by Jim Brain (j.brain@ieee.org)
Sometimes, it's important to look back and see how far we've come. The following story comes to mind:
A young boy sits in the living room and flips earnestly through a Montgomery Wards catalog looking for some item. The year is 1983. At last he finds the item and presents the book to his father, who is reading a periodical in his easy chair. "Dad," the boy begins, "I want to buy one of these with my savings." The father, startled upon hearing of such a prospective purchase, looks up and reaches for the catalog. "What is it you want to buy?" he asks. "That video game on the top of the page is what I want," the boy explains. The father looks at the pertinent page and notices a glossy picture of an Atari VCS2600 console system, complete with options. Frowning, the father raises his head and look in the boy's eyes. "Son," he starts, "I am not going to let you buy one of these video game systems. All they are good for is playing games, and that's too much money to spend to buy a game." The boy protests, stating that "all his friends" own one and that it the "thing" to own today. The father, known for being stubborn, refuses to budge on the issues, but concludes the exchange by handing the catalog back and saying, "If you want to buy a machine that plays games, buy one of those new computer systems. That way, you can play games with it and also use it for other things when the games get old and boring." The boy takes back the book and sulks for a while as he flips through the pages. As the hurt wears off, he notices a section near the video console page that shows off those new computer systems his Dad referred to. At first, the kid's eye is drawn to the shiny silver Texas Instruments TI-99/4 computer system pictured in the catalog. He is about to jump up and again hand the catalog to his Dad when he realizes the "new-fangled" item is priced at $322.00. His heart sinks, for his savings account only holds a bit over $250.00 and the machine looked so impressive. So, beaten again, the young boy flips the page and resigns himself to never owning anything "cool". However, the next page pictures a different computer system and a quick check confirms the price is within budget: $233.00. The computer isn't as impressive looking as the TI, but the boy will not be without a "video game", and this fits the bill.
Needless to say, the computer was a Commodore VIC-20, and the boy bought a few games for the unit, including a Space Invaders clone and a Pac-Man clone. As the father predicted, the boy lost interest in the unit after a while and packed the system away. However, as the boy entered 7th grade, he again pulled the unit out when he learned that one of his classrooms was equipped with Commodore VIC machines. His interest in computers as tools started there and grew with the years.
As I finish my first year of editorship of Commodore Hacking, I am looking back at the events that have occurred in the last year and those that have occurred over the years since I first learned about Commodore computers. Commodore owners have come from 3.5kB and 22 by 23 screens with the VIC-20 to CBM machines with features like multiple megabytes of RAM, 33.6 kbps FaxModems, gigabyte hard drives, 8-20 MHz operation, and a host of other options. No, I don't think Commodore computers can solve all the world's problems. However, they and their owners should be commended on their loyalty and dedication to the market and to the advances that have kept the machines out of closets and dumpsters. While I won't doubt that there are more IBM PC clones in the world today, I wonder how many PC units are resting under tons of refuse in the city dump.
Here at Hacking Headquarters, I am impressded by what we have accomplished with the publication, but I have already outlined improvements that can be made and things I didn't quite get implemented this past year. As always, your letters and comments are always appreciated. The publication depends on reader feedback to ensure that covers subjects of interest to the Commodore enthusiast. Of course, some things, like the technical focus of Commodore Hacking, define the magazine and its place among the various Commodore publications. However, even that can be continually improved. So, as you look back on the past year of Commodore usage, take a look at our progress or lack thereof and send us a note, if only to tell us to change nothing. Remember, we can't increase the publication's usefulness to you if we don't know where it currently falls short.
As for the boy in the above story, I think he's come a long way since that fateful day in 1983. He no longer thinks TI's look better than CBM's. In fact, I think he has earned an impressive reputation as a Commodore advocate. Then again, I might be a bit biased, so you be the judge. The boy in the story was a youngster named Jimmy. Jimmy Brain.
Enjoy YOUR magazine,
Jim Brain (j.brain@ieee.org)
editor
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1997-03-31 by Jim Brain