2004-06-15
Commodore Group Survey
I found this survey from a company calling itself the "Commodore Group", and it sort of seems like they're trying to start selling Commodore computers again, apparently new ones. After going through the survey, it seems they just want to sell plain old PCs with a Commodore sticker on them, or something.
This is pretty disappointing to geeks like me, who would like to see a new computer with some personality, like so many of the old machines that still interest me.
You can check out the survey here, if you want to send it in yourself: Commodore Survey
Well, I filled out the survey anyway, and sent it in - here it is (long!):
1)What type of computer do you have now?
My newest computer runs Windows ME, with an AMD 2200XP+ processor, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB hard drive. I've got dozens of other computers, not sure why you're assuming I only have one.
2)What year was your computer made?
2003. However, I've got computers going back to at least 1980.
3)What model computer?
Not sure what you mean that isn't dealt with in #1.
4)How long have you owned it?
Since 2003.
5)Do you prefer Desktop computers or Laptops?
I own far more desktops than laptops, but appreciate each for their own uses.
6)Where do you usually buy you computer?
"you computer"? I usually buy you computer online, in the last 5 years or so anyway.
7)Did you purchase you computer online or dial a toll-free number or buy it from a brick & mortar store?
See answer #6.
8)List three main reasons why you would buy a brand-new Commodore?
If it's just another Windows or Linux machine, I'm really not interested. Maybe a cool Commodore related case would interest me, or some interesting hardware - but then, couldn't I just buy the case and hardware (like, a PCI card or something) right from you?
9)Would you pay more to own a new Commodore?
A bit more, if it was interesting, yeah.
10) What is your age?
31
11) What is your sex?
Male
12) What is your household income?
$0.97 per unspecified unit of time.
13) What is you favorite radio station?
You favorite radio station is CBC Radio 1.
14) What is your favorite TV station?
The Score.
15) What is your favorite TV show?
Hockey Night in Canada
16) What is your favorite newspaper?
The Chronicle Journal.
17) What is your favorite magazine?
Transactor. You didn't say "current magazine" but if that's what you mean, I don't have one.
18) What clubs do you belong to?
UCUGA, LUCKI, MaiLink.
19) What are your three favorite web sites?
(computer related)
http://www.c64.sk/
http://www.ffd2.com/minigame
http://atariage.com/
20) What type of work do you do?
Computery stuff for a telco.
21) What level of education do you have?
University graduate.
22) Do you want the new Commodore to look similar to the original color scheme of the Commodore 64, or would you prefer a completely different color scheme?
There's been a couple color schemes. Most computers today have a similar color scheme to the 64C, so that's nothing special. I guess you're asking if I want a brown computer. Sure. I want a brown computer.
23) Do you want the new Commodore to look similar to the original Commodore 64, or would you prefer a completely different design?
If you could fit a PC in a breadbox, yeah, I'd be somewhat interested. More interested than just a PC in a case with a C= sticker on it.
24) What made Commodore special?
That it was different. That's what made the whole era special - there were a bunch of computers out there, and they had different processors, different video and sound, different operating systems, different games.
25) What amount of memory do you want it to have? 256MB, 512MB, Higher?
You're releasing this in 2006? My budget PC I bought last year has 512MB, if you're trying to compete with that.
26) What size hard drive do you want it to have? 80GB, 100GB, 120GB, Higher?
Whatever is the best size for the $ in 2006. I'm sure 120GB would be the smallest available by then.
27) What Video Card do you want it to have?
I don't want a video card, I want a video chip. Like a VIC-III. But you're just buying parts off the shelf? This is just going to be another PC clone, isn't it. Bah. Radeon then.
28) What Sound Card do you want it to have?
I want it to have a SID-II chip. Make that two.
29) Do you prefer Flat screen monitors or CRT monitors?
I'd prefer not to buy one from you if I can help it. Unless it's going to be "Commodore monitor" which would be okay. I'd buy a 1703, I guess.
30) Do you prefer AMD or Intel?
Out of those two choices, AMD.
31) What processor do you want it to have?
Something neat and new.
32) Who do you consider to be our competition?
The thousands of other companies putting out the same old stuff. If you do something neat and new, you will have just about no competition.
33) Where would you expect us to advertise?
Where you would reach the most prospective buyers.
34) What programs would you like on the new machine?
A programming language to hack with.
35) What three games would you like on the new machine?
Autoduel II, Delta II and Wizball II.
36) Would you like to see the original Commodore 64 games on the new system?
Sure.
37) What are your favorite current games?
Tron II, Farcry, NHL 2004, if I understand "current games" correctly.
38) What three things you want for sure to be included on the new machine?
9 pin joystick ports, SID-II, and VIC-III.
39) Do you like the original Commodore logo or should an updated logo be created?
I like the original.
40) Who or what should Commodore's new spokesperson be?
Kiki Stockhammer or Jim Butterfield.
41) Who or what should be Commodore's new mascot be?
Kiki Stockhammer or Jim Butterfield should be Commodore's new mascot be.
42) How much would you be willing to pay?
If it's just a PC, a wee bit more than a comparable PC. If it's something neat and new, we'll see.
43) Do you have any other comments? Try to be as detailed as you can.
The context of this questionnaire should have been explained better. Most everything I read here makes it seem like you're going to build another Intel/AMD box with parts off the shelf, and put a C= badge on it, and perhaps cater to the C= crowd a wee bit more by including an emulator or something else sort of "retro".
When a rebirth of Commodore is talked about, people are hoping for a neat new machine in the vein of the C64 or the Amiga or something, but that isn't what appears to be going on here.
Robin Harbron
This is pretty disappointing to geeks like me, who would like to see a new computer with some personality, like so many of the old machines that still interest me.
You can check out the survey here, if you want to send it in yourself: Commodore Survey
Well, I filled out the survey anyway, and sent it in - here it is (long!):
1)What type of computer do you have now?
My newest computer runs Windows ME, with an AMD 2200XP+ processor, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB hard drive. I've got dozens of other computers, not sure why you're assuming I only have one.
2)What year was your computer made?
2003. However, I've got computers going back to at least 1980.
3)What model computer?
Not sure what you mean that isn't dealt with in #1.
4)How long have you owned it?
Since 2003.
5)Do you prefer Desktop computers or Laptops?
I own far more desktops than laptops, but appreciate each for their own uses.
6)Where do you usually buy you computer?
"you computer"? I usually buy you computer online, in the last 5 years or so anyway.
7)Did you purchase you computer online or dial a toll-free number or buy it from a brick & mortar store?
See answer #6.
8)List three main reasons why you would buy a brand-new Commodore?
If it's just another Windows or Linux machine, I'm really not interested. Maybe a cool Commodore related case would interest me, or some interesting hardware - but then, couldn't I just buy the case and hardware (like, a PCI card or something) right from you?
9)Would you pay more to own a new Commodore?
A bit more, if it was interesting, yeah.
10) What is your age?
31
11) What is your sex?
Male
12) What is your household income?
$0.97 per unspecified unit of time.
13) What is you favorite radio station?
You favorite radio station is CBC Radio 1.
14) What is your favorite TV station?
The Score.
15) What is your favorite TV show?
Hockey Night in Canada
16) What is your favorite newspaper?
The Chronicle Journal.
17) What is your favorite magazine?
Transactor. You didn't say "current magazine" but if that's what you mean, I don't have one.
18) What clubs do you belong to?
UCUGA, LUCKI, MaiLink.
19) What are your three favorite web sites?
(computer related)
http://www.c64.sk/
http://www.ffd2.com/minigame
http://atariage.com/
20) What type of work do you do?
Computery stuff for a telco.
21) What level of education do you have?
University graduate.
22) Do you want the new Commodore to look similar to the original color scheme of the Commodore 64, or would you prefer a completely different color scheme?
There's been a couple color schemes. Most computers today have a similar color scheme to the 64C, so that's nothing special. I guess you're asking if I want a brown computer. Sure. I want a brown computer.
23) Do you want the new Commodore to look similar to the original Commodore 64, or would you prefer a completely different design?
If you could fit a PC in a breadbox, yeah, I'd be somewhat interested. More interested than just a PC in a case with a C= sticker on it.
24) What made Commodore special?
That it was different. That's what made the whole era special - there were a bunch of computers out there, and they had different processors, different video and sound, different operating systems, different games.
25) What amount of memory do you want it to have? 256MB, 512MB, Higher?
You're releasing this in 2006? My budget PC I bought last year has 512MB, if you're trying to compete with that.
26) What size hard drive do you want it to have? 80GB, 100GB, 120GB, Higher?
Whatever is the best size for the $ in 2006. I'm sure 120GB would be the smallest available by then.
27) What Video Card do you want it to have?
I don't want a video card, I want a video chip. Like a VIC-III. But you're just buying parts off the shelf? This is just going to be another PC clone, isn't it. Bah. Radeon then.
28) What Sound Card do you want it to have?
I want it to have a SID-II chip. Make that two.
29) Do you prefer Flat screen monitors or CRT monitors?
I'd prefer not to buy one from you if I can help it. Unless it's going to be "Commodore monitor" which would be okay. I'd buy a 1703, I guess.
30) Do you prefer AMD or Intel?
Out of those two choices, AMD.
31) What processor do you want it to have?
Something neat and new.
32) Who do you consider to be our competition?
The thousands of other companies putting out the same old stuff. If you do something neat and new, you will have just about no competition.
33) Where would you expect us to advertise?
Where you would reach the most prospective buyers.
34) What programs would you like on the new machine?
A programming language to hack with.
35) What three games would you like on the new machine?
Autoduel II, Delta II and Wizball II.
36) Would you like to see the original Commodore 64 games on the new system?
Sure.
37) What are your favorite current games?
Tron II, Farcry, NHL 2004, if I understand "current games" correctly.
38) What three things you want for sure to be included on the new machine?
9 pin joystick ports, SID-II, and VIC-III.
39) Do you like the original Commodore logo or should an updated logo be created?
I like the original.
40) Who or what should Commodore's new spokesperson be?
Kiki Stockhammer or Jim Butterfield.
41) Who or what should be Commodore's new mascot be?
Kiki Stockhammer or Jim Butterfield should be Commodore's new mascot be.
42) How much would you be willing to pay?
If it's just a PC, a wee bit more than a comparable PC. If it's something neat and new, we'll see.
43) Do you have any other comments? Try to be as detailed as you can.
The context of this questionnaire should have been explained better. Most everything I read here makes it seem like you're going to build another Intel/AMD box with parts off the shelf, and put a C= badge on it, and perhaps cater to the C= crowd a wee bit more by including an emulator or something else sort of "retro".
When a rebirth of Commodore is talked about, people are hoping for a neat new machine in the vein of the C64 or the Amiga or something, but that isn't what appears to be going on here.
Robin Harbron
