7 10 106 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/5f0c1cd21ed61a557ae9b74ea24ca960.jpg bbd490207408c3b824c721702aad2d2f hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Matrox Alt-256**2 computer graphics card Subject The topic of the resource hardware: computer graphics card Description An account of the resource Matrox Electronic Systems was established in Montreal in 1976 at the peak of the North American computer hobby movement and the beginning of the rapid growth of the microcomputer market. Co-founders Lorne Trottier and Branko Matić identified an opportunity to expand the microcomputing market into video interfaces, providing microcomputers with graphic display capabilities. The company's first product, Video RAM (1976), was a specialized video-display device, which interfaced with a computer system to display computer-generated alphanumeric data stored in the device's RAM. The device's success generated the revenue necessary for the development of subsequent products. Among these were the MTX-1632 Video RAM and the ALT-series video graphics controllers. With the release of these devices, Matrox pioneered the graphics card add-on market for microcomputers. By 1978, Matrox offered a diverse line of advanced CRT display controllers, which could be used in various combinations supported with a wide choice of display formats, character sets, TV standards, display resolutions, bus compatibility, etc. According to Matrox 1978 product catalogue, "Matrox displays have been used in more than 10,000 installations in every imaginable operation: from ground control displays for the Viking mission to Mars to hobby displays." The following year, Matrox began to supply system integrators on Wall Street with a line of financial information display products. One of them, the Quad Video, powered four monitors becoming the first single-board hardware to provide multi-display support. This groundbreaking product established Matrox as the first graphics company to provide display solutions to the financial and business markets. In the 1980s, the company embarked on designing and manufacturing a range of graphics products for a variety of computer bus standards. Matrox also expanded its operations to include the production of microcomputers, such as the CCB-7 MACS and the MAP-2000 Super Microcomputer. Throughout the 1990s, Matrox introduced several lines of high-quality graphics products, notably the Millennium graphics cards, while gradually shifting its focus towards specialized markets. In the early 1990s, the company split into three distinct divisions: Matrox Graphics, Matrox Video, and Matrox Imaging. Matrox Graphics was focused on delivering graphics solutions, Matrox Video specialized in markets for the broadcast industry and digital video editing solutions, while Matrox Imaging concentrated on component-level solutions for machine vision applications. By the turn of the century, Matrox emerged as a leading global digital imaging company, offering a broad spectrum of hardware choices supported with leading-edge software solutions. Its hardware and software products found applications across an extensive range of industries, spanning broadcast and media, education, enterprise, government, houses of worship, medical, military and defence, process control and utilities, security, and transportation sectors. In 2022, Matrox Graphics was absorbed into Matrox Video. Two years later, Matrox Imaging, was acquired by Zebra Technologies Corp. In 2024, Matrox provided this concise corporate profile: For over 45 years, Matrox has been synonymous with technology and innovation. A market leader in designing software and hardware solutions for Pro AV/IT, video, and imaging/machine vision applications, Matrox combines engineering excellence with deep industry expertise to deliver unique solutions that help our customers achieve their goals. Matrox has earned its reputation as industry leader by consistently meeting customer requirements for innovative technology and the highest manufacturing standards. Co-founded by Lorne Trottier in 1976, Matrox has pioneered a number of innovative hardware and software solutions for an array of high-tech industries. Today, we continue to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, working closely with our global stakeholders to solve specific real-world issues. [from https://www.matrox.com/en/about/matrox] Matrox 256**2 The ALT-256**2 was a computer graphics card designed for the industry standard S-100 bus. It was released in 1977 and offered graphics support for applications in areas such as computer aided design, business and education, etc. The card was supported with the MTX-GRAPH software package, which offerd commonly used low level graphics routines. From the "The Matrox ALT-256 Video Board, Product Description": The Matrox-256 represents one approach to high resolution graphics capabilities for the Altair (S-100) bus. Multiple board systems can be used for medical displays, research applications, pseudo color imaging, fast animated displays, computer aided design, sophisticated computer games and computer generated art. For Star Trek freak, now there is available a real (if imaginary) universe to save, rather than a slow printer banging our descriptions. For the artist, a canvas; the researcher, a window; and the kids, an electronic sketch pad. Matrox 256**2 Technical specifications <ul> <li>display: from 64 x 64 to 256 x 256 pixels, MTX GRAPH software selected, color or grayscale,</li> <li>display memory: 16KB dynamic RAM, sixteen Signteics 2660 dynamic RAM chips, 4096 x 1 bit each,</li> <li>video standard: American or European, jumper selectable,</li> <li>multiple board option: jumper selectable,</li> <li>software: MTX GRAPH.</li> </ul> The Museum holdings <ul> <li>Matrox 256**2, technical documentation, Matrox (1977),</li> <li>ALT-256-AS graphics board, 1979, with two paper tapes containing <ul> <li> MATROX 8080 Graphics Package, 1977</li> <li> Graphics Package Demo, 1977</li> </ul> </li> <li>The Matrox ALT-256 Video Board, Product Description, Byte Magazine (May 1978), pp.24-30,</li> <li>Matrox Microprocessor Displays, Catalogue, SF1, Matrox (April, 1978).</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Matrox Electronic Systems Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977 Relation A related resource Matrox collection https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/15015f4145d6fdf10cca2ea8c4aa8e47.jpg dc135950e58c4e8258fda18ffdd642e0 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/4de9f22a90bc9ce019725eb40784bcb7.jpg a045cee1b8afacf8dcce78fee5ae2cc4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Matrox Collection Description An account of the resource Matrox Electronic Systems was established in Montreal in 1976 at the peak of the North American computer hobby movement and the beginning of the rapid growth of the microcomputer market. Co-founders Lorne Trottier and Branko Matić identified an opportunity to expand the microcomputing market into video interfaces, providing microcomputers with graphic display capabilities. The company's first product, Video RAM (1976), was a specialized video-display device, which interfaced with a computer system to display computer-generated alphanumeric data stored in the