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 Commodore PET 2001 | |
| Manufacturer | Commodore International |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | January 1977[1] |
| Introductory price | US$795 (equivalent to $4,000 in 2023)[2] |
| Discontinued | 1982[3] |
| Units sold | 219,000[4] |
| Operating system | Commodore BASIC 1.0–4.0 |
| CPU | 6502 @ 1 MHz |
| Memory | 4–96 KB |
| Storage | Cassette tape, 5.25-inch floppy, 8-inch floppy, hard disk |
| Display | 40×25 or 80×25 text |
| Graphics | Monochrome PETSCII semigraphic characters |
| Sound | None or beeper |
| Successor | CBM-II |
The Commodore PET is a line of personal computers produced starting in 1977 by Commodore International.[3] A single all-in-one case combines a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor, Commodore BASIC in read-only memory, keyboard, monochrome monitor, and, in early models, a cassette deck.
Development of the system began in 1976, and it was demonstrated and sold as the first personal computer for the masses at the January 1977 Consumer Electronics Show.[1] The name "PET" was suggested by Andre Souson after he saw the Pet Rock in Los Gatos, and stated they were going to make the "pet computer".[5] It was backronymed to Personal Electronic Transactor. Byte referred to the PET, Apple II and Tandy TRS-80 collectively as the "1977 trinity".
Following the initial PET 2001, the design was updated through a series of models with more memory, better keyboard, larger screen, and other modifications. The systems were a top seller in the Canadian and United States education markets, as well as for business use in Europe.
The PET line was discontinued in 1982 after approximately 219,000 machines were sold.
- ^ a b Tomczyk, Tom (1985), Home Computer Wars-An Insiders Account of Commodore and Jack Tramiel, Greensboro, NC: Compute Publications International, p. 12, ISBN 0-942386-78-7
- ^ "Commodore PET 2001 computer". oldcomputers.net. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Matthews, Ian (February 22, 2003). "The Amazing Commodore PET". commodore.ca. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2006.
- ^ Reimer, Jeremy (December 15, 2005). "Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- Jeremy Reimer (December 7, 2012). "Total Share: Personal Computer Market Share 1975-2010". Jeremy Reimer.
- ^ Peddle 2014, 2:27:32.