Greetings!

I received my C64U Starlight Monday. I absolutely love this machine. I'm 45 and got a CoCo 2 for my fifth birthday and have been into computers my whole life. I'm living an alternate reality childhood had I gotten a Commodore instead of a CoCo. My oldest nephew is five, and he and his little brother LOVE all my retro tech. We played Nintendo for FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT last Saturday, first time I've done that since I was single-digit aged. I'm going to take the machine to them and teach them BASIC, all that good stuff.

I've made a few videos this week with Commodore at youtube.com/bollingholt

I'm hoping to attach my 1541 to it this weekend and go through some BOXES of disks I recently acquired with a TI-99/4A haul, but I think it's mainly Commodore software. Looking forward to it!!!

Bo Holt

... Torture: The Ultimate Art Form.

--- Renegade v1.40/DOS
* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (1:129/305)

Bo Holt <usenet@vk3heg.net> writes:

Greetings!

I received my C64U Starlight Monday. I absolutely love this machine. I'm 45 and got a CoCo 2 for my fifth birthday and have been into computers my whole life. I'm living an alternate reality childhood had I gotten a Commodore instead of a CoCo. My oldest nephew is five, and he and his little brother LOVE all my retro tech. We played Nintendo for FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT last Saturday, first time I've done that since I was single-digit aged. I'm going to take the machine to them and teach them BASIC, all that good stuff.

I've made a few videos this week with Commodore at youtube.com/bollingholt

I'm hoping to attach my 1541 to it this weekend and go through some BOXES of disks I recently acquired with a TI-99/4A haul, but I think it's mainly Commodore software. Looking forward to it!!!

Bo Holt

... Torture: The Ultimate Art Form.

Good news. Tell us how you get along. I considered getting a c64 from perifractic but I can't get over the funky keyboard layout of the
commodores. I have a mini and can't really find a good for it. And I'm
not nostalgic for the games.

I hope you find a treasure in that pile of floppies.

Daniel
sysop | air & wave bbs
finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Good news. Tell us how you get along. I considered getting a c64 from perifractic but I can't get over the funky keyboard layout of the commodores. I have a mini and can't really find a good for it. And I'm
not nostalgic for the games.

I hope you find a treasure in that pile of floppies.

Daniel
sysop | air & wave bbs
finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

I cut my teeh on a CoCo 2, so it's "new nostalgia" for me LOL. I didn't attach the floppy this weekend as plans changed, but I did go to my warehouse and grab the disks. Went tech thrifing though ;)

Bo

... Gunpowder and alcohol DO mix - but it tastes awful!

--- Renegade v1.40/DOS
* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (1:129/305)

Bo Holt <usenet@vk3heg.net> wrote:

I'm going to take the machine to them and teach
them BASIC

Oh no! Keep the kids away from BASIC as it is
one of the most horrendous programming languages
ever invented.

Better to fire up a Fedora Linux or FreeBSD VM and have
the kids learn Python or anything saner than BASIC.

Back in the 1980s BASIC was better than nothing, but
should not be used again in 2026.

br,
KK

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

kalevi@kolttonen.fi (Kalevi Kolttonen) writes:

Bo Holt <usenet@vk3heg.net> wrote:

I'm going to take the machine to them and teach
them BASIC

Oh no! Keep the kids away from BASIC as it is
one of the most horrendous programming languages
ever invented.

Better to fire up a Fedora Linux or FreeBSD VM and have
the kids learn Python or anything saner than BASIC.

Back in the 1980s BASIC was better than nothing, but
should not be used again in 2026.

br,
KK

What horrible advice.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

What horrible advice.

Why do you say so? Python 3 is a nice and clean
language with all the features you would expect
from a good programming language. Fedora Linux
and FreeBSD are millions of times more advanced
than poor old C64. Programming in BASIC using
the horrible C64 screen editor is nothing but
a bad joke in 2026. I have to laugh thinking
about it... Hahah!