device's RAM. The device's success generated the revenue necessary for the development of subsequent products. Among these were the MTX-1632 Video RAM and the ALT-series video graphics controllers. With the release of these devices, Matrox pioneered the graphics card add-on market for microcomputers. By 1978, Matrox offered a diverse line of advanced CRT display controllers, which could be used in various combinations supported with a wide choice of display formats, character sets, TV standards, display resolutions, bus compatibility, etc. According to Matrox 1978 product catalogue, "Matrox displays have been used in more than 10,000 installations in every imaginable operation: from ground control displays for the Viking mission to Mars to hobby displays." The following year, Matrox began to supply system integrators on Wall Street with a line of financial information display products. One of them, the Quad Video, powered four monitors becoming the first single-board hardware to provide multi-display support. This groundbreaking product established Matrox as the first graphics company to provide display solutions to the financial and business markets. In the 1980s, the company embarked on designing and manufacturing a range of graphics products for a variety of computer bus standards. Matrox also expanded its operations to include the production of microcomputers, such as the CCB-7 MACS and the MAP-2000 Super Microcomputer. Throughout the 1990s, Matrox introduced several lines of high-quality graphics products, notably the Millennium graphics cards, while gradually shifting its focus towards specialized markets. In the early 1990s, the company split into three distinct divisions: Matrox Graphics, Matrox Video, and Matrox Imaging. Matrox Graphics was focused on delivering graphics solutions, Matrox Video specialized in markets for the broadcast industry and digital video editing solutions, while Matrox Imaging concentrated on component-level solutions for machine vision applications. By the turn of the century, Matrox emerged as a leading global digital imaging company, offering a broad spectrum of hardware choices supported with leading-edge software solutions. Its hardware and software products found applications across an extensive range of industries, spanning broadcast and media, education, enterprise, government, houses of worship, medical, military and defence, process control and utilities, security, and transportation sectors. In 2022, Matrox Graphics was absorbed into Matrox Video. Two years later, Matrox Imaging, was acquired by Zebra Technologies Corp. In 2024, Matrox provided this concise corporate profile: For over 45 years, Matrox has been synonymous with technology and innovation. A market leader in designing software and hardware solutions for Pro AV/IT, video, and imaging/machine vision applications, Matrox combines engineering excellence with deep industry expertise to deliver unique solutions that help our customers achieve their goals. Matrox has earned its reputation as industry leader by consistently meeting customer requirements for innovative technology and the highest manufacturing standards. Co-founded by Lorne Trottier in 1976, Matrox has pioneered a number of innovative hardware and software solutions for an array of high-tech industries. Today, we continue to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, working closely with our global stakeholders to solve specific real-world issues. [from https://www.matrox.com/en/about/matrox] HARDWARE <ul> <li>MTX 1632 Video RAM, 1977</li> <li>Westinghouse CRT elevator control card 5206039H01 with MTX 1632 Video RAM</li> <li>ALT-256**2 graphics board, 1977</li> <li>ALT-256-AS graphics board, 1979, with two paper tapes containing <ul> <li> MATROX 8080 Graphics Package, 1977</li> <li> Graphics Package Demo, 1977</li> </ul> </li> <li>CCB-7 MACS computer, 197?</li> <li>MEGA 1/64 board, 1979</li> <li>Alpha graphics board, 1980</li> <li>BW-Alpha video board, 1982</li> <li>SX-900 board, 1985</li> <li>MIP 512 image processing board, 1985</li> <li>PIP-512 PC frame grabber, 1985</li> <li>PG-1281 graphics controller board, PG-1281/8/1.5M. 1986</li> <li>MVP-AT hardware-accelerated image processing board, 1986</li> <li>PIP-640B, 1987</li> <li>Matrox Light Pen, 1989</li> <li>Millennium, MGA MIL/21, 64-bit graphics card, 1993</li> <li>Impression graphics card, 1993</li> <li>MIL2P/4/HP video card, 1997</li> <li>G2+/MILA/8BC/5 card, 1998</li> <li>G400 graphics card, G4+MDH4A32G, 1999</li> <li>PG-641 PC board, 1991</li> <li>Marvel MM/VGA 32K TV-graphics card, 1992</li> <li>Parhelia graphics card, 2003</li> <li>Extio expander unit, 2005</li> <li>Extio PCIe extender card, 2005</li> <li>DualHead2Go graphics expansion module, 2007</li> <li>M9140 graphics card, 2008</li> <li>TripleHead2Go graphics expansion module, DP edition, 2011</li> <li>TripleHead2Go graphics expansion module, digital edition, 2008</li> <li>MURA MPX-4/4, engineering sample, 2011</li> <li>MURA IPX, board nr. 7479, 2016</li> </ul> MANUALS, TECHNICAL LITERATURE <ul> <li>MTX-1632 Video RAM, 1977</li> <li>ALT-256**2 graphics board -- complete technical documentation, 1977</li> <li>ALT-2480 Altair-IMSAI Bus Compatible Alphanumeric Display Interface, 1978(?)</li> <li>MTX-256 Application Note, April 1977</li> <li>MLSI-512 -- the MTX-512 graphics family, Feb., 1978</li> <li>MTX-512 -- graphics family of cards, 1978</li> <li>MTX-A1 display and keyboard interface, 1978</li> <li>MLSI-2480 video interface, 1979</li> <li>SX-900/LX-900 User Manual, August 1985</li> <li>PIP: Professional Image Processing for the IBM-PC, 1985(?)</li> <li>MAP-2000 Super Microcomputer, 1986</li> <li>CP-2000 Multibus CPU, 1986</li> <li>MB-2000 2MB board, 1986</li> <li>FP-2000 Multibus CPU, 1986</li> </ul> PROMOTIONAL LITERATURE, CATALOGUES, PRICE LISTS <ul> <li>The MATROX ALT-256 Video Board Product Description, reprinted from BYTE, vol. 3, nr. 5, 1978</li> <li>MATROX OEM Price List, 1978</li> <li>MATROX Microprocessor Displays, Catalogue SF-1, 1978</li> <li>MATROX product catalogue, 1982</li> <li>MATROX OEM Price List, 1984</li> <li>MIP-512 Real-Time Image Processor, 1985</li> <li>MATROX product catalogue, 2003</li> </ul> Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/matrox_logo.jpg" alt="matrox_logo" width="30%" height="30%" border="0" /> A collection of hardware manufactured and software published by Matrox Electronics. hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Matrox MTX 1632 Video Ram Subject The topic of the resource computer hardware: video hardware Description An account of the resource Historical Context (by Z. Stachniak) Matrox Electronic Systems was established in Montreal in 1976 at the peak of the North American computer hobby movement and the beginning of the rapid growth of the microcomputer market. Co-founders Lorne Trottier and Branko Matić identified an opportunity to expand the microcomputing market into video interfaces, providing microcomputers with graphic display capabilities. The company's first product, Video RAM (1976), was a specialized video-display device, which interfaced with a computer system to display computer-generated alphanumeric data stored in the device's RAM. The device's success generated the revenue necessary for the development of subsequent products. Among