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Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 09:04:25 PM

Title: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 09:04:25 PM
The Dutch computer company Tulip (http://www.tulip.nl), is planning to bring back the Commodore 64 from the dead.

Tulip signed an agreement with Ironstone Partners, who will be responsible for the Commodore 64 design and software.

According to Tulip there are still 6 million active commodore users worldwide.

Tulip also stated that they will take action against the roughly 300 internet sites that use the Commodore name for their own business.

We'll keep you posted ...

Update: http://www.commodore.nl (http://www.commodore.nl) - This could be a coïncidence though ...
Translation available.

TRANSLATION

AMERSFOORT - Computermanufactor Tulip is working on the revival of the commodore64, de nestorof the first PC's. Tulip Computers wants to launch the PC worldwide again. Because of this the company signed an agreement on friday with Ironstone Partners.

The computer won't be laucned in its current shape. Ironstone will produce software for Tulip that will allow its excisting computers to be redesigned as a commodore. Tulip is the owner of the brand Commodore and will make money on the fact that its owns the name. According to Tulip, 6 million people still use -a- commodore at this point.

The computermanufactor has faith in the revival of Commodore "because its still one of the most famous names in the computer industry" according to a Tulil spokesman. Commodore lovers will be able to play the old commodore games again soon.

Ironstone will also provide a Commodore website for the excisting lovers of the Commodore.
The roughly 300 commercial website that use the Commodore name will be delt with.

End of translation .. don't blame me if its bad
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Palpatine on July 11, 2003, 09:02:08 PM
It's also mentioned that IronStone will provide software that will turn existing PC's into Commodore machines....
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: downix on July 11, 2003, 09:10:39 PM
the funny thing here is that I actually am considering a CommodoreONE.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: CodeSmith on July 11, 2003, 09:13:44 PM
Um, I just went to www.tulip.nl and found nothing about this.  Also, a google search on "Ironstone partners" comes up empty, so I'm not sure if there is such a company.  Can you tell us your source?  I think you've been fooled...
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: mikeymike on July 11, 2003, 09:14:52 PM
Get your flint and stone paper here!  How about a nice electronic paperweight sir?  Excellent! :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Palpatine on July 11, 2003, 09:16:27 PM
The article was published on a Dutch news site nu.nl (http://www.nu.nl). Here (http://www.nu.nl/news.jsp?n=174481&c=50) is a direct link to the article. Beware, it's Dutch  :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: redrumloa on July 11, 2003, 09:19:26 PM
Kees Kees, I know you just got married but did the brain really go that fast? Usually it takes 3-4months :-P

But seriously it isn't April 1, what gives :-?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 09:22:26 PM
@ red

It seems serious ...

by the way ....

/me slaps red with a big fish !   :-D
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 09:23:39 PM
I'll mail them for more info ... actually .. I already did :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: System on July 11, 2003, 09:35:00 PM
Quote
Tulip also stated that they will take action against the roughly 300 internet sites that use the Commodore name for their own business.


The Commodore One will be affected by this I would presume?

Could Tulip could build AmigaONE towers with OS4 and call them Commodore Amiga's?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: redrumloa on July 11, 2003, 09:36:32 PM
This has to be just about the most bizzare news i have read in memory, EVER. Even more bizzare than that whole iWin hoax. :crazy:

If this is true, this could have serious implications for the C=1. :pissed:
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 09:39:45 PM
Tulip did sell Commodore PC's in Holland a few years back ... why shouldn't try something like that again ... remember .. Retro is hot !
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Eric_Z on July 11, 2003, 09:40:27 PM
Quote
The Commodore One will be affected by this I would presume?

If it's still called the C-one, then no I don't think so.

Quote
Could Tulip could build AmigaONE towers with OS4 and call them Commodore Amiga's?


They would propably have to call themsometing other then
"the C= A1", but yes if they'd get a license from A.inc. they
most cetanly could.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Calen on July 11, 2003, 10:02:29 PM
Quote
According to Tulip there are still 6 million active Commodore users worldwide.

