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Commodore Business Machines

Little did anyone know, this small typewriter repair business founded by Jack Tramiel in the 50s, would eventually grow up to become the company responsible for producing the best selling computer model of all time.

After moving on from the typewriter business, Commodore began producing electronic calculators in the early. By the early 70s, Commodore was a poular name in the calculator market. Unortunately for Commodore, Texas Instruments, whom was the major supplier of calculator parts decided to jump into the calculator market for themselves. Since TI produced most of the calculator parts themself, they were able to make calculators at a much lower price (with the in house parts) than Commodore or the other competetors were able to. This eventually pushed Commodore out of the calculator market in 1975.

Realizing the limitations of the calculator market, Tramiel set out to save Commodore. With help from his main investor, Tramiel purchased the then troubled MOS Technology, Inc. in 1976. This would allow Commodore to indefinitely have a chip supplier. MOS's chip designer, Chuck Peddle, became the head of engineering at Commodore and soon convinced Tramiel that the home computer business market was where the money was at. They then used Peddle's single board computer design to eventually produce Commodore's first computer: the Commodore PET in 1977. From this point forward, Commodore was a computer company. Commodore would continue to produce computers up until 1994, until their bankruptcy. The Amiga series was Commodore's final line of computers.