Tempted by the Dark Side, I now have a Commodore 128
Paul Lefebvre purchased a Commodore 128 and 1571 disk drive for $200, confirming their functionality after 30 years in storage. He plans to write about the Commodore while focusing on Atari.
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The author, Paul Lefebvre, shares his experience of acquiring a Commodore 128, despite primarily focusing on Atari in his newsletter, Goto 10. After browsing Facebook Marketplace, he found a Commodore 128 listed for $85, along with a 1571 disk drive. The seller, the original owner since 1986, provided the items in their original boxes, which were somewhat worn but intact. After negotiating a price of $200 for both the computer and disk drive, Lefebvre successfully powered on the Commodore 128 and confirmed its functionality by reading a disk directory. He expressed excitement about the working condition of the vintage equipment, which had been in storage for over 30 years. Although he plans to write more about the Commodore 128, he reassures readers that Goto 10 will remain focused on Atari, while acknowledging the interesting connections between the two platforms. Upcoming posts will explore various aspects of the Commodore 128, including comparisons with Atari systems.
- Paul Lefebvre acquired a Commodore 128 and 1571 disk drive for $200.
- The equipment had been in storage for over 30 years but was functional after some initial troubleshooting.
- The author plans to write about the Commodore 128 while maintaining the Atari focus of his newsletter.
- The Commodore 128 is noted for its unique features and historical significance in computing.
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4 commentsThat may have been Commodore's intention, I don't know, but technically the C128 is merely a modest step from the C64 and very far from the Amiga in every way. All the same the C128 offers a lot to explore, whether you run it as a C64 or as a C128, and I wish you lots of fun with it!
I sat with a friend for hours on a Atari, but could not get the thing to run. (I guess it wasn't too traumatic, as I have since written programs with millions of users.)
The best looking programs were always for Commodore, but my parents wouldn't dream of it. Sure is nostalgic.
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The Atari 520ST, released in July 1985, impressed with advanced features at a low price. Despite software limitations, it gained popularity quickly, leading to the later 1040ST release.
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