TGC

Ok.

<>I just bought a copy. Pay no mind if you see a disk mag version show up with an intro that says "original >supplied by Obliterator918."

Flack,
I just have one more question. In your original book, Commodork you mention that you when you were younger you had set up a copy fest at a hotel while the Boss' BBS was shut down. You wrote

"A couple of days later I asked my parents to me over to The Boss' house. When we got there we found it was basically empty. There was an overturned chair in the living room and a card table that we could see in the kitchen, but everything else was gone. My first thought was that the was screwed. My second though was that I was screwed, too."
Were you and your parents afraid that the authorities would go through the Boss's BBS list? Just wondering.

I don't know about my parents, but I was very much afraid that would happen. In fact, as a result of the Boss BBS bust, my friend Jeff got a call from the FBI. I don't want to say too much more because the entire story is in Commodorkier!

Flack,
Check out this article about this 1980s BBS that was running on an Apple II that has a telnet connection:

A 1986 bulletin board system has brought the old Web back to life in 2017
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/a-1986-bulletin-board-system-has-brought-the-old-web-back-to-life-in-2017/

About the Commodork book, I think I remember seeing a hard copy version of the book in a used bookstore in town about 2-3 years ago. Trying to take advantage of what little time I have for the summer due to the recent coronavirus, I decided to continue my yearly reading of books.

I grew up with a Vic 20, but I was too young at the time to use BBS or any other online services at the time. I have an older cousin who had a Commodore 64, but he seemed to use it primarily for his schoolwork. Despite having a Vic20 at home, my cousin was protective of his C64. I think I only played just a few games on it, namely Hang On on it just once at my aunt's kitchen when I was 9 years old or so.

I never had TRS-80 or a Tandy computer, but I remember using one for a computer literacy class in in middle school.

I never had an Apple IIe, but one of my father's friend's lent me own when I was in high school.
I tried to use it for schoolwork, namely for Biology classes and for Chemistry.

It wasn't until later on that I got a 386SX Packard Bell PC in high school towards the end of my freshman year that I started becoming dabbling with BBSs. I tended to use BBSs in more a social way to connect with other like minded people at that.

I am not sure if copyfests existed at the time. I later attended some computer trade shows and, later on, a Linux meeting with a friend from high school.

Flack,
Is there anyway you can post Commodorkier on Amazon? If so, it will be wonderful. It is just
easier for to order on Amazon than use Paypal. Thanks.

Artisian78

Postby Flack » August 13th, 2020, 8:39 am

Flack wrote:
I never got around to adding it to my site. I'll try and make that happen tomorrow.



Ok, the link is live. Once I see that it's worked at least once, I'll blow it out on Twitter and Facebook as well.

http://www.robohara.com/?page_id=12721
Flack
www.robohara.com | www.facebook.com/robohara | www.twitter.com/Commodork

Flack,
I remember I took a creative writing class in college once. I had the same English professor that
I had for the Freshman Composition class I had taken earlier at the same college.
Anyway, I have to say that the professor got really critical and kind of rude. I winded up dropping the class but I took it with the dean. The dean didn't really say much, but just supported me for dropping the class.
I had heard stories that the same professor would make English majors cry at times. That is not good if you ask me.

That is an interesting project, Flack. Did you create an audiobook of Commodork? Just wondering.

I did not, but I plan to. I've been planning to for a long time in fact, but multiple things have got in the way of those plans. Hopefully soon!

Just want to say, I read Commodorkier last night before bed. I'm pretty sure I had weird C64-related dreams.

Also, you should know that you beat out Frank Herbert for my before-sleep reading. Congrats!

Anyway.

I appreciated and enjoyed how you revisited your original book. I remember meeting you for the first time when you were selling it at OVGE and you were surrounded by tables of cool vintage gear. I don't think I have read Commodork since I originally got it, but I remembered it well enough, and the content of the sequel stands well on its own anyway. I enjoyed the candor and the evident personal growth.