I know the C64 was easily the best comp of the 80s by far but still 6 million active?  I thought the odd quotes of 1 million active Amiga users was far out :-)  Our they including Commodore branded PC's, Amiga users and there aunt in this?

More info would be nice in what exactly they mean, A C64 design for 2003? (not good for CommodoreOne) or just relaunching the classic in it's original form? (seems silly)

Either way  i look forward to hearing more news, such a great bit of hardware the C64 is.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: mikeymike on July 11, 2003, 10:25:13 PM
I'd guess that there's about 5000 active Amiga users around now, excluding emulator only (ie. people that don't own Amigas as well).
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 11, 2003, 10:27:02 PM
oh .. i'd say that you can add a 0 ...
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: z5 on July 11, 2003, 10:29:20 PM
On a sidenote, we used Tulip pc's at work for a little while, just long enough to find out that they were complete crap.

We changed to Dell.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: mikeymike on July 11, 2003, 11:18:00 PM
@ Kees

What makes you think that?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Waccoon on July 11, 2003, 11:18:29 PM
6 Million?  What, are they all from underdeveloped African coutries?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: pteppic on July 11, 2003, 11:26:35 PM
what again?  Thats what they did with the Commodore WebIT which was a complete flop
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Darth_X on July 12, 2003, 12:08:39 AM
Quote
The article was published on a Dutch news site nu.nl. Here is a direct link to the article. Beware, it's Dutch  


Any english translators? ;)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: lempkee on July 12, 2003, 12:12:15 AM
5000 active amiga users?  hell no...
its more, for sure..

but if they have an pc also etc, then they might not use their amiga as widely..

but then again i think 5000 is far off ..
elbox sold hw to more than that so :)

anyway its growing again so...

but a nice site where we all could reg would have been nice.. (1 for peg , 1 for a1 and 1 for classic and 1 for emu people..)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: The_Editor on July 12, 2003, 12:48:25 AM
Do you think it might have something to do with tulip winning THIS (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/31612.html) ?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: kubyx on July 12, 2003, 12:52:34 AM
Tulip was SUPPOSED to revive the Commodore 64 back around 3 or 4 years ago. The news was big in the Commodore scene when it was first announced... like I said, around 3 or 4 years ago.

So I dunno if the NU site is pulling our leg, or is reading into things wrong, and giving out completely old and outdated information.

If it's true, then WOO HOO! Just as long as it comes out in the USA! :-D
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Plaz on July 12, 2003, 01:03:47 AM
Quote
I'd guess that there's about 5000 active Amiga users around now,


Sure, there is about 5000 through out the US, Canada  and South America. Added to the other users around the world, that must bring the total to about....... 5600  :-D  

Plaz (who owns 8 that still function in the USA)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Hooligan_DCS on July 12, 2003, 01:11:20 AM
I'd estimate between 15-20k. Thats owners, not necessarily people using Amigas as the primary computer. But surely a lot more than 5000, thats for sure.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 12, 2003, 01:16:10 AM
http://www.commodore.nl ....

Looks like a 2003 site ... and not a 1998 one ...
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 12, 2003, 01:20:36 AM
If Tulip is really going to do this ... they need to be ready for thousands of mails from the Amiga community ... some1 should warn them ;-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: mepmepmep on July 12, 2003, 02:00:00 AM
5000 worldwide is just ridiculous... I would say 5000 maybe in  Sweden where I'm from. And I would say that Europeans has alwarys been very fond of the Amiga computer, although it's an american product. Why's that.... What has brought the Amiga to our hearts?? Well I would say that all Swedes, Danes, Finnes and Norweigean people know what I'm talking about.. but what's so special about this product... Sorry, I forgot to mention the Germans, the French and the Italians-- How come this strangely big impact in Europe??
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: kubyx on July 12, 2003, 03:15:03 AM
@Kees:

Who said 1998? Commodore.nl has been around since 1996 with the same message since around 2000. :-)

Need proof? Here is the whois information:

   Domain name:
      commodore.nl (first domain)

