We're So Misunderstood! A couple of issues back we published a "mock ad" type cartoon describing the "Comedian 264". Since then we've heard reports ranging from tickled to mild shock. Well, we at The Transactor would like to set the record straight. Before anyone else is even the least bit influenced by what was merely intended to be a little 'Don Rickles' style humor, here's how we see the picture to this point in the l ife of the new Commodore + 4.
mability, it's the best Commodore machine yet. And, as usual, dollar for dollar the other manufacturers don't even come close. Sure it doesn't have a SID chip, but the SOUND command provides enough audio for the average program. It doesn't have sprites, but you don't use sprites to display business reports and analytical data.
To start, it's only natural that Commodore will dub the newest machine their "latest and greatest". They have to do that. It's called, "staying in business". But now it seems that many Commodore 64 owners are showing what you might call "technology territorial" behaviour patterns. The 64 has features not found in the + 4. So to maintain a technologically superior feeling towards their investment, some 64 owners will naturally see a new machines weaknesses over its strengths. Besides, the "new kid on the block" is bound to take a little ribbing, but that stage is pretty well over.
New features like luminance control and fl~hing atlributes are included; the MLM now has Assemble, Disassemble, the invaluable Hunt command, and more; Decimal and Hex converter programs are no longer necessary; the Editor is the best anywhere with features like Renumber, Delete, Help, Trace, Find, and Change; the new BASIC has all the structured commands you'll need; and with 60K of RAM available for BASIC means there will be no excuse for software that is anything less than exquisite! Even the new microprocessor technology of the 7501 makes it the leader in sophisticated architecture advancements. Multiple memory "layers" (see the Memory Map in this issue) allow for piles of ROM that effectively requires no address space - a concept that's not only clever, but truly intelligent!
The 64 and the +4 have many similarities. But the advanced features unique to each machine will have the most influence over a decision between the two. That is, if money is no object. The + 4 will cost more than the 64 which is more than the Cl 6, the 16K version of the + 4 in a C64 casing.
The +4 might be the latest, but that doesn't make the 64 obsolete. For the appl ication minded, either machine will be the right choice depending on the needs of the buyer, which is how a computer purchase should be made. For the hobbyist, personal preference will probably be the deciding factor. The introduction of the + 4 fills a gap; we'll have the choice of an entertainment machine with business potential, or an applications machine with entertainment potential. In short, we now have the choice of paying only for the features we need most for the task at hand (which, by the way, is one reason some of the other machines are so expensive.)
The 64 will remain the superior entertainment machine. The animated graphics capabilities will ensure that. The + 4 has a SOUND command, but music applications of any sophisticated nature will still be superior with the SID chip. And Commodore is not about to give their star player its wal king papers. The + 4 wins in the "productivity" department, the main promotional base for the machine. However, if that was your main reason for owning a 64, remember, a good investment is one that does the job it was intended to. There will always be another new computer, but you can't wait forever. If you know you need one, it's a question of how long you can go without. You must determine how valuable a compu ter will be for the task at hand, then subtract that value over the period of time you spend wailing. Many Commodore 64 owners using "productivity" software will probably agree that waiting would have been a mistake. In fact, it's a good possibility that those machines have not only paid for themselves, but also a brand new + 4 system.
There's one other trait that becomes more and more apparent with each new machine from Commodore. Vertical Integration. While other manufacturers are designing computers around the IC's, Commodore is developing new IC's to suit their computers. It seems right now there's no limit to how far chip technology can advance. As the IC gains more power, there will be less and less supporting hardware required on the same PC board which can only result in better, cheaper, and more reliable equipment. Commodore is well aware of their attributes and without a doubt they'll take full advantage of them in the years ahead.
The 16 has been dubbed "The Learning Machine" and will no doubt be a serious contender in the battle for the educational market. School budgets should have little trouble with 99 bucks U.S.
Delivery of the new machines has just begun so it shouldn't be long before you see more and more material becoming available, and The Transactor will be no exception. Actually, we can hardly wait to get started! Now, if we could only get one ...
VIC 20 prices are pretty well rock-bottom with reports as low as S49 in Florida. Apparently Commodore still has inventory, but the VIC 20 stamp has probably seen the production line for the last time.
There's nothing as constant as change, I remain.
That's our account of the situation. Now the machine itself.
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The Tranaactor
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Volume 5, Issue 04