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Member Biographies From
The Interface,
newsletter of |
More Commodore links Articles Page 1 Articles Page 2 Articles Page 3 |
|
Introduction “Memory Lane,” our series of articles honoring former members, is now complete, so we move on to current members. Everyone was sent a list of questions, and we are creating a sort of biography of each person from their answers. This material appeared in The Interface starting in 2016. Questions and comments to our web address, info@dickestel.com, are welcome. --Dick Estel |
Dick Estel Louis Mazzei Greg Dodd Vincent Mazzei Lenard Roach Roberrt Bernardo |
Dick Estel The Interface: Please provide brief biographical data: Place of birth, family status, occupation, current place of residence.
Dick Estel
: I was born in I worked for a few years at radio and television stations in Fresno, Coalinga, Tulare, Bakersfield and Salinas, mostly writing advertising copy. In 1976 I began a 26 year career at the Fresno County Department of Social Services. I retired as a Program Manager in 2002. I got married in 1963, and divorced eight years later. I lived in central Fresno for 30 years, and in 2008 I moved to a condo in Clovis, a city of 100,000 northeast of Fresno. My parents, who never used computers, passed away in 2005 and 2007. I have two daughters, two adult grandsons, and two great grandsons, all of them living nearby. All of them use various computers and devices, even 18-month old Jack, who can find the songs and games he likes on the iPad. TI: Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in most homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content. DE: Since I am nearly 77 years old, the answer to this question is clearly YES. I don’t know when I first became aware of the existence of computers in general, but I know I wrote an essay about the value of computer knowledge when I was a senior in high school. This was in reference to using large scale computers for business, not a home product. TI: What is your first memory of being aware of home computers (not necessarily using one; just any knowledge of their existence)? DE: This is almost lost in the mists of history, but it was probably reading something about Radio Shack selling a home computer. TI:
What is your earliest memory of using (or trying to use) a computer –
your own, a friend’s, at work, in a store. DE: I looked at a computer in Radio Shack and tried to do something on it (maybe play blackjack; I’m not sure). I must not have looked like a likely buyer, since no one in the store offered any help, and I was unable to get anywhere with the machine, so I walked out. The price was also a barrier at that time. TI: When did you get your first computer and what was it? When did you get your first Commodore computer and what was it? DE: It was several years after my failed attempt at Radio Shack. I had been using computers to a limited extent at work (mainframe access), and knew that I wanted a computer some day. I saw an ad in the newspaper for a Commodore 64, loaded up my 3-year old grandson in the car, and drove the short distance to Sears. We came home with a Commodore 64 ($199) and a Blue Chip Disk Drive (about $150). The drive did not work; I went back and they exchanged it for a 1541 at no additional cost. I was used to the many different ways in which client information could
be viewed via the mainframe at work. My plan, which was in fact just a
fantasy, was to catalog my collection of over a thousand 45 TI: What computers have you owned? DE: Several C64s and 128s; I owned an Amiga for about five minutes, which I bought to get the included 1084 monitor. I immediately sold the computer to Robert Bernardo. I have owned at least five or six Windows PCs, the first one being an Acer, and the current one a custom-made box from PC Workshop, a computer store that is now out of business. I also have a Dell laptop that I take with me on long trips, but seldom use otherwise. TI:
How often do you use a Commodore computer - daily, weekly, monthly,
rarely? DE:
If I had answered this question 20 years ago it would have been “every
day, till late at night.” Now the only time I use a Commodore is at TI: Did you ever use a Commodore of any kind at work or for work purposes? DE: I’m not 100% sure but I think I may have used it at home to write some memos and other simple word processing items for work. I remember taking my SX64 to work one day, so I did something work-related but can’t remember what.
DE: My first connection with computer use at work consisted of input documents that we filled in by hand. They then went to data entry clerks who entered the information via terminals into the mainframe. By the time I retired, every employee had a desktop computer which was used daily. The line staff was still entering the same type of data we had done by hand, but using the PC to enter it. In my own specialized position, I mostly used word processing programs, but also did a significant amount of research via the Internet. TI: What computer-type devices that are not specifically a laptop or desktop do you use (iPad or other tablet, smart phone, other). Have you used any in the past that you no longer have or use? DE: I have an iPad and an Android smart phone which I use every day. When I travel, I use the iPad to access my email. I use the phone mainly for text messaging and phone calls; the screen is too small for satisfactory internet use. TI: If you have a spouse or children, what is their computer use? Have their own computer or device Use your equipment Do not use it Which person in your family uses a computer at home the most? DE: When my grandsons were young they used my computers for games and later for various Internet activities. I live alone so there is no one in the house routinely using the computers other than myself. TI: What Commodore magazines did you subscribe to or read, and which did you find most helpful? DE: I subscribed to Run and Compute! Gazette, and to several short-lived publications produced by small-scale, semi-professional writer/publishers. These included Diehard, Commodore World, Commodore MaiLink, a couple of GEOS specific magazines, and a couple of others I can’t remember the names of. I also read Compute and .Info from time to time. I thought that Run was the most useful to me. TI: What are your predictions or expectations for the future of Commodore brand computers? DE: I am still amazed that Commodore has held on so long, especially considering that its final demise was being predicted in the mid-90s. I think a small group will continue to use them and develop for them as long as a machine still boots up. TI: When did you join DE: In 1988. After a year of struggling with various programs, a friend at work mentioned that there was a Commodore club in Fresno. I went to a meeting, joined the same day, and I’m still here. TI: Any final thoughts? DE:
I will always be grateful that I got involved with computers, and to the
guidance and social interaction I experience with |
| Louis
Mazzei
The Interface: Please provide brief biographical data: Place of birth, family status, occupation, current place of residence.
