Most popular classic computer of your country?

[Kurt_Woloch]

Well, for here in Vienna, Austria... in the really early days, I think the most popular computer was the Sinclair ZX-81 (until about 1982), but that was when computers were still for "geeks". From 1984 on, it was probably the C-64, which was outrun by the Amiga 500 in 1987-88. Then from about 1992, the PC's took over. As for game consoles, the most popular one was probably the Atari 2600, followed by the Philips G7000, which some classmates had, and one cousin had an Intellivision. Before the Atari 2600, the popular electronic games were handheld games in the style of Nintendo Game & Watch, though some people found Pong clones at yard sales. The Colecovision I only saw in stores, however, as I did with Creativision, SMS's, Mega Drives and NES's... at that time we all had C-64's and Amiga 500's instead. The next popular "console" probably was the Gameboy, which spread pretty far. As for other computers people had... one classmate had a ZX-Spectrum, one had a Laser (don't recall the model #), and one had an Amstrad CPC 464. There also were some TI-99 users in Vienna if you looked for them, but none among my classmates, at least when it was still produced. I never met anyone having an MSX computer, a Sharp home computer (though I did see some of their pocket computers in people's hands), an Atari ST or an Atari 8-bit computer, though I learned that Atari ST's were the usual equipment in music studios before they switched over to Macs and finally to PC's. And businesses probably used PC's much earlier than hobbyists. This, of course, is out of the eyes of someone who still went to school back then.

[+swlovinist]

I would have to say that the Commodore 64 had to dominate in Sales figures in the US, due to its abundant and still easy to locate hardware still found today in the wild. While I know that there is a following for the Atari and Amiga computer lines, few can dispute the sheer amount of versatility of programs and applications made for the Commdore 64. With games in the ten thousand plus range. While I think that Atari made a dang good computer, their bread and butter was the 2600 which everyone bought or owned at some time in their life. For me, I never owned one as a kid, but eight of my friends owned a Commodore 64 as their computer, one had an Amiga, and I got to be raised on the ST(I am only 31).

[kevin242]

In the United States, I think most people missed out on the non-PC 16 bit era, which is a shame. Those are some of the best computers ever made. The most popular classic computers in the US in alphabetical order.

 

(Apple)Apple IIe and other in same family

(Atari) Atari 800xl and others in same family

(Commodore) C64

 

Nobody ever cries over the old days of the PC jr, or the VIC20.

 

 

Interesting viewpoint... I would say the Commodore 64 is by far the most popular of the classic computers in the US and the sales back me up.

 

I think it goes something like this in the US:

 

Commodore 64/128

Apple II+,IIe

Atari 400/800/XL/XE

Amiga series

Atari ST series

TI 99. Timex/Sinclair and COCO/TRS-80 bring up the rear.

 

I don't consider the Mac a classic computer since the platform still exists (typing on one now!).

Edited April 23, 2007 by kevin242

[Mr.Amiga500]

I think Canada was a bit different from the US. I never saw an Atari ST anywhere and only saw a single Apple II once in a clearance sale.

 

I'd say for Canada, it goes like this:

 

Commodore 64/128

Atari 400/800/XL (XE was not popular)

TRS-80/CoCo series

Amiga series (mainly pre-AGA)

TI-99

Apple II+,IIe

Timex Sinclair

Atari ST series

 

 

It's shocking I know, but I think TRS-80/CoCo sold more than the later Amiga - probably because of the TRS-80's low price and the fact that Radio Shack stores were everywhere.

[keitaro]

In Spain, it was very influenced by computers from UK, so the rank will be:

 

1. Spectrum

2. Amstrad CPC

 

3. C64

4. MSX

5. Amstrad PC

 

ST and Amiga never was vey extended. And others, like Apple II, Atari 8bit or firsts MACs were unknowns here back then.

But I have an 800XL now

[Kurt_Woloch]

So, when did the Spectrum's lifespan end in Spain? And what came after it, if not the Amiga or ST?

[keitaro]

So, when did the Spectrum's lifespan end in Spain? And what came after it, if not the Amiga or ST?

 

Hi, spectrum lifespan was from 1984 until 1992. The last number of Microhobby, a magazine about Spectrum only, was from January, 1992.

STs and Amigas were introduced lately, so when begins to start popular (1989-90) were replaced soon with consoles (first with NES and Master system, a few later with Megadrive and supernes) and PCs.