Commodore shop in Rome-Italy, Dec. 2010 (english subtitles)
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We were Commodore dealers, starting with the VIC-20...
...the C=64 and in following years...
with all of Commodore's developments...
...including the Amiga with its related hardware and software.
We were specialized in gaming, thus following the Amiga...
...up to its epilogue.
Today, many enthusiasts hunt down old hardware...
...and we try to help them.
The sign remains for sentimental reasons.
Our clients always identified us with Commodore.
Definitively, we have even placed ads for hardware and software...
...still available here.
There is still interest, now even from people that are married and have kids...
...who feel nostalgic and seek to freshen and revive their memories...
...of the times they came here and endlessly queued for gaming.
We were also specialized in various modifications...
...hardware accelerators, some of them we might still have here actually.
Various accessories and peripherals, software, even professional titles.
Music software for the Commodore 64, for example.
I believe Lucio Battisti used the C=64 for some of his earlier compositions...
...using the Commodore 64 title "Music Studio" with 16-track recording.
An unthinkable achievement at the time.
I believe we still have a copy of a software title...
...used by NASA to design space shuttle parts...
...with the Commodore 64. We are talking about a computer...
...that looked like a toy, but those that knew how to use it...
...could create extremely interesting things.
Gemar was born in 1966.
Our main growth period was between 1982 and early 1990's...
...when Commodore was still up.
We followed Commodore, and sadly, watched it die.
I have recently seen online, some sort of a "remake" of the C=64.
Certainly Microsoft, Apple or somebody else...
...were annoyed by Commodore being in every household in the world.
There was not a single house without a Commodore computer.
Market penetration was very significant.
The "professional" computers of those times, were laughable...
...in the gaming department.
Commodore occupied that space with machines displaying...
...advanced graphical and musical capabilities.
Machines like the Amiga, way ahead of the competition.
I provided Commodore machines to some of the most famous...
...people in the world. Ok, let's not exaggerate!
Let's say in Italy.
Fabrizzio Frizzi was a first-time Commodore user.
Also, Lello Arena, Diego Abatantuono...
Many actors and actresses that bought their first...
...Commodore and Amiga machines, did so here with us, as new users.
We educated half of Italy, (ok, of Rome!)...
...and helped in understanding exactly what was a computer.
...And all Commodore users, are today truly proficient.
I acquired my first Commodore machine, even before CBM became famous.
Those first computers, manufactured in the USA...
...were named as Commodore PET.
A bulky machine, coloured like this, with a green monitor and a keyboard.
It consisted of a slightly enhanced version of the VIC-20...
...but with a definitively professional profile.
The Amiga 1000 was a colossal triumph.
A sleek, beautiful computer with its own keyboard and monitor...
...colourful images and smooth games.
Truly, a machine that revolutionised the computing universe...
...and paved a new way for all those that today make part of this universe.
In my opinion, without Commodore, this would not have been possible.
Well, I cannot be sure about this, but considering the fact that...
...there were factories in the UK, in Germany, in the USA...
...in Japan, I believe 5-6 in total approximately...
...all over the world, so, at least here in Italy...
...there really was a Commodore computer into every household.
We are 55 million people in Italy, so that could easily translate...
...into a similar number of Commodore computers.
Every single family owned one, and we can do the math.
Actually, many families owned more than one, because...
...every kid wanted one for their own!
Do you notice any differences between the youngsters of that era...
...and those of today?
Gosh... in my opinion, the kids of those days...
...had to think and explore a bit more than today's generation.
The computer wasn't really a plug'n'play thing.
They had to look more into it, and even become passionate...
...with BASIC and programming, the computer spoke to them.
There were even speech programs, where they inputted text...
...and listened excitedly to the computer's voice.
There was a degree of creativity involved.
We are talking about a period that flourished around 1984, so...
...those that are today in their 30's and 40's...
...once teenage kids, now with families of their own...
...can handle computers with great ease.
They had a wonderful apprenticeship.
The PC world consisted of green displays and games that went like...
