portcommodore.com PET/CBM FAQ

PET/CBM RESOURCES

ON-LINE RESOURCES

PET Information and Publications

• Project 64 - Commodore 64 Documentation Project
• Transactor On-Line - a scanned collection of one of the BEST programming/tech magazines for Commodore 8-bit (including the PET!)
• Commodore Hacking Newsletter - The contemporary version of Transactor published as a easy to download and print text files. They contain a lot of the juicy technical and programming bits us nerds love to read.
• iDoC= - International Commodore Documentation Project -
• Commodore Knowledge Base - A searchable repository of commodore information and tidbits.
• Andre Fachat's PET Index - Where the PET FAQ leaves of in technical details Andre's PET Index picks back up . If you are reading this you should check out Andre's Site too!
• the Secret Weapons of Commodore -
• commodore.ca - Where Andre expands of the Tech knowledge the commodore.ca site continues on with the history with lots of goodies like scanned manuals and advertisements.

PET Software

• funet.fi CBM archive - Contains a good library of files representing most of the Commodore 8-bits, including the PET/CBM. Goes beyond my sites offerings with games, scanned diagrams, utilities and cross-platform programs.
• Ken Ross's Independent Commodore Library - A lot more Commodore PET/CBM stuff than I have on-line!
• Port Commodore's PET Games Archive - a compilation of some games for the PET I have acquired over the years (and I think one utility disk). A bunch of good PET programs to get your collection started.

Cross-Platform Tools and Resources

• VICE - The Versatile Commodore Emulator
• MESS - Multiple Emulation Super System
• Star Commander - 1541-PC data transfer
• X1541 Cables (for use with Star Commander
• the Hardware Book - A collection of interface and cable pinout from a wide variety of computers, video games and other electronics. Very useful!

Classic/Commodore Computer Groups/Meetings

• TPUG - the Toronto PET Users Group -
• Vintage Computer Festival - A annual event in various parts of the Earth where like minded Classic Computerists gather to show off their computers, buy and sell old computer stuff and attend talks on a variety of vintage computer topics!

Message Boards

• Groups.google.com - Archive of Usenet Newsgroups dating back to 1982! Very handy reference source. (try and use the newsgroup titles below as search strings to start!)
• news:alt.folklore.computers - [usenet news group, use a newsreader or google groups to read] - General computer discussion of computer folklore and anecdotes. You get some very interesting tales about computers ranging from Micros to the "big iron" mainframe computers.
• news:comp.sys.cbm - [usenet news group, use a newsreader or google groups to read] - The general discussion for Commodore 8-bits. If you have a PET question or are looking for something PET related, post it here!
• news:comp.emulators.cbm - [usenet news group, use a newsreader or google groups to read] - More a discussion of Commodore Emulators, but sometimes it goes into PET programs or other aspects.
• news:comp:binaries.cbm - [usenet news group, use a newsreader or google groups to read] - moderated "binaries" group posts programs on-line that are legally downloadable (either public domain or have permission to distribute)
• Vintage Computer Forum - maintained by Eric Klien Fellow classic computer connoisseur - this web-based discussion is dedicated to classic computerists.

Shopping Opportunities

• eBay - yeah sometimes people rant about it, but it's like a huge flea market that spans the United States and many other parts of the world. Search for 'Commodore' and 'pet' or 'cbm' (or 'rare') and you will usually find a handful classic Commodore PET stuff for sale. (look for the books and magazines listed below there too!)
• Vintage Computer Marketplace - Started by the genius behind the Vintage Computer Festival, the Vintage Marketplace is a classic computerist friendly on-line market.
• The Vintage Computer - retailer selling used Commodore and other computer hardware, software, and books. Sometimes PET stuff shows up on his pages.
• Centsible Software - Another source for Commodore 8-bit Hardware, Software and Books. It's surprising what these guys find sometimes!

SOME RECOMMENDED PET BOOKS

Programming the PET/CBM - Raeto Colin West - COMPUTE! books

Many would refer to this book as the PET programming bible, as it is a very lengthy and complete overview of the PET computers. With plenty of information on basic commands (as well as additional commands) , programming with peripherals and the differences in the various PET/CBM models.

PET/CBM Personal Computer Guide - Adam Osborne and Others - Osborne McGraw Hill

Not as expansive as Programming the PET/CBM this books is still a great reference. Aspects of using peripherals, programming, hardware features and memory maps. The Personal Computer Guide has gone through several printings and co-authors, ending with the third edition.

