What do all those weird symbols on the Commodore 64 mean?

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Commodore64.jpg

 

I'm presuming that this is a standard Commodore 64. Now, I've never owned, used, or even seen (in person) a Commodore 64 in my life. That being said, what do all those weird square shapes on the fronts of the keys mean?

[Mirage]

Those are alternate characters that you can type instead of letters etc. Useful to use as stock graphics in simple (or not so simple) games, menus, and whatnot. You see them all the time in C64 software. Other Commodores had them as did some other computers.

[VectorGamer]

I thought they were to be used by lifeguards to communicate with one another?

[Cebus Capucinis]

I thought they were to be used by lifeguards to communicate with one another?

 

That's right! It's the SUPER RARE "Semaphore" language mod! Hurry! BUY NOW

[JamesD]

They are PET ASCII graphics characters from the Commodore pet.

But that's not actually where they originally come from.

They are actually hieroglyphic characters from the alien spacecraft that crashed a Roswell.

One of the original designers was an alien trying to create a machine to phone home.

I know some of you thought that C64 owners were aliens... well... some of them were!

[VectorGamer]

They are PET ASCII graphics characters from the Commodore pet.

But that's not actually where they originally come from.

They are actually hieroglyphic characters from the alien spacecraft that crashed a Roswell.

One of the original designers was an alien trying to create a machine to phone home.

I know some of you thought that C64 owners were aliens... well... some of them were!

 

Makes sense to me...

[desiv]

Now, I've never owned, used, or even seen (in person) a Commodore 64 in my life.

 

They are.. wait.. what???

 

or even seen (in person) a Commodore 64 in my life.

 

What? Is that possible? I am getting old....

 

 

desiv

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

Now, I've never owned, used, or even seen (in person) a Commodore 64 in my life.

 

They are.. wait.. what???

 

or even seen (in person) a Commodore 64 in my life.

 

What? Is that possible? I am getting old....

 

 

desiv

 

The only computers I ever been around in my elementary school days (1985-92) are:

 

TI-994A (in both my third grade classrooms; I moved to a new school later that year)

Apple IIc (computer lab we had in 4th-5th grade; we had Oregon Trail, Spellevator, and some math games)

 

I didn't even get my first video game console (NES) until my 10th birthday in 1990. Well, there was one other I had in the mid-80s yet despite my best efforts I can't find it anywhere online (it was a black console, it only displayed games in black/white, I think it had four built in games; yes Pong was one of them; sorry that's my only memory of it).

Edited March 5, 2010 by Dittohead Servbot #24

[Chris Leach]

I once made the mega mega Hella boss for my first C64 game "The Last Hero!" using those nice shapes and plenty of hour of programming just trying to make still pics look like they were something of a boss...

That's right..the unreleased mega uber rare copy of "The Last Hero!" only one made to this date......

 

(I loved those little hidden buttons)

[Pyromaniac605]

I thought they were to be used by lifeguards to communicate with one another?

 

That's right! It's the SUPER RARE "Semaphore" language mod! Hurry! BUY NOW

 

Buy within the next 10 minutes and the braille font can be yours for FREE!