Retro Commodore computer expo coming to Mississauga
Published November 29, 2023 at 12:21 pm
Computer nerds, gamers and history geeks may want to check out an expo happening this weekend in Mississauga.
The 40th annual World of Commodore computer expo, from the Toronto PET Users Group, is at the Admiral Inn Mississauga on Dec. 2 and 3.
The expo was first held at the International Centre in Mississauga, and was organized by Commodore Canada in 1983, according to the expo organizers.
The expo continues with the help of Commodore enthusiasts, the Toronto PET Users Group, which has organized the annual event since 2004.
Although the Commodore company went bankrupt in 1994, a continued following has recently gained momentum in the “retrocomputing scene,” according to the organizers.
And the Toronto PET Users Group, founded in 1979, it is the longest continually-operating Commodore users group in the world.
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Commodore started in Toronto as a typewriter company in 1958.
In the 1980s, they were one of the most successful computer companies in the world, outselling Apple, Atari and IBM.
The company still holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling desktop computer of all time — the Commodore 64. The exact number of Commodore 64s sold is unclear – Commodore founder Jack Tramiel estimated between 22 and 30 million units, according to Guinness.
Part of its popularity was the fact that it supported the BASIC programming language — a plus for home videogame creators. This support structure kept the machine going long after its hardware was obsolete and, according to the Toronto PET Users Group, people still use old Commodores to create new games.
And artists create “C64 pixel art” and “SID music” on Commodore computers.
The World of Commodore 2023 will feature exhibitors, vendors, and guest speakers.
Commodore computers of all kinds – PET, VIC-20, C64, C128, C16, Plus/4, Amiga, and many others will be on display.
The computers will show an assortment of old and new software, games, demos, and projects.
The event is family-friendly, and could be fun (and educational) for children to see what computers looked like in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
The two-day expo is on Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Admiral Inn Mississauga, 2161 North Sheridan Way.
Tickets are $20 for the day or $30 for two days. To buy tickets and learn more, see the website here: http://www.worldofcommodore.ca
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