Is The Vic Your Favourite 8-bit?

[Jeff-20]

(The BBC was also great for creativity. It had an awesome BASIC - way better than Microsoft BASIC, a built in assembler, and some great graphic modes.)

But did the BBC have the international range of the VIC? Japan, Canada, Germany, Sweden, USA, Australia, Finland, Norway, Argentina... I just made up that last one, but it's probably true.

[Pedro Lambrini]

Oh, controversial! As it stands the poll is split 50/50! Can't say I'm not disappointed by all you adulterers out there. You dirty cheats!

My biggest reason for loving it more than other 8-bits is probably more about nostalgia but I do agree with the whole 'small, friendly and accessable' argument. From a collectors point of view it's also really 'doable'.

For me, though, it's all about the purity of being the first affordable colour machine with a usable keyboard. Everything after that, to my mind, was merely iteration. I don't say that to be argumentative or contrary it's just how I feel.

FYI: I would choose the C16 to be my second choice as it feels like the Vics true younger sibling (however badly priced at the time!).

[English Invader]

My choice was made on pure emotional instinct. There is always something special about your first console; from the moment you buy it in the shop, it is your own flesh and blood.

I love the VIC, but it's not my native country.

[rhurst]

... however badly priced at the time!.

You mean the Plus/4, not the C16. C16 retailed at only $99. It's immediate shortcomings were the incompatible joystick/cassette ports -- that was a true boner, but the improved BASIC and ML monitor made up for some of that. Obviously, a stock C16 is way better than a stock VIC 20, that's why a VIC equipped with a Mega-Cart is so appealing, for both entertainment and programming value.

The Plus/4 should never have seen the light of day. Over-priced, same incompatible ports, and those really stupid chicklet arrow keys. Nice compact design and 64k of RAM, though. All that prettiness won't do it any justice when its packed away in its box and sitting on a closet shelf.

[carlsson]

VIC was my first computer. A few years later I sold it to finance a C64 and didn't think much about it - technically and in the range of games the C64 is vastly superior. Even after I had upgraded to an Amiga 500, I kept the C64 on my desk to play some games now and then.

However in the mid 1990's, I got a sudden urge to get a VIC-20 again. Although I had a long list of home computers that I read about in the 80's but never got to see or own, there was no doubt about what would be my first retro purchase: a VIC-20. That machine lasted for a few weeks, and then I had to go out and hunt a second VIC.

I kept to my VIC, C64C and Amiga 500/1200 for many years. Not until around year 1999/2000, I upgraded to a second-hand Pentium PC. My real collection of vintage computers however didn't start until I got my own apartment and income, starting off with an BBC Master Compact in the fall of 2005. Since then, everything has grown to insane proportions.

Over the last few years I have gotten to see and obtain most of the classic systems I once dreamed about. Some of them I have only tried to use for a couple of minutes, others I have spent longer sessions with. Several are on my list of computers to eventually write programs for, but the few cases when I actually get to programming, I end up with writing VIC-20 programs. I'm too lazy to study a different system even if it is partially similar to what I already know.

So yes, I really must say VIC-20 is my favorite 8-bit computer, perhaps my favorite computer all way around. It is not the most versatile computer, a modern PC is many times more powerful and useful but I really don't have any feelings for my AMD Athlons, neither do I have a hot spot for Windows XP, Debian or whatever I load onto it.

The interesting question however which is my second favorite 8-bit computer. It should be the C64, but I'm not entirely sure. I find the C64 scene a bit rowdy and immature which smittens how I feel about the computer itself. The Beebs are impressive machines. I like MSX and Sord. I have begun to look into the CBM-II series. I follow the progress on the Oric scene. I will some day try to understand the creatiVision and Laser 2001 better. I may even think a little about the Atari 8-bit computers. Well, as you see the choice for 2nd favorite is harder than which is #1.

[carlsson]

You fucking traitors!

I love the fucking Astrocade; it's a close second. The Vectrex is fucking novel. The Atari 2600 and 7800 are both quite fun, BUT no other fucking device gives a user such a variety of experiences as a Commodore VIC 20. You can enjoy a fucking huge selection of programs in numerous formats: disk, tape, roms, carts...

And you can make your own games! Your own fucking games! Right away. Try learning Bally Basic (after finding the fucking cart and cables needed). The VIC is the fucking most accessible 8bit machine for user creativity. No fucking rom burners needed. This poll should be fucking unanimous.

But Jeff, such language!

[rhurst]

Bad children ought to be spanked ... I was surprised by the (split) poll results myself.

[carlsson]

On the other hand, at least here in Europe there is a trend that managers and coaches of a sports team (football, icehockey etc) have a competitor team as their personal favorite. Some fans think it is heresy, while others consider it a good thing as the manager may avoid making decisions by heart instead of brain. They say you should follow your heart but not always, in particular not if you risk losing millions of dollars by following a whim.