Louis Mazzei
: I was born on TI: What is your first memory of being aware of home computers (not necessarily using one; just any knowledge of their existence)?
LM: I first became aware of
home computers when I went to a friend's house and saw an Apple ][ Plus
for the first time. TI: Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in
most homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content.
LM: Certainly! I didn't see
that Apple ][ Plus until I was 9 or 10 years old. Before that, we had just
graduated from Pong to an Atari 2600 and thought that only scientists and
big business needed computers.
TI: What is your earliest
memory of using (or trying to use) a computer – your own, a friend’s,
at work, in a store. LM: When I saw the Apple ][ Plus mentioned above, I played Choplifter for the first time and was in awe. TI: When did you get your first computer and what was it? When did you get your first Commodore computer and what was it?
LM: My first home computer was
the ECS add-on for my Intellivision; 2K TI: What computers have you owned?
LM: I don't think you REALLY
want me to list them all... ;) I'll just list companies, because
it'd take too long to list the models, but I'll say Commodore (including
Amigas), Apple (including Macs and Newtons), Atari, Sun Microsystems,
various PC's, Tandy, Raspberry Pi, the aforementioned Intellivision ECS,
Texas Instruments, Coleco
TI: How often do you use a
Commodore computer - daily, weekly, monthly, rarely?
LM: Rarely, but I'm working on
that... ;) TI: Did you ever use a Commodore of any kind at work or for work purposes?
LM: No. By the time I started
working around computers, the industry had been assimilated by the Borg
(Microsoft), with the occasional Mac for supplement. TI: Do you use a computer at work, and if so what type? How do you use it or what do you use it for? (If retired, answer based on your final year or two of work).
LM: I use both Macs and Windows
PC's daily at my job. I work as support in the printing and publishing
industry and computers are now the biggest part of it, not only for
printing purposes, but for processing data as well.
TI: What computer-type devices that are not specifically a laptop or desktop do you use (iPad or other tablet, smart phone, other)? Have you used any in the past that you no longer have or use?
LM: I have both an iPhone and
an iPad that I use daily, to the point where I actually don't have a
modern computer on my desk at home. I'm currently building a Windows PC
just to play Star Trek Online [drool]. TI: If you have a spouse or children, what is their computer use? Have their own computer or device Use your equipment Do not use it
LM: My wife, daughter and son
all have laptops that I don't really touch, and my son has a modern gaming
PC for simulators, a TI-99/4a, a brown (breadbin) C-64, an SX-64 and a
really nice, vintage VIC-20 system. The VIC-20 is his favorite classic
computer, but his PC sees the most use. TI: Which person in your family uses a computer at home the most?
LM: I used to buy Ahoy!, A+,
MacUser, TI: What are your predictions or expectations for the future of Commodore brand computers?
LM: Care and support from the
Commodore community worldwide! Keeping the classic platforms alive using
modern innovation and sharing our knowledge base is of utmost importance.
TI: 14. When did you join
LM: Gosh, I must have joined in
either March or April of 2011. I went to my first CommVEx that year and am
hoping for many more! TI: Any final thoughts? LM: The ancient Egyptians believed that to speak of the dead was to make them live again in our hearts. Keeping that in mind, don't stop enjoying/supporting your computers just because they are considered old by today's standards, whatever you do. Classic computers may not be produced any longer, but they are certainly alive and well because of people like us. |
| Greg
Dodd
The
Interface: Please provide brief biographical data: Place of birth,
family status, occupation, current place of residence.
Greg: I was born and raised in TI: What is your first memory of being aware of home computers (not
necessarily using one; just any knowledge of their existence)?
Greg: I recall seeing them in movies and in the news. Later, I
remember seeing the Atari 400 and 800 computers in the Sears Catalogs at
Christmas Time. Side note: I have very fond memories of getting my hands
on the Sears Christmas Catalog every year. I have found images of the
electronics sections of these catalogs online and have compiled a booklet
with these wonderful images. They bring back fond memories of the 70’s
and early 80’s.