these were the MTX-1632 Video RAM and the ALT-series video graphics controllers. With the release of these devices, Matrox pioneered the graphics card add-on market for microcomputers. By 1978, Matrox offered a diverse line of advanced CRT display controllers, which could be used in various combinations supported with a wide choice of display formats, character sets, TV standards, display resolutions, bus compatibility, etc. According to Matrox 1978 product catalogue, "Matrox displays have been used in more than 10,000 installations in every imaginable operation: from ground control displays for the Viking mission to Mars to hobby displays." The following year, Matrox began to supply system integrators on Wall Street with a line of financial information display products. One of them, the Quad Video, powered four monitors becoming the first single-board hardware to provide multi-display support. This groundbreaking product established Matrox as the first graphics company to provide display solutions to the financial and business markets. In the 1980s, the company embarked on designing and manufacturing a range of graphics products for a variety of computer bus standards. Matrox also expanded its operations to include the production of microcomputers, such as the CCB-7 MACS and the MAP-2000 Super Microcomputer. Throughout the 1990s, Matrox introduced several lines of high-quality graphics products, notably the Millennium graphics cards, while gradually shifting its focus towards specialized markets. In the early 1990s, the company split into three distinct divisions: Matrox Graphics, Matrox Video, and Matrox Imaging. Matrox Graphics was focused on delivering graphics solutions, Matrox Video specialized in markets for the broadcast industry and digital video editing solutions, while Matrox Imaging concentrated on component-level solutions for machine vision applications. By the turn of the century, Matrox emerged as a leading global digital imaging company, offering a broad spectrum of hardware choices supported with leading-edge software solutions. Its hardware and software products found applications across an extensive range of industries, spanning broadcast and media, education, enterprise, government, houses of worship, medical, military and defence, process control and utilities, security, and transportation sectors. In 2022, Matrox Graphics was absorbed into Matrox Video. Two years later, Matrox Imaging, was acquired by Zebra Technologies Corp. In 2024, Matrox provided this concise corporate profile: For over 45 years, Matrox has been synonymous with technology and innovation. A market leader in designing software and hardware solutions for Pro AV/IT, video, and imaging/machine vision applications, Matrox combines engineering excellence with deep industry expertise to deliver unique solutions that help our customers achieve their goals. Matrox has earned its reputation as industry leader by consistently meeting customer requirements for innovative technology and the highest manufacturing standards. Co-founded by Lorne Trottier in 1976, Matrox has pioneered a number of innovative hardware and software solutions for an array of high-tech industries. Today, we continue to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, working closely with our global stakeholders to solve specific real-world issues. [from https://www.matrox.com/en/about/matrox] Matrox MTX 1632 Video RAM Matrox MTX 1632 Video RAM, introduced in 1977, was the successor to the company's first product -- the Video RAM.  As its predecessor, it was a specialized video display controller designed for use in systems that required display of alphanumeric data stored in the device's RAM. One of the companies that employed the MTX-1632 Video RAM was Westinghouse which used the device in one of its CRT elevator control cards (see the image of Westinghouse CRT elevator control card 5206039H01 with MTX 1632 Video RAM). Matrox MTX 1632 Video RAM Technical specifications <ul> <li>display: 16 lines of 32 characters, flicker free, upper/lower case,</li> <li>refresh: no extarnal refresh,</li> <li>data bus: bidirectional,</li> <li>power: 5V,</li> <li>technology: TTL compatible.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>MTX 1632 Video RAM,</li> <li>Westinghouse CRT elevator control card 5206039H01 with MTX 1632 Video RAM,</li> <li>MTX-1632 Video RAM  technical documentation, Matrox, 1977.</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Matrox Electronic Systems Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977 Relation A related resource Matrox collection https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/ad7e72787880e0cb2188d5340babc707.jpg 730555e52068b7f91ca5be3443efab8f hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Matrox MGA Millennium Subject The topic of the resource Historical Context (by Z. Stachniak) Matrox Electronic Systems was established in Montreal in 1976 at the peak of the North American computer hobby movement and the beginning of the rapid growth of the microcomputer market. Co-founders Lorne Trottier and Branko Matić identified an opportunity to expand the microcomputing market into video interfaces, providing microcomputers with graphic display capabilities. The company's first product, Video RAM (1976), was a specialized video-display device, which interfaced with a computer system to display computer-generated alphanumeric data stored in the device's RAM. The device's success generated the revenue necessary for the development of subsequent products. Among these were the MTX-1632 Video RAM and the ALT-series video graphics controllers. With the release of these devices, Matrox pioneered the graphics card add-on market for microcomputers. By 1978, Matrox offered a diverse line of advanced CRT display controllers, which could be used in various combinations supported with a wide choice of display formats, character sets, TV standards, display resolutions, bus compatibility, etc. According to Matrox 1978 product catalogue, "Matrox displays have been used in more than 10,000 installations in every imaginable operation: from ground control displays for the Viking mission to Mars to hobby displays." The following year, Matrox began to supply system integrators on Wall Street with a line of financial information display products. One of them, the Quad Video, powered four monitors becoming the first single-board hardware to provide multi-display support. This groundbreaking product established Matrox as the first graphics company to provide display solutions to the financial and business markets. In the 1980s, the company embarked on designing and manufacturing a range of graphics products for a variety of computer bus standards. Matrox also expanded its operations to include the production of microcomputers, such as the CCB-7 MACS and the MAP-2000 Super Microcomputer. Throughout the 1990s, Matrox introduced several lines of high-quality graphics products, notably the Millennium and Mistique graphics cards, while gradually shifting its focus towards specialized markets. In the early 1990s, the company split into three distinct divisions: Matrox Graphics, Matrox Video, and Matrox Imaging. Matrox Graphics was focused on delivering graphics solutions, Matrox Video specialized in markets