DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

Tulip Computers, which owns the Commodore brand name, plans to relaunch the brand to take advantage in an upsurge of interest in the obsolete Commodore 64 (C64) computer and its 1980s-era games.

The C=64, as we used to call it, came out twenty-five years ago. It does not take much imagination to picture how far computer games have advanced in 25 years… so you have to wonder why anyone would want to play those old dinosaur titles, like the original Castle Wolfenstein and GridRunner and Neutral Zone and, I don’t know, Zork.

I typed those titles from memory — the C=64 was my first computer. I learned to code on that thing. I played a few games, too. Those memories run very deep.

And yet, I have no interest in buying a re-released Commodore 64. But I guess I was never a very dedicated gamer. (I don’t imagine the driving factor behind Tulip’s business plan is a perceived desire on the part of 40-year-old nerds to spend nights and weekends fervently coding in BASIC for the Commodore’s built-in interpreter.)

I agree with Tulip that the C=64 was an advanced machine, years ahead of its time and superior to all its competitors. I had friends who disagreed with this obvious truth; they started out on the Apple ][ and the Atari 800. Both those guys are now in prison.

Heh, just kidding.