   Status: active

   Registrant:
      Tulip Computers International B.V.
      Burgemeester Burgerslaan 40
      5245 NH  ROSMALEN
      Netherlands

   Domicile:
      N/A

   Committed to ADR: no

   Administrative contact:
      W. Nijholt
      +31 73 6405124
      postmaster@commodore.nl

   Registrar:
      KPN Telecom B.V. Operator Vaste Net
      Regulusweg 1
      2516 AC  'S-GRAVENHAGE
      Netherlands

   Technical contact:
      W. Nijholt
      +31 73 6405124
      wnijholt@tulipcomputers.com

   Domain nameservers:
      dns1.tulip.com       194.151.54.10
      dns2.tulip.com       194.151.54.20

   Date first registered: 16-04-1996
   Record last updated: 20-06-2000
   Record maintained by: NL Domain Registry
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: kubyx on July 12, 2003, 03:27:56 AM
From the sounds of things, this "reviving the Commodore 64" sounds more like a PC with a software emulator. Kinda like the WebIT. (http://amiga.org/images/subject/icon13.gif)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: redrumloa on July 12, 2003, 05:47:13 AM
Quote
The computer won't be laucned in its current shape. Ironstone will produce software for Tulip that will allow its excisting computers to be redesigned as a commodore.


AAARGH, a commercial emulator probably with a hefty price tag.

Make sure you download a recent copy of your favorite C64 emulator soon and make sure you have a real machine handy for legal reasons. :-x
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: CodeSmith on July 12, 2003, 05:57:12 AM
Redrum, you might have to change your avatar... there's some serious copyright infringement going on right there  :-P

Refurbished by
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: opi on July 12, 2003, 07:47:35 AM
I rather like to buy C= One and not some PC/Emulator crap ;)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: PulsatingQuasar on July 12, 2003, 08:48:16 AM
Quote
The roughly 300 commercial website that use the Commodore name will be delt with.


What dows that mean exactly? If they also close the abandonware sites then I only see a company that wants to hangout the dictator and destoy that community.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Blomberg on July 12, 2003, 09:34:29 AM
@Plaz
Quote
Sure, there is about 5000 through out the US, Canada and South America. Added to the other users around the world, that must bring the total to about....... 5600
You obviously don't have a clue what you're talking about here, the bulk of Amiga users has always been (and I believe it still is) in Europe.
In the late 80's and early 90's *everyone* i know (that were into computers) had Amigas, and any flea market you go to in my country usually turns up a couple of A500 or A1200's.
AFAIK, the Amiga was never really that big in America due to ... feck, i don't know why ...
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: alx on July 12, 2003, 10:44:31 AM
@Calen

Quote
More info would be nice in what exactly they mean, A C64 design for 2003? (not good for CommodoreOne) or just relaunching the classic in it's original form? (seems silly)


Isn't the C=1 between those two?  More powerfull and configurable than a C64, but not modern enough to be a primary computer for 2003?

@kubyx

Quote
Who said 1998? Commodore.nl has been around since 1996 with the same message since around 2000


I had a quick look on the Wayback machine, and the current site has been exactly the same since 2001 :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: mikeymike on July 12, 2003, 11:43:00 AM
Quote
5000 worldwide is just ridiculous... I would say 5000 maybe in Sweden where I'm from.


Would you like to back that up with some facts?  Mine was only a guess, partly based on the ~1000 coupon purchasers, and based on the belief that most active Amiga users wouldn't upgrade until the new platform had matured a bit (ie. by the second new hardware and OS release).  It is pointless to keep saying that everyones' figures are ridiculous/wrong/way off when there's still no concrete information to base the argument on.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: cockney_dave on July 12, 2003, 12:11:29 PM
This is OLD news - Tulip talked about this before and Escom before them (and look what happened to them).

6 million active C64 users - come on, no one takes that figure seriously do they?

Tulip - thought they went bust and took the commodore name with them?
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: redrumloa on July 12, 2003, 02:32:09 PM
I'd only guess 5000 - 10000 left also. I used to be much more optimistic, but in my eyes things have erroded to nothing. Actually I would put hard active users at under 3000, and soft(still some interest) users at somewhere about 10000.

