Hey, welcome to Cnet Top 5 where each time we meet we countdown another hot Cnet list. I'm Tom Merritt. If the 1940s was the golden age of comics, the 1980s must be the golden age of computers. The personal computers went mass market in the late 1970s that really came into their own during the Reagan era. But of all the 1980s computers we so knew in love, which one reigns supreme? We’re going to find out. Let's countdown the Top 5 1980s computers.
At number 5, the Amiga, I used an Amiga 2000 to generate on screen graphics when I did news for cable channel 2 in Champagne Urbana Illinois. It was technically a 32-bit system although it’s mostly used as a 16-bit and it can do up to 16 million colors in 1985.
Coming in at number 4, the TI-99/4A, this was my first computer and I actually still have it. They’re with serial expansion port. You could do speech synthesis, add a modem, directly print among many other things. You can also play mean game a par sec. and it was the first domestic 16-bit computer.
Up to number 3, the Apple II, this was the first computer I learned a program on. The first Apple II was birth in 1977, yes, but the 2 plus, the 2C, the 2E, and all the other variations reigned medally throughout the decade of decadence. The 2E was actually the last of the line, terminated March of 1993.
Signing in at number 2, the TRS-80, in my first programming class as Apple II users hated those evil TRS-80 acts. But its solid basic and its affordable price made it pretty common choice and a pretty good choice for schools, homes, and small businesses. And to be honest, I salivated over everytime I went into a radio shack on those days.
Before I get to number 1, time for another lame prize. And what an appropriate prize it is. This book of Basic Computer Games and this book of more Basic Computer Games could be yours. Just answer the trivia question in the blog post for this Top 5 at blog.cnettv.com. If you're one of the first 10 people to get it right and you can win the books. Here's the question. What was the best selling single personal computer model of all time?
Alright, let's get to our number 1, the top computer of the 1980s. So computers still loved and emulated across the world. At number 1, it’s the Commodore 64. I remember the day I decided to sell my TI-99 and exchange for the promise of getting a Commodore 64. And I did get one. Sure, it was only 8-bit but it has 64K of memory, 64K. That all will be enough for anybody. I wrote programs. I played games. Shoot, I went a whole computer baseball league on the darn thing. The C64 was a dream machine and I still love mine.
Well that’s it for this edition of Cnet Top 5. Obviously, you will have some quibbles with this list especially you, IBM PC, Macintosh, Epson QX 16 proponents, among others. So make your opinion known on our blog, blog.cnettv.com. Want to give you equal time. And while there, answer the trivia question and you could win the Basic Computer Games books. I'm Tom Merritt. See you next time.
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