Jack Tramiel at Computer History Museum - Dec. 10 !!!

[RobertB]

Today I was able to make phone contact with Karen Tucker of
the Computer History Museum and question her on the details for the event, "The Impact of the Commodore 64: A 25-Year
Celebration".  Here are the specifics:

Location: Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd,
(exit from the 101 Freeway) Mountain View, California  94043
Phone: 650 810-1010

Time and format of the event: Monday, Dec. 10
6 pm - 7 pm -- Museum member's reception with the guests.
Beer, wine, and hors' doeuvres served.
7 pm - 8:30 or 9 pm -- First words/speech by Jack Tramiel,
panel discussion, question-and-answer session
Afterwards, informal chit-chat and possible autographs

Admission -- for the reception, free to museum members ($65
membership)
for the event, free general admission ($10 donation requested)

Seating capacity -- 400

Webpage -- Karen remarks that they are "stupidly slow" at
updating the events' page at
http://www.computerhistory.org/events/  but assures that
the event "is really going to happen... definitely".

Guests to speak/appear (updated) -- Jack Tramiel (pronounced
/tra mel/, Karen tells), former CEO of Commodore Business
Machines

Steve Wozniak of Apple fame

William C. Lowe, father of the IBM PC

Adam Chowaniec, former vice-president of technology for
Amiga at Commodore Business Machines

John Markoff, moderator of the panel discussion and New
York Times reporter and author of the computer history
book, "What the Dormouse"

Leonard Tramiel, former vice-president of software
development and v.p. of advanced technology at Atari
Corporation

Jeri Ellsworth, engineer behind the CommodoreOne and the
C64 DTV

Media recording - photography (no flash), videography, and
audio-taping permitted.  Possible webcast from Liquid
Computing of Canada (Chowaniec's current company),
which is sponsoring the event.


Some items are still in flux; when I have further updates, I will
post them.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Aegis]

Wow, I can't believe there's people actually suggesting that Tramiel would've done a better job than Gould and Ali (although I'll warrant you that he probably couldn't have done worse) - JT pretty much single-handedly destroyed Atari through a succession of blunders and bad decisions and hung the original Amiga team out to dry before Commodore stepped in at the last minute.

Atari pre-Tramiel had the biggest selling home video games console, a line of 8 bit computers far superior to anything on the market (with a price tag to match though) and the 5200 Super System all ready to launch - they should've gone on to become the dominant force in gaming and computing in the US but Tramiel blew it and it hurts me to this day that Atari (much like the Amiga) lives on pretty much only in name.

Check out the really rather awesome AtariAge.com for more Atari history

[quenthal]

@Aegis:

Without Tramiel there would not been Commodore at all and without MOS/CSG many Atari machines as we know wouldn't exist.

Pre-Tramiel Atari was indeed the biggest, but it was going down and fast before him. Infact it was the opportunity that opened console/computer business again for retired JT, who got it running, even though only a while.

[RobertB]

Met with Dale Luck, Amiga software engineer, yesterday at the Vintage Computer Festival 10.0.  After congratulating him and teasing
him a bit on his recent marriage, I mentioned that Jack Tramiel would be speaking at the Computer History Museum on Dec. 10.  Surprised, he remarked that he didn't know anything about it.  I described the event to him and the times.  I mentioned that Adam Chowaniec would be there, and he said that knew Adam.  Dale was interested in going to the event and would tell other Amiga engineers, too.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug
         The Other Group of Amigoids
         http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

The event, "The Impact of the Commodore 64: A 25-Year
Celebration", with Jack Tramiel is now listed at the Computer
History Museum's website at
http://www.computerhistory.org/events/

          Truly,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug
          The Other Group of Amigoids
          http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

On Nov 10, 8:17 am, Cameron Kaiser wrote:

> Robert, have you heard anything about when tickets will be available?

On Nov. 14 I spoke to Valerie, events person at CHM. She said that the event looks as if it's going to be a sell-out (capacity set at 400 with no extra space due to fire marshal restrictions). Ticket pre-registration for sponsors and invitees opens up soon. Regular registration for the general public opens up at the end of the month. Registration details will be at the website -- http://www.computerhistory.org

In another phone call with her Nov. 15, she provided clarification; if you become a Computer History Museum member for $65, you can be put on the pre-registration list for the event.

In an e-mail received last night, Bil Herd, CBM lead engineer in the development of the Commodore 128, has now confirmed that he will attend the event.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

Received an e-mail from Dave Haynie today. He has
offered to put my event videos up on his YouTube site. And
so, it seems that I will be mailing him DVD copies after the
show (Merry Christmas, Dave!).  

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[RobertB]

Registration for the general public has now opened up.  Go to
http://www.computerhistory.org/events/index.php?id=1193702785

Also notice the link at that page for watching the event live
over the Net.

         Truly,
         Robert Bernardo
         Fresno Commodore User Group
         http://videocam.net.au/fcug
         The Other Group of Amigoids
         http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/