for the broadcast industry and digital video editing solutions, while Matrox Imaging concentrated on component-level solutions for machine vision applications. By the turn of the century, Matrox emerged as a leading global digital imaging company, offering a broad spectrum of hardware choices supported with leading-edge software solutions. Its hardware and software products found applications across an extensive range of industries, spanning broadcast and media, education, enterprise, government, houses of worship, medical, military and defence, process control and utilities, security, and transportation sectors. In 2022, Matrox Graphics was absorbed into Matrox Video. Two years later, Matrox Imaging, was acquired by Zebra Technologies Corp. In 2024, Matrox provided this concise corporate profile: For over 45 years, Matrox has been synonymous with technology and innovation. A market leader in designing software and hardware solutions for Pro AV/IT, video, and imaging/machine vision applications, Matrox combines engineering excellence with deep industry expertise to deliver unique solutions that help our customers achieve their goals. Matrox has earned its reputation as industry leader by consistently meeting customer requirements for innovative technology and the highest manufacturing standards. Co-founded by Lorne Trottier in 1976, Matrox has pioneered a number of innovative hardware and software solutions for an array of high-tech industries. Today, we continue to be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology, working closely with our global stakeholders to solve specific real-world issues. [from https://www.matrox.com/en/about/matrox] Matrox MTX 1632 Video RAM Matrox MGA Millennium In 1995, Matrox introduced the MGA Millennium graphics card, featuring the industry’s pioneering 64-bit graphics processor -- the Matrox MGA (Matrox Graphics Accelerator). At the time, it was one of the fastest PC graphics cards thanks to, amomg other solutions, its 64-bit graphics engine, unique architecture of Window RAM memory, and optimized PCI bus design. The MGA Millennium was a professional, high performance 2D and 3D graphics card that delivered fast performance for applications in areas such as desktop publishing, 2D and 3D CAD, document imaging, computer based digital video and high-end business applications. Although it was originally designed to cater to the needs of professional high-end applications requiring high resolution and high color depth support, its robust set of features made it an excellent choice for computer gaming. Matrox MGA Millennium technical specifications <ul> <li>chipset: IS-STORM (MGA2064W),</li> <li>Window RAM: 2 and 4MB, expandible to 4 and 8MB,</li> <li>ports: analog VGA out and Media XL connector (audio and composite video in/out),</li> <li>display modes: up to 1600x1200 pixel resolution, 2D and 3D,</li> <li>color support: 24-bit,</li> <li>video playback: AVI and MPEG,</li> <li>platforms: Microsoft Windows 95, later available for PCI Power Mac,</li> <li>upgrades: live video, frame capture, hardware MPEG decoding, TV viewing on a PC.</li> </ul> Software included in the MGA Millennium package <ul> <li>MPEG player,</li> <li>3DFX 3D image and animation creator, Asymetrix,</li> <li>Nascar Racing, Papyrus Design Group, Inc.,</li> <li>RenderWare graphics rendering engine, Criterion Software Ltd.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Matrox MGA Millennium package,</li> <li>all Matrox items in the museum's collection are listed in the Matrox Collection.</li> </ul> Description An account of the resource Historical context Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Matrox Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1995 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/1c43615c42ff9d10d7698bbfc91936b3.jpg 6524dba11a7164cae5043f1c4ae60b28 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Volker-Craig/NABU 4404 Video Display Terminal Subject The topic of the resource computer hardware: video display terminal Description An account of the resource Historical Context: In the 1950s, the operators of mainframe computers used dedicated consoles, hardcopy terminals (such as teletypes and modified electric typewriters), and a variety of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays to run and control data processing tasks. Computer consoles typically featured rows of switches and associated lights that allowed operators to run and control the execution of programs, analyze data stored in memory, and to control other hardware interfaced with computers. Hardcopy terminals were used to print on roles of paper information such as operator's commands, computer responses, and other console messages. Finally, CRTs were used to displaying information (e.g. memory contents) in a rudimentary graphical form. The "glass teletype" that appeared in the mid-1960s was the first attempt at providing a single device allowing computer operators to run their systems having all the essential control and data processing information displayed on a screen. However, it was not until the early 1970s, when the first "dumb" video display terminals, featuring limited editing capabilities, were introduced (one of the earliest such terminals was the 7700A Interactive Display Terminal introduced by Lear Siegler Inc. in 1973). All these terminals shared the same basic keyboard-display-interface design: each featured a keyboard, a CRT screen that could display full sets of alphanumeric characters, and each had the capability to send and receive data via communication lines to a remote host computer. By the mid-1970s, video terminals became the most effective human-computer interface devices and they remain so until the mid-1980s, when they were displaced by microcomputers that could be interfaced with mainframes and minicomputers to perform terminal jobs in addition to microcomputing tasks, when PC monitors had become a common occurrence worldwide. In Canada, the design and manufacturing of computer display terminals began in the early 1970s. Comterm Inc. (Montreal), Cybernex Ltd. (Ottawa), Electrohome (Kitchener), Lektromedia (Pointe Claire), NORPAK (Kanata), TIL Systems Ltd (Toronto), and Volker-Craig (Waterloo) were some of the pioneering companies. Volker-Craig Ltd. was a Canadian manufacturer of video display terminals, founded in 1973 by Michael C. Volker and Ronald G. Craig, both graduates from University of Waterloo. The company's early objective was to manufacture inexpensive video terminals. In a 2020 interview by Steven Forth for Ibbaka market blog, Volker recollects that "In those days... video displays were very, very expensive and being a student, I thought, this [video terminal manufacturing] needs to be done in a way that is economical for students." Volker's fourth-year engineering project to design an electronic circuitry for a video terminal that would allow the presentation of characters on the screen of a rudimentary television set was an entrepreneurial trigger. By the end of the 1970s, Volker-Craig was selling its terminals around the world through its offices and distributors in, among other countries, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, and US. In January 1982, Volker-Craig merged with five other companies to form NABU