Anyhow this is OT, any further lets move to the forum :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: amigamad on July 12, 2003, 03:27:16 PM
CommodoreONE what will they call it if the cannot use the commodore name, myself i would just call it the kommodore one.
 :-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: AmigaMac on July 12, 2003, 03:41:40 PM
Well this is definitely an interesting announcement.  I remember one of my best friends had a C64 and I use to borrow it and would go through those simple programming books to (which would take almost hour or more to write just to get five minutes of WOW time :-D

I can now see these things selling at Wal-Mart  :-o
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Tomas on July 12, 2003, 05:03:46 PM
Quote
I'd guess that there's about 5000 active Amiga users around now,

Way to small number.. I know localtv channels/info channels and even airports that still use them with scala  for their infoboxes.. I was damn suprised when i noticed an amiga guru meditation on those big screen tvs at airport a little while ago  ;-)
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kees on July 12, 2003, 08:04:30 PM
Amiga.org has over 7000 members ... and that was 8 weeks ago or something
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: CodeSmith on July 13, 2003, 04:02:03 AM
Since you don't need to be a member in order to read the threads, that figure doesn't include all the lurkers.  Maybe the 10K user figure isn't so far off the mark.

Of course, a different question altogether is "how many of us are still using amiga hardware?"  In my case, I have a PC at home that I only use for web browsing and an accelerated A1200 that gets used once or twice a week to play classics like Syndicate or Beneath a Steel Sky.  PC games suck these days... all 3D eyecandy and no gameplay.  I really hope the next generation of amiga games writers won't fall for the same trap.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Kronos on July 13, 2003, 09:40:29 AM
@CodeSmith

It doesn't matter how many still use Amiga-HW, but how many
just use UAE(or a real Amiga) to play old OCS/AGA-games, and
how many use them for something more.

Further downs the line one may ask how many are prepared to
buy new SW/HW.

Atm selling 1000 units of "something" would be considered
a big success in this "market".
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: CodeSmith on July 13, 2003, 09:48:45 AM
@Kronos

Well, as far as market presence is concerned I don't count emulator users because (except for amigans that need the CPU horsepower of amithlon) they won't buy any new amiga hardware, and are usually content playing old games from ADF files (ie they probably won't buy new software either).  Which means that as far as "the amiga market" is concerned they are an evolutionary dead end.  They are a potential source of new users, but otherwise I don't think they should be counted as "active amiga users".  This does exclude amithlon users, I consider those to be in the "as soon as powerful hardware comes out I'll probably buy it" category.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Wildstar128 on July 15, 2003, 07:32:06 PM
Hello Kees,

You must be talking about Web.It.  A Windows PC with a C= emulator and try to say it is a Commodore 64. Um, that didn't sell too well.  Real C= users didn't buy the BS. I do like to see C= branded PDAs and other mobile devices, devices utilizing the C-One technology (developed by Jeri Ellsworth), new & old software for both Commodore classics, C-One, and the PDA/mobile devices.

It would be also of interest to market upgrades (to some degree) to actual Commodore 8 bits and C-One which would be a new series of Commodore branded "Commodore" computers. I would love to see Tulip expand the brand to other products as well.

The key is, don't BS the real Commodore users. You can BS the emulator users which only use emulators and not the real thing.

Though a line of PC clones may be reasonable but Tulip already does that in the "Tulip" brand. It really makes little or no sense.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Wildstar128 on July 15, 2003, 08:17:09 PM
Go to the main International homepage at the following:

http://www.tulip.com

Then move your pointer to the Corporate News section and then a drop down will appear and click on the first option. Then a page will appear and click on the news title "Tulip Relaunches Commodore". If you only know English then select the news title that is in full English. Then the English version of the news should appear.
Title: Re: Tulip to Bring Back Commodore
Post by: Wildstar128 on July 15, 2003, 08:20:05 PM
Kees, expect it to take a week or two maybe 3-4 weeks. They do have a tendancy to be slow at responding. They have slow turn around time which in my opinion they can adjust.