BASIC on a C64 lacks almost everything:
no proper WHILE looping, no proper
function calls, no proper data structures,
identifiers are only valid for the two
starting characters. C64 BASIC is beyond awful
and should never be used in 2026. Why would
anyone torture kids with that lame BASIC?

C64 is a great platform for learning
assembly programming though but even so
you should write the code on Linux or FreeBSD
using a proper text editor and a cross assembler,
testing your program with VICE.

br,
KK

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

While BASIC 2.0 had its limmitations (Namely you could not easily take advantage of the 64s graphics and sound capabilities <This was fixed in 7.0). I have the exact OPPOSITE viewpoint as you.

One of the things that is missing from modern computers is the ability to have a built in programming language (Outsie of shell scripts).

BASIC was a great medium to teach children and first time computer users how to think logically, in an easy to understand flow. (Even if you did have to use line numbers..).

While I sorely lack the ability to create my own programs, learning BASIC did give me the ability to understand what a script is doing, and how to be methodical and troubleshot said programs / scripts.

BASIC does offer the same sort of structure that many scripting languages like BASH/REXX, and if you are really old DCL use.

Bring back BASIC!

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
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Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Kalevi Kolttonen to All on Tue Mar 10 2026 13:30:01

C64 BASIC is beyond awful and should never be used in 2026. Why would anyone torture kids with that lame BASIC?

I think you're missing the point of retro-computing.
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
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Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

Many of us wet our feet on basic as children. In fact, many people
progressed into the world of software development from that
introduction. One could argue that it helped lead into the industry
we have today.

My first programming language was indeed C64 BASIC in the latter
half of 1984. We thought it was good because we did not know anything
better.

You told him not to introduce the kids to that same joy he
experienced with an end-of-world urgency. As if they'll be irreparably
harmed by it. Sheesh.

Yeah, BASIC actually harms your brain and teaches you to write
shitty spaghetti code filled with GOTOs. When you progress to proper programming language, you have to unlearn the bad habits you develop
with a sad mess like C64 BASIC. Which sane programming languages use
*line numbers* for fuck's sake? None!

He's doing it to bond with the kids. Maybe he will help them code their
own games and get that satisfaction like he did. For years magazines
supplied source code for games. I used to stay in the computer lab after school to code them myself, since we didn't have a computer at my
home. We had atari game system.

All that can be done way better by using Python 3 or anything other
than C64 BASIC which is quite possibly the worst programming language
ever invented. From a practical point of view, just using the dreaded
screen editor to write code is hell on earth.

Linux and FreeBSD are paradise for programmers, beginners or advanced.

Welcome to 2026.

br,
KK

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

kalevi@kolttonen.fi (Kalevi Kolttonen) writes:

Daniel <me@sc1f1dan.com> wrote:

What horrible advice.

Why do you say so? Python 3 is a nice and clean
language with all the features you would expect
from a good programming language. Fedora Linux
and FreeBSD are millions of times more advanced
than poor old C64. Programming in BASIC using
the horrible C64 screen editor is nothing but
a bad joke in 2026. I have to laugh thinking
about it... Hahah!

BASIC on a C64 lacks almost everything:
no proper WHILE looping, no proper
function calls, no proper data structures,
identifiers are only valid for the two
starting characters. C64 BASIC is beyond awful
and should never be used in 2026. Why would
anyone torture kids with that lame BASIC?

C64 is a great platform for learning
assembly programming though but even so
you should write the code on Linux or FreeBSD
using a proper text editor and a cross assembler,
testing your program with VICE.

br,
KK

Many of us wet our feet on basic as children. In fact, many people
progressed into the world of software development from that
introduction. One could argue that it helped lead into the industry
we have today.

You told him not to introduce the kids to that same joy he
experienced with an end-of-world urgency. As if they'll be irreparably
harmed by it. Sheesh.

