals, books, magazines, emulators, Web sites, and more for this groundbreaking machine.  As there was a lot of material to cover, rather than making an extra-long episode, I’m breaking this topic up into 2 different shows.  So, I hope you enjoy part 1 of this episode about the Vic-20. 

Before we do that, I want to thank Brent Santin and Peter Cetinski for sharing their memories of the Vic-20.  Later in the episode Brent has some additional memories that he shares with us as well.

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Links Mentioned in the Show:

New Acquisitions

• ZX Spectrum - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum
• TRS-80 Quick Printer II - http://www.trs-80.org/trs-80-quick-printer/
• TRS-80 Assembler/Editor - https://books.google.com/books?id=VjAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34 

News

• ZX Spectrum BASIC Jam - https://itch.io/jam/zx-spectrum-basic-jam
• Upcoming Shows
• • Pacific Commodore Expo at the Living Computer Museum in Seattle on June 10-11 2017 - https://www.facebook.com/events/1171192169619276/
  • KFest - https://www.kansasfest.org/, Rockhurst University, Kansas City, MO, July 18th-23rd
  • Commodore Vegas Expo v13 - July 29-30, 2017, California Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex
  • Vintage Computer Festival West - August 5-6, 2017, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA - http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west-xi/
  • VCFMW - September 9-10, Elk Grove Village, IL - http://vcfmw.org/ , https://www.facebook.com/events/805945506224113/
  • Tandy Assembly - October 6-8, 2017 - Chillocothe, OH - http://www.tandyassembly.com/https://www.facebook.com/events/671911082972172/
  • Chicago TI International World’s Faire - October 15, Evanston, IL - http://www.chicagotiug.com/tiki-index.php?page=Faire
  • World of Commodore - first weekend in December - Toronto - http://www.tpug.ca/
• Indy-area Vintage Computer Get-together - https://www.facebook.com/events/418655208501577/

Feedback

• Mauricio Vives photos from VCF Southeast on Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/gp/mvives/N02Q99
• Computer Chronicles episode with the correct pronunciation of Tramiel - https://youtu.be/AMD2nF7meDI?t=262
• NY Times article on correct pronunciation of Tramiel - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/technology/jack-tramiel-a-pioneer-in-computers-dies-at-83.html
• ASVARO Electronics Flea Market - http://www.electronicsfleamarket.com/

Peripherals

• http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki/index.php?title=Peripherals