If you translate this to Denial, it means those who like the VIC-20 but don't reserve the primary place in their hearts for it, may sometimes have a more balanced and sober look at things than those blinded by love.

[English Invader]

In truth, it's not an easy choice. I get very different things from the VIC and the Game Gear.

The Game Gear is my first love and I get to play and collect games from all over the world to an extent that would have been way beyond my means when I was a child.

The VIC is a whole new experience. I love the simplicity of the computer and I enjoy the games, type-in-programs and the odd session with Basic.

[ral-clan]

VIC-20 definitely, probably followed by the PET.

My opinion is very similar to a few others that have already been stated...notably Carlsson's. It was my first computer, so there is that irrational nostaglia attached to it as well. But it is a very versatile system if you can only have one classic system (great games, programmability, etc.)

[Zeela]

My favorite 8-bitter is my first computer, the Luxor ABC 80. Of the commodores the C128 is the favorite, followed by the VIC...

[Vic20-Ian]

My first computer was a Vic-20.

Since then I have owned a Plus/4 bought new then all the rest from car boot sales or ebay.

Still have *

C64*
C128
C16
Plus/4*
SX64
P500* - but going
8096SK
4008
4032
A500
A600HD*
C64GS

Acorn
Rare Black Atom* but probably going, BBC, Electron, Master Compact

Amstrad
CPC400, GX4000, PPC - all pretty horrid

Atari
VCS*,2600* + Compumate* , 7800, 400, 800, 800xl, 600Xl, ST520, ST1024, Portfolio*

Sinclair
ZX80, Zx81,Spectrum 48k*, Spectrum +, +128k, +2, +3, QL

Others

Jupiter Ace* but going , Oric 1, Oric Atmos, Mattel Aquarius, ICL OPD, Osbourne 01, Coleco Adam, MSX, Tandy / Radioshack, Tatung Einstein....


Consoles
Many from Flourescent tube segment , LED, LCD days through Nintendo to PS3 excluding Microsoft except for PC.

Still have Vectrex, Virtual Boy, N64, Gamecube, VCS, Ps3, Wii + lots of old handhelds including those super Tomytronic 3d and a MAME cabinet I converted with JPAC.


I stopped hoarding so much and passed most of them on to other collectors just keeping the personal favourites.


After all those machines I still play with the Vic-20 most of all. It is just the best mix of accessible gaming and quality keyboard. Nothing else feels the same. I have no real attachment to any of the others.


Jeff - re programming did you ever see a 2600 Compumate with tape interface and Basic? I think you might like that if you have an Atari 2600.

[PaulQ]

Definitely is the Vic 20 for me. It made computers accessible to poor paper route boys with huge imaginations. It was the right machine at the right time in my life.

[Boray]

... however badly priced at the time!.

You mean the Plus/4, not the C16. C16 retailed at only $99. It's immediate shortcomings were the incompatible joystick/cassette ports -- that was a true boner, but the improved BASIC and ML monitor made up for some of that. Obviously, a stock C16 is way better than a stock VIC 20, that's why a VIC equipped with a Mega-Cart is so appealing, for both entertainment and programming value.

The Plus/4 should never have seen the light of day. Over-priced, same incompatible ports, and those really stupid chicklet arrow keys. Nice compact design and 64k of RAM, though. All that prettiness won't do it any justice when its packed away in its box and sitting on a closet shelf.

The Plus/4 (and c16) basic command setup surely is better than a Vic-20, but the speed isn't. Even though both computers run ML at about the same speed, Basic on Vic-20 runs about 50% faster than on a Plus/4. The speed of the Vic-20 combined with the low resolution graphics and simple to use graphics and sound registers makes the vic-20 the best Commodore 8 bit computer for basic games. If you want to move an object of the same size, you need twice as many pokes on a c64 or Plus/4 compared to a Vic-20. If you make use of the 8x16 pixels character mode of the Vic, you even need 4 times as many pokes on a c64 compared to the Vic...

I think the arrow keys on the Plus/4 are way better placed than those on the c16 btw...

[PaulQ]

Not only that, but the Plus/4 and 16, while great machines in their own right, weren't around long enough and weren't as popular as the Vic 20, and rare wasn't a good thing for me when I was a kid. In the summertime in the early to mid 1980's, after delivering my newspapers, I'd love to hop on my bike and do some "Yard Sale-ing," which was essentially cruising around the neighbourhood to check out the various yard sales to see what I could pick up for the few bucks I had earned. I was sure to find something for the Vic 20 or Atari 2600, but I never once saw a Plus/4 or Commodore 16 item at a yard sale. The "Yard sale find" factor also made the Vic 20 my favourite 8 bit of all times (with the Atari 2600 in second place). It was so exciting to find some strange new game cartridge or cassette tape I'd never heard of; I'd always rush home eager to try it out.