Commodore PET

1977 - No generation identified

The Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) is a personal computer produced by Commodore International in 1977. It was one of the first personal computers and was aimed at the education and business markets. The Commodore PET was notable for its built-in keyboard, which was not a common feature on early personal computers. It also featured a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor, a cassette tape drive for data storage, and a monitor built into the same case as the keyboard and main unit. The Commodore PET was designed to be easy to use, it came with its own Basic interpreter which made it possible to write and run programs right out of the box. It was also one of the first computers with a monitor that could display upper-case and lower-case letters, which was a major advantage over other early computers. The Commodore PET was available in different models, each with different specifications, but all of them were based on the 6502 processor. Commodore PET was well received in the education sector, it was widely used in schools and universities, and it was also used in businesses as a general-purpose computer. However, as the personal computer market evolved and more advanced models were introduced, the Commodore PET became less popular and was eventually discontinued in the early 1980s. Commodore PET was a significant machine for its time, it was one of the first personal computers with a built-in keyboard, and it was widely used in the education and business sector, which helped to establish the personal computer as a viable tool for everyday use.