Complete Commodore Innerspace Anthology - Karl Hildon -Transactor Publications

Not specific on just the PET the Anthology covers most of the Commodore 8-bit line with reference tables, charts, memory maps, pinouts, etc. A must-have for the Commodore tinkerer who has multiple Commodore 8-bit computers. [on-line scanned book!] or buy the original (easier to manage) from the author Karl Hildon

Machine Language for the Commodore 64/128 and other Commodore Computers - Jim Butterfield - Brady Books

Jim Butterfield has been a 6502 user even before the PET was released. He has over the years helped many a Commodore neophyte get a grip on programming in machine language. The native language of the 6502 microprocessor of the PET and many other Commodore 8-bits. His book goes over all the Machine Language commands and gets us started in low-level programming. Very useful if you want to get the most out of your PET programming efforts. [You can find the book on-line here] and the companion disk (which includes Unicopy) [here]

6502 Assembly Language Programming
6502 Assembly Language Subroutines - Lance Leventhall - Osborne McGraw Hill

Not specifically geared for the PET these two books cover programming the 6502 microprocessor quite well the first goes over the processor commands and operations and the second provides plenty of useful (machine non-specific) 6502 subroutines that you can use in your own projects.

the PET Revealed - Nick Hampshire - Nick Hampshire Publishing

Where the Programming the PET/CBM was the bible for programming the PET - PET Revealed covers a lot of the technical hardware and interfacing aspects of the PET including on using some of the lesser known features of the 6520 interface chip.

Hands On BASIC with a PET - Herbert Peckham - McGraw Hill

This is the book I learned BASIC from while in high school - it covers most of the language and a little on the keyboard graphics. Good for beginners.

PET Fun and Games - Glen Fisher - Osborne/McGraw Hill

Selected programs from the popular PET tape magazine Cursor. (many of which are on-line in my PET Games Archive) Very well done PET specific type-in game programs.

Some more classic computing books are available at Atariarchives.org, who have been doing a bang-up job of preserving classic computing resources for the internet.

BOOKS ON BASIC

MicroSoft BASIC (the version used in the PET) was very popular in the 70s and 80s and ran on many computers during that time. Thus a lot of books have been written about programming in BASIC. Here is a list of some BASIC learning books as well as books with BASIC examples that would work (sometimes with a little modification) on the PET. A great way to learn BASIC syntax and get ideas on how to accomplish your programming challenges.

BASIC 2nd Edition - Albrecht, Finkel, Brown - Wiley

One of the earlier BASIC tutorials does an excellent job of covering all the most used commands with sample lessons.

BASIC Computer Games - Microcomputer Edition - David Ahl
More BASIC Computer Games - David Ahl
Big BASIC Games - David Ahl
BASIC Computer Adventures - David Ahl

The BASIC Computer Games and More BASIC Computer Games are probably the best know of the BASIC games books, containing many Games and wonderments written in BASIC for you to type-in play and experiment with. Many of the programs in the later books were reprinted from the popular home computing magazine "Creative Computing". A must for BASIC fans. Many on-line at atariarchives.org!

Giant Book of Computer Games
Second Giant Book of Computer Games
Golden Flutes and Great Escapes - Writing Adventure Games
(Several other books) - Tim Hartnell

Tim Hartnell has written so many wonderful BASIC games books all of which are interesting. A wide variety of programs can be found even a version of chess (2nd GBoCG) all written in BASIC.

PET RELATED MAGAZINES TO LOOK FOR

Many of these magazines started in the mid to late 70s and covered PET related topics till about 1983 when the Commodore 64 eclipsed the PET market.

• COMPUTE! Magazine - Originally started as "The PET Gazzette" this publication was very favorable to 6502 computers and until the Commodore 64 got real popular just about every issue had PET type-ins and/or articles.
• Creative Computing - back when everyone wanted to learn more about how their computers works and how to program them. Creative computing was the greatest place to read about new data sorting techniques, simulation ideas, and also the occasional type-in.
• BYTE: The Small Systems Journal - Back in the "Early Years" many of the magazines were more concerned with helping the user then selling ads. BYTE was no exception the articles could be hardware or software, many not specific on any computer. Sometimes a bit more technical but it was always an educational read.
• Commodore Magazine, Commodore Interface, Commodore Power/Play - yep, Commodore published their own magazine (an offshoot of their original Commodore Newsletter for PET users.)
• Transactor - As mentioned before Transactor was 100% commodore and chock full of stuff to learn and explore.
• Commander - Not as well known as some it was a Commodore based magazine that had more the feel of COMPUTE the Commodore's magazines.
• Micro: the 6502 Journal - Another great techie magazine, focusing on the 6502 microprocessor.
• Interface Age - Once the mid 80s hit it became more a business-computing magazine, but earlier issues had a lot of micro stuff in them.
• Kilobaud Microcomputing - Another great general computing magazine. This one had a regular PET column in most early issues.
• Die Hard & Commodore World - a bit shorter run than most these relatively new magazines tried to take over were the others had left. Some good Commodore information in both.