Manufacturing Ltd. with headquarters in Ottawa, and continued to develop video terminals. In 1984, as a result of NABU's restructuring, Volker-Craig became once again a fully independent company renamed as Volker-Craig Technologies Ltd. In 1982, Volker-Craig introduced the VC4404 display terminal -- the Chat. It was a low cost stand-alone, ASCII, serial asynchronous computer peripheral that could be connected to any computer equipped with an RSC232C interface. The terminal offered comptibilty with the company's popular VC404 and the Lear Siegler ADM-3A -- an influential early video display terminal. VC4404 technical specifications: <ul> <li>CPU: Zilog Z80A</li> <li>display: 12" anti-glare, 24 lines, 80 characters per line, normal or revers video, character highlighting</li> <li>keyboard: detachable, QWERTY, upper/lower case characters, 10 program function keys, 8 switches to control the screen display</li> <li>ports: EIA RS232C communications interface</li> <li>data rates: from 110 up to 19200 baud</li> <li>options: serial and parallel interfaces, numeric key-pad and function keys, APL character set, ccoloured anti-glare display screen (amber or green)</li> </ul> NABU 4404 documentation: <ul> <li>VOLKER-CRAIG User's Manual, VC4404 The CHAT Video Display Terminal, Volker-Craig/NABU, Rev. 3, March 1982,</li> <li>VC4404 Video Display Terminal, Service Manual, Volker-Craig, 1982,</li> <li>VOLKER-CRAIG VC4602 User Manual, Volker-Craig, 1982</li> </ul> The museum has a VC4404 terminal and the above mentioned documentation. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Volker-Craig Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1980s Relation A related resource NABU Collection https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/68d48fb17e5450671621c290ca3f7370.jpeg eb588c61d90bd4ebe430283b9174d28d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource TRACE Archive Description An account of the resource The microcomputer hobby movement in Canada had begun soon after the first computer clubs and groups were formed in the U.S. It was a part of the global North American computer hobby activities, going through similar phases of the microcomputing's development while retaining its separate regional character. TRACE was formed on January 23, 1976 by employees of the Canadian Development Division of Control Data Corporation located in Mississauga, Ontario. In the following months the membership was growing rapidly crossing the one hundred member mark by the end of 1976. The club played a significant role on the Canadian computer hobbyists' scene contributing to the development and popularization of personal computing. Several TRACE members became prominent entrepreneurs and promoters of personal computing. Throughout its decade-long existence, the club published the TRACE Newsletter, was a member of Midwest Affiliation of Computer Clubs (MACC), and organized and participated in popular events such as MACC's Computerfests (in 1983, the Computerfest took place in Toronto and was organized by TRACE). TRACE NEWSLETTER <ul> <li>TRACE Newsletter; holdings: no. 1, March 15, 1976 to 68, March-April 1984; February 1985</li> <li>Gifford Toole, TRACE it is (manuscript, 1976), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 3, pp. 1 and 4 (1976).</li> <li>Harold Melanson, Altair add-on power supply (manuscript, 1976), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 6, pp. 3--4 (1976).</li> <li>Phil Olynyk, Impressions of Atlantic City and the Personal Computing Convention'76 (manuscript, 1976), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 7, p. 6 (1976).</li> <li>Dave Baird, An Open Letter to Trace (manuscript, 1976), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 8 (1976), pp. 4-5.</li> <li>Bill Kindree, Highlights of the APL 76 Conference (manuscript, 1976), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 9 (1976), pp. 1-2.</li> <li>Terry O'Brien, Build your own computer system or How I learned to love the bits (and pieces); (manuscript, 1976), published as How I learned to love the bits (and pieces) in TRACE Newsletter, no. 9 (1976), pp. 2-3.</li> <li>Phil Olynyk, Choosing a Micro Computer (manuscript, 1977), published in TRACE Newsletter, no. 12, p. 4 (1977).</li> <li>Stan Witkowski, Free Help (manuscript, April 15, 1977).</li> <li>Where can I get BASIC for the 8008, (manuscript, 1976?).</li> </ul> TRACE DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>Minutes of the May 14, 1976 TRACE meeting.</li> <li>Minutes of the October 1, 1976 TRACE executive meeting.</li> <li>Minutes of the October 15, 1976 TRACE meeting.</li> <li>Minutes of the October 31, 1976 TRACE executive meeting.</li> <li>Topics of Interest survey (197?).</li> <li>TRACE membership list (197?).</li> <li>TRACE computer industry questionnaire 197? (possibly taken during the Personal Computing Convention'76); responses from: AID Microsystems, IL., Pioneer Standard (WA), Motorola SPD, National Multiplex Corp. (NJ), Hal Communications Corp. (IL), Texas Instruments (TX), Innovex Corp. (MA), Mini Micro Mart (NY).</li> <li>TRACE questionnaire and Newsletter subscription form (197?).</li> <li>An early TRACE questionnaire form (1976?).</li> <li>Letter to TRACE members from Ross Cooling, November 13, 1979.</li> <li>TRACE executive list, 197?</li> <li>Early list of TRACE members, 1976.</li> <li>Sketched maps of TRACE meeting locations, 197?</li> <li>Information on Bill Pettit's presentation of a MOD8 microcomputer boards, April 1976.</li> </ul> MIDWEST AFFILIATION OF COMPUTER CLUBS <ul> <li>A letter from Gary Coleman, President of the Midwest Affiliation of Computer Clubs to TRACE, September 1982.</li> <li>Minutes of the December 1980(?) MACC meeting.</li> <li>Minutes of the January 17, 1981 MACC meeting.</li> <li>Minutes of the February 21, 1981 MACC meeting.</li> <li>List of MACC officers, trustees, and representatives (19??).</li> <li>Information on the MACC Computerfest in Cleveland, Ohio, June 11-13, 1976, for TRACE members.</li> </ul> COMPUTERFEST'83, TORONTO <ul> <li>Computerfest'83 Poster, Toronto, July 8-10, 1983.</li> <li>Eight five photographs taken during the Computerfest'83 event in Toronto, July 8-10, 1983 (photographer unknown).</li> </ul> OTHER DOCUMENTS <ul> <li>Letter from Gifford Toole, president of TRACE, to Walter Banks, 1 October 1976</li> </ul> Subject The topic of the resource <img src="http://museum1.eecs.yorku.ca/www_decorations/trace_logo.jpeg" alt="MCM_logo" width="30%" height="30%" border="0" /> The Toronto Region Association of Computer Enthusiasts (TRACE) Archive documents the activities of one of the earliest and most influential Canadian microcomputer hobby clubs. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource TRACE Newsletter Subject The topic of the resource computer publication Description An account of the resource TRACE Newsletter was an official publication of the Toronto Region Association of Computer Enthusiasts. It was published monthly or semimonthly between March 1976 and February 1985. Holdings: nr. 1 (March 1976) — nr. 68 (March-April 1984), and nr. ? (February 1985). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Toronto Region Association of Computer Enthusiasts Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Toronto Region Association of Computer Enthusiasts Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1985 https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/bb2f8affdf5304abfa4161750c3f2911.jpg 485110937ebe12af1e46b28a28cc9120 Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource TPUG Magazine Description An account of the resource TPUG Magazine was an official publication of the Toronto PET Users Group. It was published monthly or semimonthly between February 1984 and and September 1986. Holdings: February—May, October (1984); January—Mrach, May, June, August—December (1985); No. 21—24 (1986). https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/e2814438a4ee335de9822a5bd714957d.png 5263b6eef27c34c9dfd79e9d0b874a37 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Screaming Tomato BBS artwork Subject The topic of the resource computeer art Description An account of the resource Artwork created for the Screaming Tomato BBS operated by Mistigris computer art group (1994—1998) founded in Vancouver BC. https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/f5867db03a8602668c4b6b07696308cc.jpg 4358682b35dec595d9691fca83a72060 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Commodore 202 adding machine Subject The topic of the resource hardware: electric calculator Description An account of the resource Historical context Commodore International Ltd. (or Commodore) was one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic hand-held calculators as well as home, educational, and business microcomputers. It was best known for its popular personal computers including the PET line of personal desktops as well as the VIC-20, Commodore 64, and the Amiga computers. It was founded on October 10, 1958 as Commodore Portable Typewriter Company Limited in Toronto, Ontario. Two years later, the company incorporated its Commodore Business Machines subsidiary in New York. In 1976, Commodore reorganized its corporate structure as Commodore International Ltd. and moved its financial headquarters to the Bahamas and the operations headquarters to Pennsylvania. The restructured company encompassed several entities world-wide including Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada. In 1947, the company's founder—Jack Tramiel—emigrated from Poland to the US. During his US army service (1948-51) he gained considerable experience in repairing office equipment which he turned into business in his civilian life, first in Bronx, New York, and later in Toronto, Canada, where he moved in 1955. His Toronto business was initially focused on repairs and selling licensed typewriters, adding machines, and other office equipment. Initially located at 2 Toronto Street, in the city's downtown core, a short distance from the IBM Toronto Downtown Office, the company relocated several times before establishing its headquarters at 946 Warden Ave, Scarborough, Ont. During the 1960s the scope of Commodore's business expanded to office furniture as well as to electric and eventually electronic calculators. The first Commodore-branded adding machine was the model C mechanical calculator manufactured by a Czechoslovakian company Nisa and sold by Commodore around 1960. The first exclusive Commodore adding machine—the 202—was announced in 1967. The following year, the company began to turn its focus toward electronic desktop and, soon after, hand-held calculators. Commodore entered the market of hand-held electronic calculators in late 1970s with its CBM 110 device. Within months, the company introduced what would become a popular series of Minuteman calculators. That series, in turn, was followed by the "SR" and "SF" line of scientific and financial hand-held calculators. By the mid-1970s, Commodore was selling a wide range of electronic calculators, becoming one of the largest American manufacturers of these devices. Commodore's entry into microcomputer market was, to a large degree, the result of fierce price war in the calculator market that started in late 1973, and the decision of Texas Instruments—one of the main suppliers of calculator chips—to enter the calculator market and to compete with its clients. To stay competitive and independent of third parties for the chips and displays that went into its products, Commodore purchased MOS Technology in 1976. With the acquisition came not only MOS integrated circuits (most notably the 6502 microprocessor) but also Chuck Peddle's—the 6502's chief designer's—considerable technical expertise and impeccable sense of changing trends in electronics market. While at MOS, he built the KIM-1 single-board computer that quickly became popular among computer hobbyists. Peddle urged Commodore not to underestimate the market potential for mass-manufactured microcomputers and his team got permission to go ahead with a project of designing a desktop computer around the 6502 processor. The all-in-one Commodore PET (or Personal Electronic Transactor) was introduced in 1977. It was successfully marked world-wide, which opened the door into the consumer electronics market for the company's next best sellers: the VIC-20 introduced in 1980, and the Commodore 64 unveiled in 1982. By 1983, in just 25 years, a small downtown Toronto typewriter sales and repair shop was transformed into one of the most revered personal computer companies in the world, shipping more units world-wide than any other computer company. However, the departure of Tramiel from Commodore in 1984 marked the beginning of the company's downfall. Commodore was loosing grounds to the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh platforms. The purchase of Amiga and the sales of its aging fleet of 8-bit computers sustained the company for a while but eventually, in 1994, Commodore began its liquidation. Commodore 202 description The Commodore 202 was possibly the first adding machine sold exclusively by the  company. It was announced in 1967 and manufactured by a Japanese company Ricoh which previously built the 201 adding machine for Commodore. The award-winning case design for the adder was created by Thomas McGourty of Commodore. The 202 featured a built-in column indicator (recording the number of digits pressed) and a printer. <ul> <li>Operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, credit balance, automatic total and sub-total, automatic repeat key for repeat addition, subtraction, and multiplication,</li> <li> column indicator : 10 digit, mechanical,</li> <li>printing mechanism: 10 column list, eleven column total, red and black printing,</li> <li>keyboard: 17 keys including "clear", single, double, and triple "0" keys,</li> <li>power: AC only.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Commodore 202 adder, serial nr. B-152639.</li> </ul> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1967 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ricoh and Commodore International Ltd. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America, Europe, late 1960s -- early 1970s adder calculator https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/2041ed6c41b03f082e238b1121d630b1.jpg c79c51a5671117b93007cd531512746b hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Commodore C108 calculator Subject The topic of the resource hardware: electronic desktop calculator Description An account of the resource Historical context Commodore International Ltd. (or Commodore) was one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic hand-held calculators as well as home, educational, and business microcomputers. It was best known for its popular personal computers including the PET line of personal desktops as well as the VIC-20, Commodore 64, and the Amiga computers. It was founded on October 10, 1958 as Commodore Portable Typewriter Company Limited in Toronto, Ontario. Two years later, the company incorporated its Commodore Business Machines subsidiary in New York. In 1976, Commodore reorganized its corporate structure as Commodore International Ltd. and moved its financial headquarters to the Bahamas and the operations headquarters to Pennsylvania. The restructured company encompassed several entities world-wide including Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada. In 1947, the company's founder—Jack Tramiel—emigrated from Poland to the US. During his US army service (1948-51) he gained considerable experience in repairing office equipment which he turned into business in his civilian life, first in Bronx, New York, and later in Toronto, Canada, where he moved in 1955. His Toronto business was initially focused on repairs and selling licensed typewriters, adding machines, and other office equipment. Initially located at 2 Toronto Street, in the city's downtown core, a short distance from the IBM Toronto Downtown Office, the company relocated several times before establishing its headquarters at 946 Warden Ave, Scarborough, Ont. During the 1960s the scope of Commodore's business expanded to office furniture as well as to electric and eventually electronic calculators. The first Commodore-branded adding machine was the model C mechanical calculator manufactured by a Czechoslovakian company Nisa and sold by Commodore around 1960. The first exclusive Commodore adding machine—the 202—was announced in 1967. The following year, the company began to turn its focus toward electronic desktop and, soon after, hand-held calculators. Commodore entered the market of hand-held electronic calculators in late 1970s with its CBM 110 device. Within months, the company introduced what would become a popular series of Minuteman calculators. That series, in turn, was followed by the "SR" and "SF" line of scientific and financial hand-held calculators. By the mid-1970s, Commodore was selling a wide range of electronic calculators, becoming one of the largest American manufacturers of these devices. Commodore's entry into microcomputer market was, to a large degree, the result of fierce price war in the calculator market that started in late 1973, and the decision of Texas Instruments—one of the main suppliers of calculator chips—to enter the calculator market and to compete with its clients. To stay competitive and independent of third parties for the chips and displays that went into its products, Commodore purchased MOS Technology in 1976. With the acquisition came not only MOS integrated circuits (most notably the 6502 microprocessor) but also Chuck Peddle's—the 6502's chief designer's—considerable technical expertise and impeccable sense of changing trends in electronics market. While at MOS, he built the KIM-1 single-board computer that quickly became popular among computer hobbyists. Peddle urged Commodore not to underestimate the market potential for mass-manufactured microcomputers and his team got permission to go ahead with a project of designing a desktop computer around the 6502 processor. The all-in-one Commodore PET (or Personal Electronic Transactor) was introduced in 1977. It was successfully marked world-wide, which opened the door into the consumer electronics market for the company's next best sellers: the VIC-20 introduced in 1980, and the Commodore 64 unveiled in 1982. By 1983, in just 25 years, a small downtown Toronto typewriter sales and repair shop was transformed into one of the most revered personal computer companies in the world, shipping more units world-wide than any other computer company. However, the departure of Tramiel from Commodore in 1984 marked the beginning of the company's downfall. Commodore was loosing grounds to the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh platforms. The purchase of Amiga and the sales of its aging fleet of 8-bit computers sustained the company for a while but eventually, in 1994, Commodore began its liquidation. Commodore C108 description The Commodore C108 was a four-function low-cost electronic calculator designed by Omron Tateishi Electronic Co. and offered by Commodore in 1971. It was sold in North America and Europe. <ul> <li>operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division,</li> <li>display: 8 digits, green vacuum-fluorescent tubes,</li> <li>keyboard: 17 keys including "clear",</li> <li>chipset: Omron ALPHA1, ALPHA2, and ALPHA3,</li> <li>power: AC only.</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Commodore C108 calculator, serial nr. 824667.</li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Omron Tateishi Electronic Co. and Commodore Business Machines Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1971 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North America, Europe, 1970s calculator https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/files/original/1d20d33f4ca7eb9e4ae0151a6ddf436c.jpg d3e65ff402c7328caa474b72781a50f5 hardware A computer (or a calculator), its components and peripherals (displays, printers, pointing devices, modems, external storage devices, etc). Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Commodore VIC-20 Subject The topic of the resource hardware: home computer Description An account of the resource Historical context Commodore International Ltd. (or Commodore) was one of the world's largest manufacturers of electronic hand-held calculators as well as home, educational, and business microcomputers. It was best known for its popular personal computers including the PET line of personal desktops as well as the VIC-20, Commodore 64, and the Amiga computers. It was founded on October 10, 1958 as Commodore Portable Typewriter Company Limited in Toronto, Ontario. Two years later, the company incorporated its Commodore Business Machines subsidiary in New York. In 1976, Commodore reorganized its corporate structure as Commodore International Ltd. and moved its financial headquarters to the Bahamas and the operations headquarters to Pennsylvania. The restructured company encompassed several entities world-wide including Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada. In 1947, the company's founder—Jack Tramiel—emigrated from Poland to the US. During his US army service (1948-51) he gained considerable experience in repairing office equipment which he turned into business in his civilian life, first in Bronx, New York, and later in Toronto, Canada, where he moved in 1955. His Toronto business was initially focused on repairs and selling licensed typewriters, adding machines, and other office equipment. Initially located at 2 Toronto Street, in the city's downtown core, a short distance from the IBM Toronto Downtown Office, the company relocated several times before establishing its headquarters in Scarborough, Ont. During the 1960s the scope of Commodore's