Happy 25th Birthday Commodore 64

For millions of kids who grew up in the 1980s, that first computer was the Commodore 64. Twenty-five years later, that first brush with computer addiction is as strong as ever.

Often overshadowed by the Apple II and Atari 800, the Commodore 64 rose to great heights in the 1980s. From 1982-1993, 17 million C64s were sold. The Guinness Book of World Records lists the Commodore 64 as the best-selling single computer model.

The computer featured 64 kilobytes of memory (a lot for 1982), a huge index of games, a sophisticated sound chip, and a relatively parent-friendly price -- $595.

On Monday, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, will celebrate the C64's 25th anniversary. Computer pioneers will reflect on the C64's achievements and contribution to the industry. Jack Tramiel, the founder and CEO of Commodore, will attend, along with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and William C. Lowe, father of the IBM PC.

"It was the right machine for the time," said McCracken. "The Commodore 64 did a lot to popularize computers." Sold in shopping malls and discount stores and not just small computer stores -- the norm for the time -- the C64 became many people's gateway into the world of computers, said Brian Bagnall, author of "On the edge: The spectacular rise and fall of Commodore."

"It was so new," Bagnall said. Users could play many games and also learn the programming language of computers -- BASIC.

By 2007 computing standards, the Commodore 64 is a dinosaur. A relic of the past, long made obsolete by the march of time. But the C64 isn't dead. It's very much alive -- on gaming Web sites, through music and in the memories of millions who owned and loved them.

Twenty-five years ago computers were an individual experience; today they are just a commodity, he said.

For full story: CNN

Some C64 specs:
NAME C 64
MANUFACTURER Commodore
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGIN U.S.A.
YEAR 1982
END OF PRODUCTION 1993
BUILT IN LANGUAGE Basic
KEYBOARD Full-stroke 66 keys with 4 function keys
CPU 6510
SPEED 0.985 MHz (PAL) / 1.023 MHz (NTSC)
CO-PROCESSOR VIC II (Video), SID (Sound)
RAM 64 KB
ROM 20 KB
TEXT MODES 40 columns x 25 lines
GRAPHIC MODES several, most used : 320 x 200
COLORS 16 + 16 border colours
SOUND 3 voices / 9 octaves, 4 waveforms (sound output through TV)
SIZE / WEIGHT 40.4 (W) x 21.6 (D) x 7.5 (H) cm / 1820 g
I/O PORTS RGB (composite, chroma/luma and sound in/out), 2 x Joystick plugs, Cardridge slot, Tape interfarce (300 bps), Serial, User Port, TV RF output
BUILT IN MEDIA Cassette unit. Provision for 170 KB 5.25'' floppy disc unit (1541)
POWER SUPPLY External power supply unit
PRICE $595 (USA, 1982) - £229 (U.K. 1984)

Vintage 1980's Commodore 64 TV commercials: