Commercial VIC software on disk?

Schema · Post by **Schema** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:40 pm

Was there ever any commercial VIC software (apps or games) released on disk?

I can't think of any. All of the originals I've ever seen were cartridge or cassette.

vic user · Post by **vic user** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:49 pm

although i have the tape version, the manual for creative software's "home inventory" gives instructions for using the disk version of this software, and they do specifically mention the vic 20.

chris

Schlowski · Post by **Schlowski** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:32 pm

I have two programs on disc including manual:

1. SIMPLICALC - Spreadsheet

2. FILE or VICFILE - Database

both have german manuals and both are from

STAGE ONE COMPUTERS
300 Ashley Road
Upper Parkstone
Poole
Dorset BH14 9BZ

Wherever this is

Is it a british address?

To be honest, I didn't test the discs until now, they look very old and I fear they are not working anymore...

Schlowski

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:52 pm

I have only 1 in my collection called COCO 2 which is a educational software program for programming games with.It comes with both cassette and disk in the box.

Another unusual compilation is the game "Four Gates to Freedom" which has 2 cassettes in large clam case. 16K required. Tape 1 is the 4 Gates to Freedom "Action" tape and Tape 2 is the 4 gates to freedom "Adventure" tape. Haven't played it yet but looks interesting...

Brian

Schlowski · Post by **Schlowski** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:03 pm

Now I have tested the disks and they work!

Fortunately there were always two identical disks, from SIMPLICALC I could make images of both, from VICFILE only from one disk.

I will put these images to my webspace soon and post a link - hopefully this will ot infringe any copyright...

Schlowski

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:02 pm

Ward Shrake in the VIC-20 gaming FAQ writes:

Programs on computer diskettes
These are mentioned primarily just to say that this form of publishing was rarely used in the Vic20's day. The disk drive units were still very expensive then. It took some time before enough people had them and before companies started to release software for this format. A few commercial disks exist, but for the most part only users themselves put programs on disks. The few programs that were commercially released on diskettes were usually very expensive business or utility programs.

I guess we all can agree to that. I can think of the Editor companion disk(s) for the Forth packages and similar. In the catalog from VIC-handlarn' 1984 (the one Boray got a copy of), it has the following titles listed as VIC-20 disks:

"Simply Write" (no. 515 - Simply File was only available for C64)
Abacus (?) "Tiny Forth" (no. 616 - also available as tape, no. 615)
Abacus "Graphvic's" (no. 630 - also available as tape, no. 629)
10 empty floppies (VIC-20 version no. 651 - C64 version was no. 652!)

I wonder if Simply Write is related to this Simplicalc, or if it was a common type of software name?

Regarding empty floppies, the catalog listed empty tapes, some (but not all) joysticks, paddles and RS-232 interfaces independently for VIC-20 and C64. Oddly enough, one of the cartridge expanders was listed as the same unit works on both computers. I would believe it is easier to share a tape or a joystick than sharing a cartridge expander..

Schlowski · Post by **Schlowski** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:14 am

Now I've put disc-images on my webspace.
Both programms need 16k RAM expansion(sic!) and are started with LOAD"*",8
RUN

They are both very complicated to work with, at least compared to user friendlyness of nowadays

But I think it's very remarkable that Commodore produced software for the professional business for the VIC!

Unfortunately the manuals are very sensitve and tend to lose their pages, as you can see from the pictures if I would open the book further the pages would fall off - therefore I don't think I will scan them in - maybe I will make photos of each page if I have too much sparetime and anyone is interested at all

Simplicalc (both discs, they are identical)
http://www.stojalowski.de/files/simplicalc.d64
http://www.stojalowski.de/files/simplicalc2.d64

Vicfile
http://www.stojalowski.de/files/vicfile.d64

Images:
Simplicalc

Vicfile

Jogi · Post by **Jogi** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:56 am

Hello,

my Disk Soft is...

and

and ?

Bye Jogi

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:48 am

Bringing up an old post, because I just happened to read a VICSoft Autumn 1982 catalogue. Three disk titles are listed as Business software:

VS3301 Simplicalc (also on cassette)
VS3304 VICfile (disk only)
VS3305 VICwriter (also on cassette)

The boxes are very similar to the standard cart boxes (not the german ones).

Wonder if the latter two are exactly the same programs cited by Jogi (File and Writer), and what the hell MiniMemb was (I can't find anything similar in the catalogue).

Last, in the same group there was also VIC Stock Control, a cassette-based software.

As a side note, soon I will scan the catalogue and make it available to the forum.

Mikam73 · Post by **Mikam73** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:22 am

http://www.ntrautanen.fi/computers/comm ... /veni6.jpg

http://www.ntrautanen.fi/computers/comm ... et_vic.htm

Key-Quest · Post by **Key-Quest** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:46 am

I have a disk called "Compute!'s Vic 20 collection" (1985) from Compute! Publications, containing many of their most popular games. You could type them in yourself (from their many books) or save some time and buy their disk...if memory serves me correctly. It may have been available on cassette too, I'm not sure.

Boray · Post by **Boray** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 6:31 am

I guess the Austro Basic compiler. At least it needs a disk drive to operate.

yoyodyne · Post by **yoyodyne** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:15 pm

I've watched this topic since it started, and totally forgot I had
these until tonight:

http://home.alltel.net/bf63349/pix/vicdisk.JPG

They are VIC-20 Payroll, and VIC Inventory, both by
MicroSpec, Plano TX, copyright 1982. Both in mini binders, with users
manuals, and inside pocket for the disk. I think I tried the inventory
program once, but can't say for sure. They were in an eBay auction
I won, large lot of other commodore items.

Later-
Brian

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:05 am

I love it how after all these years, we are still coming up with new stuff. Much more fun than the Atari 2600 crowd!

Great stuff Yoyodyne. Hope you can archive this to Zimmers or dump it to a .d64 and post it here! I can't imagine a lot of these survived...and seeing as there is a real shortage of inventory & payroll software on the VIC, it would be a shame to see it lost.

Not that I'm going to start up a business and use it, but they are pretty unique pieces of software.

Thanks!

MacbthPSW · Post by **MacbthPSW** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:46 pm

ral-clan wrote:I love it how after all these years, we are still coming up with new stuff. Much more fun than the Atari 2600 crowd!

I dunno, the Atari 2600 crowd is still finding new stuff too, and some of it is pretty bizarre!