business expanded to office furniture as well as to electric and eventually electronic calculators. The first Commodore-branded adding machine was the model C mechanical calculator manufactured by a Czechoslovakian company Nisa and sold by Commodore around 1960. The first exclusive Commodore adding machine—the 202—was announced in 1967. The following year, the company began to turn its focus toward electronic desktop and, soon after, hand-held calculators. Commodore entered the market of hand-held electronic calculators in late 1970s with its CBM 110 device. Within months, the company introduced what would become a popular series of Minuteman calculators. That series, in turn, was followed by the "SR" and "SF" line of scientific and financial hand-held calculators. By the mid-1970s, Commodore was selling a wide range of electronic calculators, becoming one of the largest American manufacturers of these devices. Commodore's entry into microcomputer market was, to a large degree, the result of fierce price war in the calculator market that started in late 1973, and the decision of Texas Instruments—one of the main suppliers of calculator chips—to enter the calculator market and to compete with its clients. To stay competitive and independent of third parties for the chips and displays that went into its products, Commodore purchased MOS Technology in 1976. With the acquisition came not only MOS integrated circuits (most notably the 6502 microprocessor) but also Chuck Peddle's—the 6502's chief designer's—considerable technical expertise and impeccable sense of changing trends in electronics market. While at MOS, he built the KIM-1 single-board computer that quickly became popular among computer hobbyists. Peddle urged Commodore not to underestimate the market potential for mass-manufactured microcomputers and his team got permission to go ahead with a project of designing a desktop computer around the 6502 processor. The all-in-one Commodore PET (or Personal Electronic Transactor) was introduced in 1977. It was successfully marked world-wide, which opened the door into the consumer electronics market for the company's next best sellers: the VIC-20 introduced in 1980, and the Commodore 64 unveiled in 1982. By 1983, in just 25 years, a small downtown Toronto typewriter sales and repair shop was transformed into one of the most revered personal computer companies in the world, shipping more units world-wide than any other computer company. However, the departure of Tramiel from Commodore in 1984 marked the beginning of the company's downfall. Commodore was loosing grounds to the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh platforms. The purchase of Amiga and the sales of its aging fleet of 8-bit computers sustained the company for a while but eventually, in 1994, Commodore began its liquidation. Commodore VIC-20 The VIC-20 home computer was one of the most successful Commodore products. Its prototype was previewed at the National Computer Convention in Chicago in June 1980 but, as a product, it was first launched three months later in Japan as VIC-1001. ``You are about to meet a friendly computer! Friendly in price, friendly in size, friendly to use and learn on and experience" proclaimed Commodore introducing its VIC-20 microcomputer. [From Personal Computing on the VIC-20: A Friendly Computer Guide, Commodore Business Machines, 1982, p. II.] Commodore sold 8000,000 VIC-20s world-wide in 1982, reached the one million mark early in 1983 when they were being shipped at the rate of 100,000 units per month, making the VIC-20 one of the best-selling computers of all times. Designed in the `computer-in-keyboard' style, the VIC-20 featured the MOS Technology 6502A processor, a BASIC interpreter in ROM, and easy to use QWERTY-style keyboard. The computer used an ordinary color TV set for the display. The high-resolution color graphics capabilities of the VIC-20 made the computer an attractive family entertainment box to rival the supremacy of gaming consoles. Indeed, in spite of its limitations  the addition of an external disk drive, a low cost printer, and of a popular VICModem, made the VIC-20 ``the most user friendly computer on the market...friendly in price, friendly in size, friendly to use and expand.'' [From the back cover of Personal Computing on the VIC-20: a friendly computer guide, Commodore Business Machines, 1982.] From the start, Commodore provided the VIC-20 with the diverse software libraries on easy to use ROM cartridges and cassette tapes. Modems for the VIC-20, such as the VICmodem, allowed users to get on line and try electronic mail for the first time or to browse through the libraries of information available on computer bulletin board systems and commercial computer networks. A number of on-line services such as CompuServe, Delphi, Dow-Jones, Genie or The Source owed their popularity and growth to the low-cost VICmodem. In North America, the VIC-20 was sold for the strategically low price of $299.95 through mass merchandise retail outlets (such as K-Mart, Sears, and Toys-R-Us) as well as computer dealers and selected electronics stores. Some of the VIC-20s were manufactured by Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada.  VIC-20  specifications <ul> <li>CPU: MOS 6502 at approx. 1 MHz</li> <li>RAM: 5KB expandable to 32KB</li> <li>ROM: 20 KB occupied by BASIC 2.0 *8KB), KERNAL (8KB), and character set (4KB); external ROM cartridges,</li> <li>video processor: MOS 6560/6561 VIC,</li> <li>display: text node: 23 rows and 22 column</li> <li>graphics mode: 176×184 pixels</li> <li>sound: MOS 6560/6561 VIC,</li> <li>keyboard: 62 key QWERTY-style keyboard with additional four function keys,</li> <li>ports: expansion port (for various types of cartridges), Audio/Video port, floppy disk drive/printer port,</li> <li>cassette tape storage port, user port (general purpose serial/parallel port),</li> <li>serial bus IO port, game port (for connecting a joystick, a paddle, or a lightpen),</li> <li>peripherals: modems (e.g. the VICmodem), floppy disk drives (e.g. the VIC-1540), cassette tape drives (e.g. the C2N), printers (e.g. the 1525 printer),</li> </ul> Museum holdings <ul> <li>Commodore VIC-20, serial nr 662878 manufactured by Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada,</li> <li>Commodore VIC-20, serial nr P1105919 manufactured by Commodore Business Machines Ltd., Canada,</li> <li>Commodore Datassette, serial number S796519,</li> <li>Commodore C2N Cassette, serial nr 1734692, with operating instructions,</li> <li>Commodore VIC 1541 floppy disk drive, serial nr 2092779, with user's manual and guide,</li> <li>Commodore 1520 printer, serial nr 007931,</li> <li>Commodore VICmodem, Model 1600, serial nr. 060749,</li> <li>Pocket Modem for Commodore systems,</li> <li>Commodore VIC 1211A Super Expander, 3KB (with documentation),</li> <li>Xetec Super Graphix Jr printer interface,</li> <li>extensive library of educational, entertainment, and personal software on VIC-20 ROM cartridges and cassette tapes,</li> <li>VIC-20 manuals, guides, books, and promotional literature. </li> </ul> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Commodore Business Machines Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant world, 1980--1985 Commodore home computer microcomputer