It was in the 70s that I first learned about robots (and computers). Through movies like Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Star Trek, I saw humans and robots living and working together. Aided by robots, humans could travel through space, and translate languages instantly. Robots can also become human companions or even pets, replacing what actual humans and animals can do. The idea of robots was what got me excited about computers and I wanted my own computer ever since.
In 1979, our family got our first colour television. Through television, I discovered the wonderful world of TV advertisements. It was through advertisements that I learn about something called Home Computers. There were computers from a Silicon-Valley company called Apple, but there were others as well namely Atari and Sinclair. What really stood out on TV most was a company called Commodore Computers. They stood out because they hired Captain Kirk himself, a young William Shatner, to promote the Commodore VIC-20 on TV.
Games, programming, how about both?
As a kid, I was really into Arcade games you find at amusement parks. Knowing that you can play games on Home Computer was more than enough to make me like them. Back then, Atari had the best games followed by Apple. My Dad however insisted that we should not just get a computer for games alone. Computers can do much more, he said.
Back then, my Dad was a Mathematics teacher and was taking a government-sponsored Computer Science degree program at the National University of Singapore. He used to bring home reams of computer paper as well as punch-card-like things he called programs that I would only see in Bond films. When asked about computers, he would use words such as UNIX, Terminals, and Processors, words that flew right over my uninitiated head.
Despite some protests from me, the financier ultimate made the choice to buy the Commodore VIC-20 and that became the first Computer we owned.
My Dad brought the Commodore VIC-20 home one evening and it came in a box that looks similar to those for electronic toys. Removing the cardboard and styrofoam packaging, we connected the keyboard-like computer to our colour TV. Words appeared on the TV screen inviting us to give the computer commands like something we see in Science Fiction movies! After some furious referencing with the manual, we started using the Commodore VIC-20 for games, and BASIC programming. I believed this launched me into this world of Computers that I’ve been associated with all my life…
Some Information about the VIC-20
The Commodore VIC-20 is a home computer that was released in 1980. The team behind the VIC-20 consisted of 5 engineers led by Michael Tomcyzk. Commodore founder Jack Tramiel called Tomczyk the title VIC Czar and his team the VIC Commandoes. There’s a very good interview online about Michael Tomcyzk and his experience and relationship with the Apple guys like Steve and Wozniak.
The VIC-20 features a MOS 6502 processor running at 1.023 MHz, 5KB of static RAM, and 20KB of ROM containing the operating system and BASIC interpreter. The video display is capable of outputting a resolution of 176×184 pixels with 22 characters per line and can display up to 16 colors.
The VIC-20 also includes a built-in cassette tape drive for loading and saving programs and has a user port and cartridge port for expansion. It is compatible with a wide variety of peripherals and accessories, such as printers, joysticks, and modems.
The computer runs on a proprietary operating system called Commodore BASIC, which includes a variety of commands for programming and controlling the system. Programs can be written and saved to cassette tape or loaded from cartridges. For more information about the Commodore VIC-20, I think I’ll let the 8-Bit Guy do it with his full length documentary of the computer:
Success of the VIC-20
The VIC-20 was so popular that Commodore sold over 2.5 million units in its short 2.5 years lifespan. It was replaced by the even more popular Commodore 64 which sold a total of 17 million units. For comparison, the Apple 2e then sold only 6 million units. The price of a brand new VIC-20 was $299, but it came down to $90 two years later. The Commodore 64 with more memory and riding on the success of the VIC-20 cost $595.
The 80s was the golden era for 8-bit computers like the VIC-20, but its success lies elsewhere. I believe that the success of the VIC-20 was due to the conscious choice to keep the product affordable to the masses. With so little RAM that written programs could hardly run, the VIC-20 could have been the first MVP (Minimum viable product) of its time. The entire purpose of the VIC-20 is to introduce the concept of programming to the masses, but not perfectly. Games ran very well however because of the cartridge system that included its own memory. Selectively, the VIC-20 met the expectations of most buyers, and introduced the concept of home computers and programming to a while new generation.
Experiencing the VIC-20 Today
Due to the large number of units sold, you can still buy a working Commodore 64 (and maybe even a VIC-20) on eBay today. The Internet has a large collection of VIC-20 manuals, videos and emulators for anyone to explore. Due to the Maker Movement, there were also quite a few Kickstarter projects trying to rebuild the Commodore Computers through crowd funding.
I have gathered some of these resources here as quick references.
VIC-20 Emulators
If you’re interested in trying out the VIC-20 now, and you are not interested in getting a working set being sold on eBay, you can still do so via one of the emulators below:
VIC-20 Books
I’ve also added a collection of books that came with the VIC-20 and after that many has shared online in one form or another. Good references for all VIC-20 enthusiasts out there.
And a lot more here …
VIC-20 Games
The first few video games I experienced were on a computer called the Commodore VIC-20 in 1980. The VIC-20 was a major competitor to the popular Apple 2e and the Atari 2600 and so carried a lot of similar popular games from those platforms such as Pong, Pac-Man, and even Donkey Kong. However, the VIC-20 did have some uniquely fun games as well which I’ll try to list here:
