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| Commodore 3032 |
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Commodore 4032 |
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Model 2001-32N BS serial
1077144, 3032 Series Professional Computer,
made in USA.
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Model 4032-32N,
serial WG 1088, made in West Germany. |
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| A successor
to the original PET 2001, the 3032 has more
memory and a full size, if somewhat unusual,
keyboard layout but still only a nine inch
monochrome screen. It was launched in 1979.
With 32KB memory and the larger keyboard,
the 3032 was more like a professional computer.
The cassette deck was now a separate unit
and disk drives and printers were available.
My 3032 has been upgraded to Basic 4.0 by
a previous owner. |
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Introduced
in 1980, the 4032 also has 32K of memory and
Basic 4.0 but boasts a twelve inch screen.
Apart from the screen size and the addition
of a piezo buzzer giving limited sound to
the 4032, these two computers appear much
the same to the user. I have another 4032,
serial WG 7663 also made in West Germany.
This one has what seems to be a common fault
among PETs, a screen full of characters when
switched on. |
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| The Commodore
PET (Personal Electronic Transactor)
series of computers introduced in 1977
were the first to be sold as a complete
package, ready to use straight out of
the box. Commodore had bought out MOS
Technology, a chip maker and had the
6502 processor available. PETs came
equipped with a version of Microsoft
Basic. |
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| The original PETs
had a built-in cassette recorder and
a keyboard with calculator-style keys,
dubbed Chiclet after a brand of chewing
gum. Probably the only time in its existence,
Commodore listened to its customers
and removed the cassette, leaving room
for a full-size keyboard. |
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| As well as two
cassette recorders (called Datasettes),
disk drives and printers can be added.
Only Commodore peripherals could be
easily connected. |
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| The PET appealed
to home users but was also sold as a
business machine. In the US it was sold
to schools. |
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| In Europe, the
3032 and subsequent machines were badged
as a CBM (Commodore Business Machines)
but retained the PET's graphic symbols
and the non-standard positioning of
some characters on the keyboard. |
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| Commodore 8032
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| Model 8032-32B
BSI, serial 20003778, made in USA. |
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| With its
80 column screen the 8032 was aimed at the
business market. The PET graphics characters
are still there but are not shown on the keys.
The original monitor on my 8032 had a completely
black front. It was damaged in transit and
has been replaced. |
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