He's doing it to bond with the kids. Maybe he will help them code their
own games and get that satisfaction like he did. For years magazines
supplied source code for games. I used to stay in the computer lab after
school to code them myself, since we didn't have a computer at my
home. We had atari game system.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Kalevi Kolttonen to All on Wed Mar 11 2026 10:00:02

...C64 BASIC which is quite possibly the worst programming language ever invented.

You've never used Algol.

Linux and FreeBSD are paradise for programmers, beginners or advanced.

Those are OSes, not languages.
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)

On Thu 12-Mar-2026 10:25a, Mortar M.@1:124/5016.0 said to Kalevi Kolttonen:

Linux and FreeBSD are paradise for programmers, beginners or advanced.

Come on... Let's split hairs. The first is a Kernel, the latter is an OS... :)

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
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Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Rug Rat to Mortar M. on Thu Mar 12 2026 10:51:01

Come on... Let's split hairs. The first is a Kernel, the latter is an OS...

Wasn't me, but you're right.
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)

Mortar M. <usenet@vk3heg.net> wrote:

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Kalevi Kolttonen to All on Wed Mar 11 2026 10:00:02

...C64 BASIC which is quite possibly the worst programming language ever invented.

You've never used Algol.

True.

Linux and FreeBSD are paradise for programmers, beginners or advanced.

Those are OSes, not languages.

No kidding? It was just shorthand for "Use systems like these which
have tons of great programming languages and tools, not C64".

br,
KK

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri 13-Mar-2026 4:19a, Dr. What@1:342/201.0 said to Mortar M.:

Algol begat Pascal. Pascal is the mother language for pretty much every modern
programming language today.

Who gives a bat's butt! Morse Code is the mother of all digital code, you still won't see me using it!

Use what you feel comfortable with, and enjoy.

I think Basic should still be included on every computer sold as it was easy to learn and often someones first introduction to a computer and how they work.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
IMAGE BBS! 3.0 - bbs.catracing.org 6400
C-Net Amiga BBS - bbs.catracing.org 6840
--- CNet/5
* Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)

Oh no! Keep the kids away from BASIC as it is
one of the most horrendous programming languages
ever invented.

Better to fire up a Fedora Linux or FreeBSD VM and have
the kids learn Python or anything saner than BASIC.

Back in the 1980s BASIC was better than nothing, but
should not be used again in 2026.

br,
KK

Basic is still fun to play with. They are only 5 and 3 anyway LOL. They were only interested in games anyway, for the time being. ;)

... Most have good aims in life, but few pull the trigger.

--- Renegade v1.40/DOS
* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (1:129/305)

You told him not to introduce the kids to that same joy he
experienced with an end-of-world urgency. As if they'll be irreparably harmed by it. Sheesh.

He's doing it to bond with the kids. Maybe he will help them code their
own games and get that satisfaction like he did. For years magazines supplied source code for games. I used to stay in the computer lab after school to code them myself, since we didn't have a computer at my
home. We had atari game system.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

That's basically it (no pun intended). It's just a bonding exercise and sparking their interest seeing that they can write something that makes a computer follow their instructions. Unfortunately, they weren't really interested yet; they're only 3 and 5 ;)

... To quote the Librarian at Unseen University, "Oook!"

--- Renegade v1.40/DOS
* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (1:129/305)

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Bo Holt to Kalevi Kolttonen on Tue Apr 07 2026 02:12 pm

Oh no! Keep the kids away from BASIC as it is
one of the most horrendous programming languages
ever invented.

Better to fire up a Fedora Linux or FreeBSD VM and have
the kids learn Python or anything saner than BASIC.

Back in the 1980s BASIC was better than nothing, but
should not be used again in 2026.

br,
KK

Basic is still fun to play with. They are only 5 and 3 anyway LOL. They we only interested in games anyway, for the time being. ;)

... Most have good aims in life, but few pull the trigger.

Nah, python is better.

