VOGONS


First post, by CrissTheCross

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so, i just got into coding and old PCs, i heard about the iconic breadbin PC, i dont know where i can find them for cheap, what i can do with them really, i know they have like a million custom expansions for like more RAM or turbo, and, where do you learn assembly? i heard assembly for C64s was the best way to start learning, so if anyone knows a guide or tutorials i would appriciate it (sorry for bad spelling im serbian), also, im worried they would expensive as hell, since i know old PCs go for a shit ton price. sorry if i sounded like an idiot, im just extremely new here, any tips would be appriciated, thx.

Reply 1 of 5, by MagefromAntares

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Hi,

The C64 is more of a home computer than a personal computer, but it is really a good machine to learn basic assembly concepts on, I'm in Hungary, so if you are in Serbia then you are almost my neighbour 😁, in Hungary the C64 is still relatively cheap on our local "ebay equivalent" sites, so Serbia might also have some available to buy in some online shop. Note that the C64's disk drive is sometimes rarer than the C64 itself in Central and East Europe, but if you wish to program on the actual C64 and not develop on a PC then transfer the program to the C64 then a disk drive is a lot better than the cassette based storage.

Do note that you will have to source an assembler separately as the C64 in-built language is BASIC. (in fact it is more of the OS of that computer than simply a programming language)

However the C64 is fun to learn on, the MOS6510(Which is basically a slightly modified MOS6502) has a quite straightforward assembly language(The zero page is a bit weird coming from modern architectures, but very useful), the HW sprites of the VIC-II and the sound capabilities of the SID is relatively easy to program and impressive for the era the computer were made in.

"A process cannot be understood by stopping it. Understanding must move with the flow of the process, must join it and flow with it." - Dune

Reply 2 of 5, by CrissTheCross

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THANKS! bascically, i found one for 400KM (around 300 dollars, im serbian buti live in bosnia), idk if thats a good deal, but il check ebay and see if theres better, il let ya know.

Reply 3 of 5, by MagefromAntares

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The prices can vary based on the condition of the machine and what peripherals are included, at minimum I recommend getting:
1. The C64 itself.
2. The PSU(It is separate from the machine, so check if it is in the listing)
3A. A disk drive or a cassette storage (called a datasette by Commodore, if you wish to do development on the actual machine I highly recommend the disk drive)
3B. If you don't worry about historical accuracy, it is more reliable and comfortable to get a modern storage solution instead of the original storage HW, as they are generally less troublesome.
4. One or two joysticks.
At the beginning you shouldn't worry about the RAM expansions and the various speed up(Turbo) solutions, these change the nature of the machine and I think it is better to program the base machine when beginning.

"A process cannot be understood by stopping it. Understanding must move with the flow of the process, must join it and flow with it." - Dune

Reply 4 of 5, by Garrett W

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Amibay.com might be a good place to start. Also not a bad place to ask more in-depth questions regarding the C64.

Alternatively, you can always set up an emulator and start exploring the potential of the machine and whether you like working on it or not before you start spending big.

Reply 5 of 5, by CrissTheCross

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yeah, im not boutta throw a bag for a 1980s pc immidietally, im good with emulation and until i learn coding good enough, im not gonna drop the bag.