What would you do if you were the CEO of Commodore Computers?

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:34 am

On 9/6/2021 at 1:36 PM, TomXP411 said:

That part is true. The IIC sold for $1200 new. Regardless, Apple worked on building better computers, rather than racing to the bottom. And where Commodore eventually failed, by trying to build cheaper computers and compete with video game consoles, Apple and PC makers succeeded by making computers faster and more powerful. I think it's obvious what the winning strategy was, in the end, since out of Apple, IBM, and Commodore, only one of those companies no longer exists...

To be fair, only one of those three exist as a computer maker, and for that company, making computers sometimes seems like it is more of a sideline to making smartphones.

Edit: Oops! "PC maker"

TomXP411 · Post by **TomXP411** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:11 am

1 hour ago, BruceMcF said:

To be fair, only one of those three exist as a computer maker, and for that company, making computers sometimes seems like it is more of a sideline to making smartphones.

Lenovo (who bought IBM's PC division) is still going strong - and is possibly the largest maker of PC clones today. IBM still makes computers, but entirely for the upscale market.

BruceMcF · Post by **BruceMcF** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:01 am

20 hours ago, TomXP411 said:

Lenovo (who bought IBM's PC division) is still going strong ...

IBM selling its PC division to get out of the PC business is exactly what I was referring to ...

20 hours ago, TomXP411 said:

... IBM still makes computers, but entirely for the upscale market.

Yes, I was sloppy in saying computer maker when I should have said PC maker. Indeed, to the extent that Power System servers are the descendant of IBM mainframes and minicomputers, they were in that part of the computer business long before they entered the PC market, and with "cloud computing" there is no particular end in sight.

Cyber · Post by **Cyber** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:29 am

22 minutes ago, BruceMcF said:

Yes, I was sloppy in saying computer maker when I should have said PC maker.

Just a bit sloppy. It's a fun fact, when I try to think about this: most common people refer the word "computer" mostly to desktops or laptops - generaly to a "home computer". But the word "computer" actually has a much-much broader meaning. And right beside it we have a casual meaning for a word "computer", which appeared, well... casually. )

StephenHorn · Post by **StephenHorn** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 6:58 pm

13 hours ago, Cyber said:

Just a bit sloppy. It's a fun fact, when I try to think about this: most common people refer the word "computer" mostly to desktops or laptops - generaly to a "home computer". But the word "computer" actually has a much-much broader meaning. And right beside it we have a casual meaning for a word "computer", which appeared, well... casually. )

Reminds me of the movie Hidden Figures, about the computers who worked at NASA, before NASA brought in the tape-fed, refrigerator-sized contraptions that people today would identify as computers.

Kalvan · Post by **Kalvan** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:10 pm

On 9/5/2021 at 2:56 AM, xanthrou said:

9. In Japan, why not Commodore to manufacture their own MSX computers?

That's the perfect way to tweak Jack Tramiel's nose.

Scott Robison · Post by **Scott Robison** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:25 pm

It is interesting to me that they were willing to buy Z80 for C=128 but not 65816. I realize why: it was probably cheaper and 65816 didn't offer CP/M library access. Still, their hesitancy for so long to avoid using anything but their own chips is sad.

xanthrou · Post by **xanthrou** » Wed Sep 08, 2021 8:58 am

13 hours ago, Kalvan said:

That's the perfect way to tweak Jack Tramiel's nose.

Plus to create an arcade machine more advanced than Neo-Geo, as well as Commodore-branded CD players, LaserDisc players and VHS VCRs.

OrionTEX · Post by **OrionTEX** » Wed Sep 08, 2021 9:40 am

On 9/5/2021 at 9:56 AM, xanthrou said:

1. I would sell Plus/4 series for as low price as possible, like how Jack wished that to be, but I'll axe the Commodore 16 computer, like what David Murray of The 8-Bit Guy said, was a huge obstacle of Plus/4 becoming a great selling platform. And they'll compete with ZX Spectrum.

2. I'll make sure Plus/4 is suitable for educational purposes as well, to brand it as the PET's successor.

3. Striking a deal with Motorola so Commodore can make their own Motorola 68k clones for Amiga, like they did with Intel chips for their PC compatibles.

4. Speaking of PC compatibles, I would make the Commodore PC compatibles have Tandy/PCjr sound and graphics (along with their own DeskMate competitor), so they can compete with Tandy, but also some nifty little features unique to Commodore PC compatibles, such as an ADPCM channel, a proper reset button and early support for 3.5 inch floppy disks.

5. Design a Commodore 64 card for Amiga, IBM PC, Plus/4 and Apple II, so they can run Commodore 64 software and games (be it from diskette, cartridge or even cassettes) thru it.

6. Design a better CP/M card with faster Z80 and better blitter graphics support and support for all CP/M OEM formats. Would be similar to C128 CP/M mode, but faster.

6. Design an actual successor to Commodore 64 in 1987 with no need for backwards compatibility (unless if the said C64 card was preinstalled), with specs similar to Commander X16, with some differences, such as Commodore's own version of Weitek's 65186 CPU, 512 colors at once with 256KB VRAM, 256KB main RAM, BASIC v10 to take full advantage of new graphics and sound commands, an ADPCM channel in addition to YM2151+YM3012 DAV, as well as enhanced SID with 15 voice with more waveforms (more variations of Mix, an NES-style 4-bit pseudo-triangle in addition to real triangle wave and pseudo-sawtooth in addition to actual sawtooth), stereo, superior ADSR, better manufacturing methods, 12 octave ranges and backwards compatibility to original SID. And three cartridge slots, in addition to 1581 disk drive and five expansion slots.

7. Axe the C64GS, Amiga CDTV and CD32 and instead opt for original game console (or an arcade cabinet as a Neo Geo competitor) with unique specs such as Intel i980, 512KB RAM, 512KB VRAM with 4096 colours at once, a YM2610B+YM2151+ADPCM+DAC+Enhanced SID combo and support for CD format in addition to cartridges, as a Sega CD and Neo Geo CD competitor. Optional support for Roland MT-32 and SC-55, and maybe, just maybe LD-ROM with playback for PAL and NTSC discs.

8. Unrealistic, but manufacture some Commodore-branded CD players and VHS VCRs, and maybe even LaserDisc players.

9. In Japan, why not Commodore to manufacture their own MSX computers?

How would Commodore manufacture their Neo-Geo competitor exactly?

And how would Commodore make their VHS VCRs, LaserDisc and CD players? (Especially LaserDiscs as they're niche format)

Cyber · Post by **Cyber** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 2:36 am

16 hours ago, OrionTEX said:

How would Commodore manufacture their Neo-Geo competitor exactly?

And how would Commodore make their VHS VCRs, LaserDisc and CD players? (Especially LaserDiscs as they're niche format)

This is a "what if" dream thread. Don't interfere with people's dreams. Just dream along if you fell the same. And don't do if you don't. )