BASIC really only makes sense if you are still using an 80s microcomputer.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: MS & RD BBS bbsweb.mozysswamp.org (3:633/384)

On 4/8/26 10:30 AM, Dennis Katsonis wrote:

Nah, python is better.

BASIC really only makes sense if you are still using an 80s microcomputer.

You need to look at MMBasic and the PicoCalc then.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Mortar M. <usenet@vk3heg.net> wrote:

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Kalevi Kolttonen to All on Tue Mar 10 2026 13:30:01

C64 BASIC is beyond awful and should never be used in 2026. Why would anyone
torture kids with that lame BASIC?

I think you're missing the point of retro-computing.

Right?


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.13
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: marika to All on Fri Apr 10 2026 03:45 am

Mortar M. <usenet@vk3heg.net> wrote:

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Kalevi Kolttonen to All on Tue Mar 10 2026 13:30:01

C64 BASIC is beyond awful and should never be used in 2026. Why would

anyone

torture kids with that lame BASIC?

I think you're missing the point of retro-computing.

Right?

To be frank, C64 basic wasn't that great, even back then. My first computer was a VZ 200, which predated the C64 (I think it was sold as a V-Tech 200 in the US? Here in Australia it was popular), and even it had a version of basic where you could draw lines and do graphics.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
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Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Dennis Katsonis to marika on Fri Apr 10 2026 22:44:14

To be frank, C64 basic wasn't that great, even back then.

Agreed. Considering the number of Commodore micros already in the wild, you'd think they'd have improved the BASIC for the VIC and 64, as these were intended for non-computer savvy people.

My first computer was a VZ 200, which predated the C64 (I think it was sold as a V-Tech 200 in the US.

I vaguely remember reading about this in magazines, but never actually seen one. After looking it up online, I can see why. It was only around for two year and had low specs. No way could it have competed with the likes of the C=64 or even the Atari 400. However, it did not pre-date the 64. The VZ-200 came out in '83, while the 64 came out a year earlier.
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
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Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Mortar M. to Dennis Katsonis on Sat Apr 11 2026 01:41 pm

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Dennis Katsonis to marika on Fri Apr 10 2026 22:44:14

To be frank, C64 basic wasn't that great, even back then.

Agreed. Considering the number of Commodore micros already in the wild, you think they'd have improved the BASIC for the VIC and 64, as these were inten for non-computer savvy people.

My first computer was a VZ 200, which predated the C64 (I think it was so as a V-Tech 200 in the US.

I vaguely remember reading about this in magazines, but never actually seen one. After looking it up online, I can see why. It was only around for two year and had low specs. No way could it have competed with the likes of the C=64 or even the Atari 400. However, it did not pre-date the 64. The VZ-20 came out in '83, while the 64 came out a year earlier.

I got the VZ200 in 1991, quite a bit after it release. My parents got it at a garage sale cheap (buying a new computer was a bit much back then, just for me to use). It was a bit dissapointing as I wanted the Atari 1040STE, but as I had just been introduced to BASIC at school, it was fun to try BASIC at home, and draw graphics and make basic games.

Dick Smith started an electronics store called, Dick Smith Electronics, and the VZ 200 was their rebrand, sold with his face on it.

A little later that year, they got a Vic 20 at a garage sale, which had better graphics, but lacked the drawing commands. A little later, the C64 came, again second hand. You could do sprites, but again, no graphics. Not without entering some other machine code subroutines.

I suppose they had to get it out quick, and once it was out, you can't patch it.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: MS & RD BBS bbsweb.mozysswamp.org (3:633/384)

|03Quoting message from |11Dennis Katsonis |03to |11Mortar M.
|03on |1112 Apr 26 11:25:58|03.

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Mortar M. to Dennis Katsonis on Sat Apr 11 2026 01:41 pm

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Dennis Katsonis to marika on Fri Apr 10 2026 22:44:14

To be frank, C64 basic wasn't that great, even back then.

