billlagr wrote:Many many years ago I had a PET 8032SK and an 8080 (I think) disk drive - the drive was in a dirty great steel case and was extremely heavy...it had two dive mechanisms and from memory was a double sided drive as well?
The BASIC on the 8032 was pretty good too...such a shame that the BASIC went backwards when it went into the C64 and VIC
My 2040 drive has the upgraded ROMS for it (wanted a 4040 drive but couldn't find one at the same time I bought the PET) and is sure a heavy tank!
The 8050 drive reads the disks from both sides and I'm sure had more advanced ROMS inside it also!
8000 series computers were meant for business applications not game programming thus the elimination of 2 graphic characters on every key of the earlier 4000 series and i believe 2000 series if they weren't the business model as well.
I started out with the PET and grew to the Vic-20 and ended my Commodore experience there (never went to the 64) as I then found by 85/86 women and partying
Now that I'm married, I can regress back to the PET and Vic-20 as women and partying are off limits

(not in my thoughts though)
Brian