[AccessD] The Commodore 64 makes a comeback. Sort of...

[Gustav Brock]

Hi Rocky

Yes, and the preformatted floppies did cost a fortune. 
We quickly managed to find out to make them ourselves from standard CP/M formatted floppies by means of a disk editor. It was only a few bytes you had to "flip" and - voila - you had an AVL diskette.

I also recall how we used a standard oscilloscope to "break" the PosiTrak code controlling the projectors. We had to find out as our automated control system had to know how to reset the full projector stack controlled by the QD3 or Dove control units. 
The rumour went and we happened to have a visit by the chief engineer who was curious about these boys in Copenhagen and their doings. The AVL people were nice - young, curious, and hardworking as ourselves, and we visited the AVL premises several times and established a lasting friendship.

As you know, the (true) multi-media business transformed completely as HDTV and video projectors evolved and wiped out the slide projectors and 16 mm projectors and 35 mm projectors for corporate usage.

/gustav

________________________________________
Fra: AccessD <accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> på vegne af Rocky Smolin <rockysmolin at bchacc.com>
Sendt: 25. juli 2015 06:16
Til: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Emne: Re: [AccessD] The Commodore 64 makes a comeback. Sort of...

I remember the Eagle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Computer

I also remember their proprietary floppy disk formats.

What a relief when IBM standardized the industry.

R


-----Original Message-----
From: AccessD [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of
Gustav Brock
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2015 8:23 AM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] The Commodore 64 makes a comeback. Sort of...

Hi Rocky

Well, I didn't - and didn't even miss one.

It may have been because I worked with the AVL Eagle computer (CB/M based)
from 1978 and with the IBM PC from its launch. With the AVL Eagle as a
serious tool of that time, and the respectful - not to say frightening - IBM
branding of the PC, everything else seemed like toys. And with the Macintosh
in 1984 the scene was set.

Also, the IBM PC was a real pro design for heavy use, the Macintosh was neat
in its own way and represented good engineering while Commodore 64, Amstrad,
and Atari were of ugly design and seemed manufactured the cheapest way
possible.

Perhaps I'm just dull and boring. The only game I found really fascinating
is Tetris from the "Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows." (notice the
dot). Just checked: I still have the box.

/gustav

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: AccessD [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] På vegne af
RockySmolin at bchacc.com
Sendt: 23. juli 2015 16:55
Til: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Emne: [AccessD] The Commodore 64 makes a comeback. Sort of...


http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=278219&cid=nl.dn
14.20150723


I'll bet most of us had one of these.

r