Agreed. Considering the number of Commodore micros already in the wild, yo think they'd have improved the BASIC for the VIC and 64, as these were inte for non-computer savvy people.

My first computer was a VZ 200, which predated the C64 (I think it was s as a V-Tech 200 in the US.

I vaguely remember reading about this in magazines, but never actually seen one. After looking it up online, I can see why. It was only around for tw year and had low specs. No way could it have competed with the likes of th C=64 or even the Atari 400. However, it did not pre-date the 64. The VZ-2 came out in '83, while the 64 came out a year earlier.

I got the VZ200 in 1991, quite a bit after it release. My parents got it garage sale cheap (buying a new computer was a bit much back then, just fo to use). It was a bit dissapointing as I wanted the Atari 1040STE, but as had just been introduced to BASIC at school, it was fun to try BASIC at ho and draw graphics and make basic games.

Dick Smith started an electronics store called, Dick Smith Electronics, an VZ 200 was their rebrand, sold with his face on it.

A little later that year, they got a Vic 20 at a garage sale, which had be graphics, but lacked the drawing commands. A little later, the C64 came, second hand. You could do sprites, but again, no graphics. Not without entering some other machine code subroutines.

I suppose they had to get it out quick, and once it was out, you can't pat it.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: MS & RD BBS bbsweb.mozysswamp.org (3:633/384)

I am 45. My gradnfather got me a Timex Sinclair when I was 2, CoCo2 when I turned 5 (really cut my teeth on that one), then his hand-me-down Amstrad PC1512DD when I was in the fourth grade, and then in 192 started as an apprentice at our local computer store and learned to build machines and built my 486DX-33. I never stopped working in the field since I started in 1992, and I started BBSing back on the CoCo2. I never knew anyone with a Commodore when I was growing up, so I'm enjoying living an alternate-reality childhood with the C64U. I'm trying to spark an interest in computers with my nephews and nieces (they are much younger than 5 still), they already love allmy vintage electronics I bring, and it's fun to play with these things with them.

... Message sent. Destroy immediately upon receipt.

--- Renegade v1.40/DOS
* Origin: The Titantic BBS Telnet - ttb.rgbbs.info (1:129/305)

Bo Holt <usenet@vk3heg.net> writes:

|03Quoting message from |11Dennis Katsonis |03to |11Mortar M.
|03on |1112 Apr 26 11:25:58|03.

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Mortar M. to Dennis Katsonis on Sat Apr 11 2026 01:41 pm

Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Dennis Katsonis to marika on Fri Apr 10 2026 22:44:14

To be frank, C64 basic wasn't that great, even back then.

Agreed. Considering the number of Commodore micros already in the wild, yo
think they'd have improved the BASIC for the VIC and 64, as these were inte
for non-computer savvy people.

My first computer was a VZ 200, which predated the C64 (I think it was s
as a V-Tech 200 in the US.

I vaguely remember reading about this in magazines, but never actually seen
one. After looking it up online, I can see why. It was only around for tw
year and had low specs. No way could it have competed with the likes of th
C=64 or even the Atari 400. However, it did not pre-date the 64. The VZ-2
came out in '83, while the 64 came out a year earlier.

I got the VZ200 in 1991, quite a bit after it release. My parents got it garage sale cheap (buying a new computer was a bit much back then, just fo
to use). It was a bit dissapointing as I wanted the Atari 1040STE, but as
had just been introduced to BASIC at school, it was fun to try BASIC at ho
and draw graphics and make basic games.

Dick Smith started an electronics store called, Dick Smith Electronics, an
VZ 200 was their rebrand, sold with his face on it.

A little later that year, they got a Vic 20 at a garage sale, which had be
graphics, but lacked the drawing commands. A little later, the C64 came, second hand. You could do sprites, but again, no graphics. Not without entering some other machine code subroutines.