I must admit to a bit of envy. I don't know anyone from my childhood up to 15 now (outside of family). My C64 time ended at the age of 15 when we moved and the C64 finally gave out, without replacement. And, as I have said a few times, none of my hardware or software survived into adulthood. I also have very few *specific* memories of my C64 years, although the emotional imprint of the time is still quite on me, since I get nostalgic buzz from using the hardware, which I don't really get from anything else.

Aw, thanks man! I think this might be the first official feedback I got from the book. I'm glad the "growth" aspect came through. I have been defending the stories in Commodork for 15 years now. I think a lot of people had trouble separating the 30-year-old author from the 15-year-young miscreant.

Flack wrote:Aw, thanks man! I think this might be the first official feedback I got from the book. I'm glad the "growth" aspect came through. I have been defending the stories in Commodork for 15 years now. I think a lot of people had trouble separating the 30-year-old author from the 15-year-young miscreant.

Is it on Amazon, Flack, and I just don't see it?

I see. I can imagine you were afraid that anything could happen from that incident. I see your friend got a call from the FBI. Ok, I will have to check out the story in Commodorkier.

Flack wrote:I don't know about my parents, but I was very much afraid that would happen. In fact, as a result of the Boss BBS bust, my friend Jeff got a call from the FBI. I don't want to say too much more because the entire story is in Commodorkier!

I see. Ok, no problem. I was just wondering about the audiobook. Thanks, Flack.

Flack wrote:I did not, but I plan to. I've been planning to for a long time in fact, but multiple things have got in the way of those plans. Hopefully soon!

That seems to happen sometimes.

Flack wrote:I have been defending the stories in Commodork for 15 years now. I think a lot of people had trouble separating the 30-year-old author from the 15-year-young miscreant.

That is great to hear, Obliterator918. I will have to check out the Commodorkier ebook.

I still have my Vic20 that I got when I was about 4 or 5. But sadly, it doesn't work. I think it might be the power supply or a capacitor that blew out. I remember getting the power supply and the Vic20 serviced once during middle school.

I still have some friends that I knew from high school that I keep in touch with at times, but
I only have one that was really into computers and BBSs like I was. Most of my friends I just outgrew them
or I never really had a friendship with them to begin with.

While I never had a C64, one of my cousins had one. I grew up primarily with a NES and a Sega Master System. I guess I get interested in it in seeing how the gameplay used to be on the C64.

I used to check out Basic programming library books and type out the programs using WinVice.

obliterator918 wrote:Just want to say, I read Commodorkier last night before bed. I'm pretty sure I had


I must admit to a bit of envy. I don't know anyone from my childhood up to 15 now (outside of family). My C64 time ended at the age of 15 when we moved and the C64 finally gave out, without replacement. And, as I have said a few times, none of my hardware or software survived into adulthood. I also have very few *specific* memories of my C64 years, although the emotional imprint of the time is still quite on me, since I get nostalgic buzz from using the hardware, which I don't really get from anything else.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:

Flack wrote:Is it on Amazon, Flack, and I just don't see it?

Right now it's just available from my site. I'm selling it that way right now because Amazon takes 30% of the sale price, on top of PayPal's cut.

Wow, I see. I didn't know that Flack.

Flack wrote:

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:

Flack wrote:Is it on Amazon, Flack, and I just don't see it?

Right now it's just available from my site. I'm selling it that way right now because Amazon takes 30% of the sale price, on top of PayPal's cut.

Flack, I'll try to get a copy of your ebook Commodorkier. I just got paid so it is all good. Thanks.

Flack wrote:

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:

Flack wrote:Is it on Amazon, Flack, and I just don't see it?

Right now it's just available from my site. I'm selling it that way right now because Amazon takes 30% of the sale price, on top of PayPal's cut.

I see that you left Commodork a 3/5 star rating on Amazon. If you didn't enjoy the original, I wouldn't recommend buying the sequel.

Digging Commodorkier so far. I give it eight stars out of two thumbs up. It's by far the Commodorkiest book I've ever read.

Posted in the other thread in the "Writing" Sub Forum, but looking forward to reading this. Loved your first one. When you get around to doing the audio book, I will definitely have to listen to that as well.