Download Commodore Free issue 43

Commodore Free Magazine
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EDITORIAL
COMMODORE BUST
The Commodore Amiga really started some heads turning when it was initially
released. Commodore’s purchase of the Amiga hardware right from under the
nose of Atari must have been upsetting; well for Atari at any rate. The Amiga
was a special machine, with true multitasking and a huge colour pallet, the machine stood next to some high end so called “workstation” machines and towered over them. Commodore were on a roll, a superb launch with celebrity
names like Andy Warhol and Debora Harry poked fun at lesser machines with
Commodore shouting to the press, “Weeee look at us!”
For me the Amiga’s operating system was a joy, having used many Pc systems
the Amiga seemed more straightforward somehow. The Amiga 500 with workbench 1.3 seemed so logically laid out and easy to use, how could it fail to be a
top seller. I especially liked the way the windows and desktop were arranged
and now looking back, I liked how uncluttered and bloat free the system was.
A machine with very little memory, just managed to do so much with very little
resources; throw in the multitasking and the fact you could if inclined run pc
software, you had a very powerful machine. What then could possibly go
wrong for Commodore they were on with a winner, a little marketing and placing the machine in good sales outlets it should as they say “fly out the doors”
The Amiga 500 received an upgrade to a 500+ Commodore then produced
various desktop versions emerging with the 1500 and 2000 the 3000 (ok so my
timing may be out on some but you get the idea) the Amiga 1200 then the
A600 (With the 600 I never got where commodore were going with this model
I know it seemed more girl friendly as it was “cute” and did possess a PCMCIA
slot) then Commodore released the A4000. I purchased one of these 4000 machines and was totally disappointed! how can Commodore get it all wrong! the
Video chip upgrade was dropped the DSP (digital sound processing chip) was
dropped the proposed midi interface was missing. I seemed then to have purchased an A1200 in a big box with a fast processor and slightly more upgrade
options in the form of Zorro slots.
It was then fairly obvious Commodore were now in trouble. After Commodore
went bankrupt and various people fought over the machines and name these
people also started to file for bankruptcy leading to the term “curse of the
Amiga” I feel the Amiga scene split into so many fragments it would be impos-
sible to come back together. There were so many options then in the end I
stopped really following the Amiga scene. My A4000 was upgraded in its time
with a variety of hardware and software but what now. Would anything be
able to take its place, would the magic return for me?
MY LIGHT
This issue I tracked down and interviewed Trevor Dickinson (A-EON Technology CVBA) could this be the next logical progression for the Amiga, here is a
man with a passionate history about Amiga and Commodore, could we really
see some light at the end of the tunnel? No I am not putting down any other
Amiga like operating systems or machines but to me I think I have with A-EON
Technology CVBA seen some light, something to really get excited about.
Commodore Dead! Heck no, re reading the interview and I feel excited again,
nothing like while I was saving for my Amiga 4000 but the excitement is still
there I think this is a real answer for me as to what to do next with my Commodore Hobby, see what you think after reading the interview, Will the Amiga
make a comeback (assuming that is you think its ever gone away!)
I AM THE SERVER
Fear not reader as this isn’t just All about Amiga, we still have some Commodore news especially with the interview I had with the creator of
www.commodoreserver.com this looks like an exciting project web based project allowing users to access files over the internet with just a Commodore 64
and a specially created modem. “Wow how cool and geeky is that” This is a
very professional setup and has been demo recently to a crowd of Commodore users in America where the software almost left gasps (according to one
of my sources)
I have mixed in the usual news and hope it’s another worthwhile read of
course news and items are always welcomed please contact me for details, I
am especially looking for reviews and tutorials
Best Regards
Nigel
www.commodorefree.com
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