On the Edge

Book excerpt: This book tells the story of Commodore through first-hand accounts by former Commodore engineers and managers. Reliving the early years of an icon in the personal computer revolution turns out to be a fascinating and improbably hilarious journey. This gripping tale of ambition, greed, and inspired engineering gives readers a front row seat at the dawn of the personal computer. Engineers and managers relate their experiences through personal first-hand accounts, vividly recalling the most important moments of Commodore's entry into computers in 1976 until its demise in 1994. The Commodore years are tumultuous, owing to their volatile founder, Jack Tramiel. He pushes his team to extreme limits, demanding that they almost kill themselves to meet his lofty expectations. Against all odds, his engineers deliver more color, more character, and more value than either Apple or IBM. While other companies receive more press, Commodore sells more computers. They cut a path of destruction through the competition, knocking out Sinclair, Tandy, Texas Instruments, and Atari and almost mortally wounding Apple. Unfortunately, Tramiel's cut throat tactics also prove to be his undoing. He uses up his managers and employees like disposable ink cartridges, producing the highest employee turnover rate in the industry.