Atarifever Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) Hey, Jian Ghomeshi just made this his opening on CBC radio Q today. Here's his tweet about it: We all know about founders of Apple & Microsoft but who will speak for the guy behind Commodore 64? RIP Jack Tramiel - my #Q essay today. Show should be available to download as a podcast today or tomorrow. http://www.cbc.ca/q/...s-week-on-q-96/ Slash was on yesterday too, if that's your thing. Edited April 11, 2012 by Atarifever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Some of their machines DID use Intel. And the C128 had a Zilog boot cpu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockman_x_2002 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 It's difficult to come up with the words to express just exactly what kind of influence Mr. Tramiel had in the computing industry. I posted in General Chat a new topic when I heard the news as it hit news outlets without realizing that this thread had already been started. I refrained from posting here until I could come up with the right words to say because it's always such a difficult thing to do that when the world loses a visionary like Jack Tramiel. This is especially true when you yourself are a part of the tech industry and programming community as I am. I think to start, I could say that it was my brother's ownership of a Commodore 64 that got me into computers and programming in the first place, so I owe my education and career path to Mr. Tramiel and his work in bringing the Commodore 64 to the world. For that, I am grateful, because I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today, and loving it. But I believe that I would venture to say that Jack Tramiel was just as influential as Steve Jobs in getting computers into the hands of the masses, and with the Commodore VIC-20 and 64, he did just exactly that. Whether you liked the man or not, or though much of his business practices or not, the one thing you can't deny is that, when it came to Commodore, the man was a visionary and he put that into good practice to help make Commodore, for at least a little while, one of the best computer companies in the world. It's such a sad thing that in less than a single year, we have lost so many computer industry pioneers -- the likes of Steve Jobs, Dennis Ritchie, and now Jack Tramiel. Our industry has been hit especially hard. He'll be sorely missed by family, friends, and loved ones. To these, he was much more than just a visionary with a successful computer company. So condolences go out to all those who are even more personally impacted by his loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PitfallHarry2600 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I never was one of tramiel's huge fans, but I have to say that he managed to keep Atari alive on the console market... Sure there were the SwordQuest trophies that were probably kept by Tramiel, but he still was a great man because of what he did for the computer industry, like the C=64 and the Atari computers... Yes, I like him more on the C= side, but he still was a great man... R.I.P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Wow, one of the most polarizing figures in computers is dead. I had hoped he would have lived a few more years and open up more on his experiences. It seemed like the bitterness was starting to go away these past few years as he made some public appearances and seemed to appreciate his position in home computer history. Tonight, I'll raise a glass to Jack. Too bad he never did an autobiography: Holocaust survivor, immigrant, pioneer businessman, quite the life he ran. I guess we'll never really know what was said between him and Irving Gould on that fateful day. I highly recommend "Commodore: A Company on the Edge." Fascinating read. Not all about Jack, of course, but he's obviously a prominent figure in the book and it gives a little bit of insight. Truly a legend in the industry. His company's products certainly shaped my life. That is quite an interesting book and while I recommend it and found it to be rather frustrating in how uneven its coverage was. The author focused mainly on Commodore's glory years (fair enough thats what sells) but given that an author usually only ever gets one shot at publishing a book on any given topic its rather disappointing. The book skips the companies early history in the calculator wars and covers the collapse of the company in a rather rushed fashion. Many of the fascinating personalities of Commodore are given scant details, which would have been okay but after the author seems to gush for many chapters over Chuck Peddle, its bad journalism. Now Peddle deserves a lot of credit but where was the similar coverage of Gould and Mehdi Ali? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have to agree that I can't believe this hasn't gotten more press. Long live the Jackintosh! RIP Mr. Tramiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have to agree that I can't believe this hasn't gotten more press. I think I can understand why. Tramiel left Commodore in 1984 and hasn't really been in the public eye since he retired in 1996, and that might as well be the Dark Ages to your typical flibbertigibbet Millennial, who has the attention span of a hummingbird and the historical perspective of a mayfly. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, was in the news—and at the head of Apple—until very shortly before his death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) The author focused mainly on Commodore's glory years (fair enough thats what sells) but given that an author usually only ever gets one shot at publishing a book on any given topic its rather disappointing. Well, in this case, he had two shots LOL, and like a sucker, I have both. Edited April 12, 2012 by Mirage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I have to agree that I can't believe this hasn't gotten more press. I think I can understand why. Tramiel left Commodore in 1984 and hasn't really been in the public eye since he retired in 1996, and that might as well be the Dark Ages to your typical flibbertigibbet Millennial, who has the attention span of a hummingbird and the historical perspective of a mayfly. Someone like Steve Jobs, on the other hand, was in the news—and at the head of Apple—until very shortly before his death. Agree. If Jobs had disappeared from the public eye in 1985, the press at his death in '11 probably would have been similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Well, in this case, he had two shots LOL, and like a sucker, I have both. I saw that there was a revision I own the old release, is there any major changes? Agree. If Jobs had disappeared from the public eye in 1985, the press at his death in '11 probably would have been similar. Well Jobs was always a lot more media friendly and charismatic than any of the other computer moguls, which greatly increased his profile. Also given that Apple is the giant that it is even if he never returned to the company after '85, his death would still have gotten decent press. Sadly Commodore and Atari are largely a trivia question at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) Well Jobs was always a lot more media friendly and charismatic than any of the other computer moguls, which greatly increased his profile. Also given that Apple is the giant that it is even if he never returned to the company after '85, his death would still have gotten decent press. Sadly Commodore and Atari are largely a trivia question at this point. Good point about the charisma. VERY debatable whether Apple would be where it is if Jobs had not returned though. Thus my statement about them receiving similar press. Though, I suspect you're right, Jobs would have probably gotten a little more. But nothing at all like what he did get in this plane of reality, which was my point. I'm sure a lot of people remember Tramiel even today, just not as many as we'd like. Either way, he'll have a place cemented in the history books for those who care to look. Unbelievably influential to computer history. --- And, I have no idea about major changes in the 2nd release of the Commodore book, I haven't read the 2nd release. Edited April 13, 2012 by Mirage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlysublime Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Well, in this case, he had two shots LOL, and like a sucker, I have both. I saw that there was a revision I own the old release, is there any major changes? Agree. If Jobs had disappeared from the public eye in 1985, the press at his death in '11 probably would have been similar. Well Jobs was always a lot more media friendly and charismatic than any of the other computer moguls, which greatly increased his profile. Also given that Apple is the giant that it is even if he never returned to the company after '85, his death would still have gotten decent press. Sadly Commodore and Atari are largely a trivia question at this point. this seems like revisionist history. Apple was on the verge of death before the return of Jobs and the success of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. If it wasn't a bailout by Microsoft way back when, Apple would just be a name bought by some other company and used to hock products like the Atari name has become. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 this seems like revisionist history. Apple was on the verge of death before the return of Jobs and the success of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. If it wasn't a bailout by Microsoft way back when, Apple would just be a name bought by some other company and used to hock products like the Atari name has become. More like What If? history than any revisionism. Jobs return was due to Apple buying his company and when he eventually was made CEO again it gave them the media splash to launch the iMac. Maybe they could have done it without Jobs (lead iMac/Pod/phone/pad designer Jonathan Ives was already working for Apple prior to Jobs' 2nd coming) but he gave the company a face and a personality that was more high profile than any commercial could have done. Now, on to more serious speculations... now what if Atari had released the 7800 in 1984? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) The almighty Commodore. The immortal Atari thanks to Jack. 1985. http://youtu.be/NImJFV3wH88 Edited April 13, 2012 by cimerians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwiliteZoner Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 The almighty Commodore. The immortal Atari thanks to Jack. 1985. http://youtu.be/NImJFV3wH88 All business. Interviews over, I am outta here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) All business. Interviews over, I am outta here.... No not really. He's talking about release dates for the Atari computer stuff...some light technical info and the reason he left Commodore in the end. Then again I personally find it interesting cause this is his first big announcements since joinging Atari. The interview I think is just after the 1984 holiday season so probably early 1985. Oh well...I'm into stuff like this. Edited April 13, 2012 by cimerians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I'm starting to notice more media coverage. Here is a feature article from ZDNet, and an accompanying slideshow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 The news, such as it was, has been over for days in the UK. It only merrited a brief mention in most places. You can guarantee that if Clive Sinclair was to go, it would be a much bigger thing over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Pac Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 That is so sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+littaum Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 It's funny .. the Commodore 64 wiki page said that aggressive pricing of the Commodore 64 helped contribute to the video game crash of '83. This was around that time I got one of these, and graphics and capability wise it blew my Atari 2600 out of the water. I wasn't even aware of the video game crash, because I was too busy playing Blue Max and Pitstop on my new awesome computer. I had a crude Commodore dot matrix printer that couldn't properly hang down letters like p and g so when I submitted my printed out reports in school I'd get marked up because the teachers thought I was caPitalizinG letters where they shouldn't be. My 300 baud modem let me log into Compuserve and local BBS's to talk to other people who had similar interests (when no one else around me did .. thanks C64 for making me a wierdo ). The ability to start writing programs immediately after turning it on helped me be computer savvy at an early age and heavily contributed to the fact that I do software for a living today. My old C64 gave up the ghost several years ago, but I've been enjoying some old programs on an emulator. RIP Jack Tramiel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.