Commodore PET
Commodore PET 2001 | |
| Manufacturer | Commodore International |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer (all-in-one) |
| Release date | January 1977 |
| Introductory price | US$795 (equivalent to $4,100 in 2024) |
| Discontinued | 1982 |
| Units sold | 219,000 |
| Operating system | Commodore BASIC 1.0–4.0 |
| CPU | 6502 @ 1 MHz |
| Memory | 4–96 KB |
| Storage | Cassette tape, 5.25-inch floppy, 8-inch floppy, hard disk |
| Display | 40×25 or 80×25 text |
| Graphics | Monochrome PETSCII semigraphic characters |
| Sound | None or beeper |
| Successor | CBM-II |
The Commodore PET is a line of personal computers produced starting in 1977 by Commodore International. A single all-in-one case combines a MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor, Commodore BASIC in read-only memory, keyboard, monochrome monitor, and, in early models, a cassette deck.
Development of the system began in 1976, and it was demonstrated and sold as the first personal computer for the masses at the January 1977 Consumer Electronics Show. The name "PET" was suggested by Andre Souson after he saw the Pet Rock in Los Gatos, and stated they were going to make the "pet computer". It was backronymed to Personal Electronic Transactor. In a 1995 retrospective, Byte magazine—and subsequently many others—referred to the PET, Apple II and TRS-80 collectively as the "1977 trinity" of pioneering personal computers.
Following the initial PET 2001, the design was updated through a series of models with more memory, better keyboard, larger screen, and other modifications. The systems were a top seller in the Canadian and United States education markets, as well as for business use in Europe.
The PET line was discontinued in 1982 after approximately 219,000 machines were sold.