If you want to know more about the history of computers than the shallow Apple vs Microsoft story most books, websites and movies dwell on, take a look at The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore. Here's a review from Slashdot.
Almost everyone recognizes the name, but most realize the scale and impact that Commodore had in the computer industry. First computer sold in retail, first computer to sell more than a million, first computer with multitasking, full-color graphics and video.
Every time I see a mention of Commodore, the C64 or Amiga computers, I get nostalgic for those days when I was making 3d animations while everyone else was either drawing 1-bit graphics in MacPaint or doing whatever DOS & Windows 3.1 did. The only things comparable were six figure Silicon Graphics workstations.
One year Commodore made a billion dollars. Not too much later, the company filed for bankruptcy and was liquidated. The technology and brand name traded hands several times, and there were several attempts to revive it. But Commodore had lost its greatest asset- the people who designed and used it. As people were laid off or left, they spread to startups and other companies, their talents diluted in the giant ocean of the technology industry.
As a user (VIC, 64, 128, A500, A2500, A1200) and former employee, I am grateful to have experienced Commodore from both sides. I learned to program in BASIC and Assembly. I made really cool graphics and animations. And I worked with some really innovative and dedicated people (I still do, actually).
You can get a taste of the nostalgia at the Amiga Forever website.
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