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t.dave peterson
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2022-08-26
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u
ME AND MY COMMODORE
by Dave Peterson
I became interested in computers
when the facilities office at Iowa
State University where I was working
received some HP computers in the
early 80s to help do design work. I
remember a lot of office discussions
about what home computer to buy...
Apple, IBM, Radio Shack, TI or
Commodore. I still had some private
home design projects left over from
when I was doing architectural work on
my own between jobs, so I was
interested mostly in speeding up
writing letters, contracts and
specifications.
I made a decision to invest in a
computer word processing system. I
believe the cost of Commodore 64s came
down to $200 sometime in 1983 and
Protecto Enterprizes began to offer
the "Super Word Processing System
Package 64" for $995 + $50 shipping.
This included a C64, 1541 disk drive,
green-screen monitor, Gemini 10X
printer + paper and Script 64 software
(to eventually become Pocket Writer).
I took out a loan and purchased this
system plus some other accessories and
software.
It came the Thursday afternoon
before Christmas in 1983. I can
remember I was so-o-o- excited! I had
recently installed a dedicated
electrical outlet and I set up the
system on a large card table. It
wasn't until the next day that I
realized I had forgotten to attend the
"big-bash" party my former employer
throws annually. Actually, I wasn't
too upset at all!
When I purchased the system from
Protecto, I had several conversations
with a guy named Alex both before and
after the sale. I ended up getting a
replacement 1541 and exchanging a
Cardco A printer interface for a
Cardco B that worked much better.
However, the first thing I returned
was the monitor because the Commodore
screen showed WAY too small on the
monitor to be useful for word
processing.
In exchange, I received $100 from
Protecto and I added $20 more to
purchase a Zenith green screen monitor
from the local Apple store. Having
heard stories about Apple folks not
liking Commodores, I decided to be
proactive. I walked casually into the
store with my 64 in it's box under my
arm and went straight to where the
monitors were.
Within a few minutes I had unboxed
the computer and power supply and
hooked up the monitor. As I was just
getting an image on the screen I heard
a "WHAT are you DOING" behind me. I
said something like, "Oh, just testing
before I buy the monitor." As I was
paying for the monitor, I overheard
the manager and the salespeople having
a heated discussion. I am sure that if
I had asked first, I would not have
been able to test the monitor before
purchase. They were afaid my Commodore
would hurt their monitor!
In 1986 I purchased a Sony 13"
color TV with monitor mode. The image
was so much better than a 1702. I also
joined Commodore Users Group Ames
Region (COUGAR) and stayed with and
helped lead the club until it folded
some 11 years later. Early on I helped
promote JiffyDOS and GEOS. I began
creating a 4 page club newsletter
using geoPublish in late 1987. Four
pages was all that would fit on a 1541
disk! In 1988 I purchased a used 128D
system and, except for HD hard drives
which I've had for only the last 5 or
6 years, I have purchased almost every
piece of hardware CMD produced as soon
as it was available.
Everyone in my family used the
Commodores until my oldest daughter
entered college in 1992 and we bought
her a Mac system because it was a Mac
campus. My wife began working for our
local school system which was also
Mac-based, so she purchased her first
iMac. At about the same time, in 1997
we purchased a PC system for my
youngest daughter's college work.
However, whenever she comes home, she
spends hours playing her favorite game
-- Jumpman! -- on the Commodore, of
course!
DP