In Search Of the Original Wooden PET - Leonard Tramiel

[@NuntiusLegis]

The Visicalc story reflects my exact thoughts on spreadsheet programs to this day. I always thought it's easier, more flexible, and more fun to write a little BASIC program to do a calculation.

[@vcfederation]

That was certainly a fun story!

[@xiphod1337]

Thanks for hosting and sharing this. The question I would ask: "if you could power on this wooden PET, what would you expect to see on the screen?" (2KB memory? Microsoft vs Commodore BASIC, etc.??) // VCF: Please seek out Dennis Roberson this year, one of the last surviving creators involved in SCAMP (1973-2023, 50yr).

[@vcfederation]

@voidstar1337: I spoke with Leonard this past weekend and he said 8K.

[@FredrikRambris]

As much as we need to archive the machines and their software for future generations, we need to archive the stories around them. Thank you for letting the people behind these machines tell their stories for you to record and archive.

[@vcfederation]

Yes. That is part of VCF's mission to preserve the history of vintage computers. This is part of the reason why we put on these shows. The Computer History Museum does their part, but they still miss a lot of people in their oral histories.

[@carpetbomberz]

1:01:51 - Love that Leonard talks about Gary Kildall of DRI. This is the story telling I came here for. That and the mention of using a Mac Lisa to do development for the Atari ST.

[@vcfederation]

It's so fun how all the different machines and histories are related to each other.

[@hernancoronel]

At 22:00 I’d bet KZbinr Curious Marc and team would be ideally equipped to pull off the archive of the ROM, having done the Apollo Computer code dump and several other very challenging projects. Thanks for the great video!

[@vcfederation]

Yes. There are a lot of fans and hobbyists who could archive the ROMs. So many incredibly talented and dedicated hobbyists out there.

[@rwdplz1]

35:35 I ran into this once bringing my work computer into Mexico. I could tell the POS was fishing for a bribe, but I just played dumb. Eventually he let me go.

[@vcfederation]

Wow! So sad to see corruption at customs. Glad that you were able to not pay the bribe!

[@dataroger]

Obviously this machine was the property of Commodore. If the museum can not prove how it got hold of the machine and that this was from someone that had permission to give it to them, then obviously the Tramiel family or current owners of Commodore property have a good case to get it back. Posession is not ownership.

[@vcfederation]

True.

[@furripupau]

I love how dry his sense of humor is, the jokes going over the crowd's head just makes it funnier.

[@vcfederation]

@furripupau: Leonard is a fun guy!

[@commodorehistory]

Phenomenal!! Thank you for recording and uploading!

[@vcfederation]

Yes. This is one of those rare and fun stories!

[@brentgoeller8257]

How on earth did nobody ask, "What was it like have your dad?" or "Was your dad always as angry as the movies make him out to be?" or something along those lines? You have access to somebody with the closest inside knowledge of Jack Tramiel in the world. I have so many questions. Awesome video. Love watching these.

[@vcfederation]

You are right. Those are great questions. You should send him an email and ask him!

[@kenromaine2387]

Hanover CeBIT a few times in the late 1980s & early 1990's. CeBIT was the best train show to attend, The USA train shows like COMDEX & Interop are not vendor friendly trade shows, CeBIT was great. Agree 100% renting a car and finding a room to share in Hanover was a problem.

[@vcfederation]

Thanks for sharing!

[@johnathanstevens8436]

Yes, the B series had a neat look as well

[@vcfederation]

Yes. Very smooth look to them!

[@_techana]

Anywhere we can one see the pictures Leonard Tramiel took for the Wooden PET in CHE? It would be nice to post them online.

[@HutchCA]

Many of the photos are posted on my blog, with permission from Leonard Tramiel and John Feagans. I can't post a link here but you can find a link to my blog on my KZbin page.

[@SteveMaves]

@@HutchCA I went and looked, the last article is see is from Nov. 2020. Would love to get a look up close.

[@HutchCA]

@@SteveMaves scroll back to earlier posts. It was posted March 2020

[@SteveMaves]

@@HutchCA Found the pictures, thanks Chuck for posting them!

[@vcfederation]

Yes. Slides are here: vcfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/VCF_West_2022_Leonard_Tramiel.pdf

[@philippelewis3543]

👁️

[@vcfederation]

FOUND!