I suppose they had to get it out quick, and once it was out, you can't pat
it.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: MS & RD BBS bbsweb.mozysswamp.org (3:633/384)

I am 45. My gradnfather got me a Timex Sinclair when I was 2, CoCo2 when I turned 5 (really cut my teeth on that one), then his hand-me-down Amstrad PC1512DD when I was in the fourth grade, and then in 192 started as an apprentice at our local computer store and learned to build machines and built
my 486DX-33. I never stopped working in the field since I started in 1992, and I started BBSing back on the CoCo2. I never knew anyone with a Commodore when I was growing up, so I'm enjoying living an alternate-reality childhood with the C64U. I'm trying to spark an interest in computers with my nephews and nieces (they are much younger than 5 still), they already love allmy vintage electronics I bring, and it's fun to play with these things with them.

... Message sent. Destroy immediately upon receipt.

I spent most my childhood outdoors climbing trees or playing sports - or various other things kids used to do pre-internet.

I would be inside during the rain. We had an Atari game console and had
5-6 cartridges. One of them was defender and that was the best game we
had. That game got old quite fast. Honestly, I was a bookworm. Video
games were rather uninspiring to me until many years later. Our schools
had Apple 2's because Apple donated them. I wasn't really inspired to
learn programming because the teachers didn't TEACH us to
program. Back in those days, our schools had one teacher per class for
all day. And none of them were trained in computer science. It took
years for the school system, at least in my area, to catch up with the
times. Nowadays, these schools look like mini-college campii.

We had pre-written basic games we'd spend a long time typing into the
terminal. Assuming I didn't mess up somewhere, I'd have a few minutes to
play hangman or whatever it was. Nothing to write home about. Nothing
was saved and, all the work was gone when the computers were switched
off.

It just didn't hit me hard in those days. I preferred to spend recess
time outside instead of in front of a computer typing line code I
didn't understand. I had classmates who really soaked it in though and
some would hand write basic code at home and do the work at
school. Most of us didn't have computers - so our screen time
was limited to school. And in the later elementary grade, girls were
getting interesting to me and they weren't in the computer room.

Anyway, my first computer at home was in the 90s after coming home from
the navy. My brother took me with him to Fry's and I helped him select a computer case. The other components he had already identified before
the trip. I watched a computer being built for the first time. I had no
idea what was what. Everything looked alien to me. Times have changed.

I follow the likes of the C64 community out of curiousity. I'm more of a
lurker to be honest. My actual daily driver (as in constant use) for
my writing hobby is a Tandy laptop. The model 200. I also have spare 100
and 102's laying around for mod projects. It does what I set out to do,
write. And I can do that well. The keyboard layout isn't all fucked
up. I don't see a caps lock in the south pole and the " key isn't in boonyville. They're in the proper position.

I bought a C64 mini on sale at gamestop 5-6 years ago. I played a few
games for a bit and, well, it's in the closet somewhere. I tried to load
other utilities via a flash card but nothing seemed to work without
serious hacking. So, so, so not interested in that. The games were
OKAY and I could understand what kids my age saw in it. My exposure to
the Commodore platform came just a few years ago. Otherwise, it was just
a subject in echonets when I dialed into BBSes.

I'm currently considering the purchase of an Atari ST 800XL with a
modern keyboard replacement. The original keyboard was a hunk of
shit while the modern replacements use modern switches and the keys are
in the modern locations. Still have a ton of reading to do about the
platform and whether I wish to dive into it versus staying with my
beloved Tandy.

Daniel
--
sysop | air & wave bbs
finger | calcmandan@bbs.erb.pw

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Re: Re: Commodore 64 Ultimate Starlight
By: Dennis Katsonis to Mortar M. on Sun Apr 12 2026 11:25:58

I suppose they had to get it out quick, and once it was out, you can't patch

Nope. However, the BASIC and Kernal ROMs were socketed, so it is possible to replace the originals with new ones. However, Commodore was a very cost-conscious company so such an expense would've probably been rejected outright.
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