TI: Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in
most homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content.
Greg: Definitely! Growing up in the 70’s, I remember hearing how
only companies and extremely wealthy individuals owned computers.
TI: What is your earliest memory of using (or trying to use) a computer – your own, a friend’s, at work, in a store.
Greg: I recall using the Radio Shack (Tandy) TRS-80 computers in
school. Later, I recall using the Apple ][C computers in junior high. I
even remember using an
TI: When did you get your first computer and what was it? When did you
get your first Commodore computer and what was it?
Greg: Around 1983, I got my first computer...a Commodore 64! TI: What computers have you owned? Greg: (Get ready for a long answer) I had my C64, a C128, an
Atari 520STfm, an TI: How often do you use a Commodore computer - daily, weekly,
monthly, rarely?
Greg: Now, rarely (usually at the TI: Did you ever use a Commodore of any kind at work or for work
purposes?
Greg: Nope TI: Do you use a computer at work, and if so what type. How do you
use it or what do you use it for? (If retired/not working answer based on
your final year or two of work). TI: What computer-type devices that are not specifically a laptop
or desktop do you use (iPad or other tablet, smart phone, other). Have you
used any in the past that you no longer have or use? TI: If you have a spouse or children, what is their computer use?
Do they have their own computer or device?
Greg: Yes, Gregory, Iphone 7+, Ipad Pro 15, Windows Laptop. Kris,
Iphone 5. Both use their devices daily TI:
Which person in your family uses a computer at home the most?
Greg: Probably my mom, she’s on it quite frequently. When I was
working in the bay area, I was constantly on my laptop throughout the day.
Now I use mine occasionally, mainly for video editing.
TI: What Commodore magazines did you subscribe to or read, and which did you find most helpful? Greg: I forget the name of it, but I do recall reading a Commodore
magazine back in the early 80’s. TI: What are your predictions or expectations for the future of
Commodore brand computers?
Greg: Unfortunately, the future for most of the classic companies
from the 80’s is quite bleak. Many namesakes (Commodore included) are
now owned by LLC companies that license the name to whoever pays them for
it. TI: When did you join
Greg: About 3 years ago I met TI: Any final thoughts? “My”
primary channel: Arcade Dude 44 The
new channel that Gregory, my friend and myself are putting together: Network
of Gaming |
| Vincent
Mazzei
The
Interface: Please provide brief biographical
data: Place of birth, family status, occupation, current place of
residence. TI:
What is your first memory of being aware of home computers (not
necessarily using one; just any knowledge of their existence)? TI:
Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in most
homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content. TI:
What is your earliest memory of using (or trying to use) a computer –
your own, a friend’s, at work, in a store. TI:
When did you get your first computer and what was it? When did you get
your first Commodore computer and what was it? TI:
What computers have you owned? TI:
How often do you use a Commodore computer - daily, weekly, monthly,
rarely? TI:
Did you ever use a Commodore of any kind at school or for school purposes? TI:
Do you use a computer at work/school, and if so what type? How do you use
it or what do you use it for? (If retired, answer based on your final year
or two of work). TI:
What computer-type devices that are not specifically a laptop or desktop
do you use (iPad or other tablet, smart phone, other)? Have you used any
in the past that you no longer have or use? TI:
Which person in your family uses a computer at home the most? TI:
What Commodore magazines did you subscribe to or read, and which did you
find most helpful? TI:
What are your predictions or expectations for the future of Commodore
brand computers? TI:
14. When did you join TI:
Any final thoughts? |
| Lenard
Roach
The Interface: Please provide brief biographical data: Place of birth, family status, education, occupation, current place of residence.
TI: Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in most homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content.
Have their own computer or device Use your equipment Do not use it Which person in your family uses a computer at home the most?
|
| Robert
Bernardo
The Interface: Please provide brief biographical data: Place of birth, family status, occupation, current place of residence. Robert:
I was born in Stockton, California. I'm single, and I'm a retired
English teacher, having served 37 years in the same middle school. I
live in Visalia, California. I'm 62 with a Bachelor of Arts in English,
emphasis in Linguistics, from the University of California, Davis. I
have a lifetime Single Subject teaching credential in English. TI:
What is your first memory of being aware of home computers (not
necessarily using one; just any knowledge of their existence). RB:
Oh, that's an easy one...My first memory of computers in general was
when I was a little kid watching 1950's and 60's science fiction movies
and television shows.
TI:
Do you recall a time when computers were not a common fixture in most
homes? Elaborate to your heart’s content. RB:
In the 1950's to early 1970's, I grew up with tube-type televisions and
radios. I was so proud when as a teenager I was able to fix (or somewhat
fix) my parents' and grandparents' TVs by removing tubes, bringing the
tubes to Radio Shack for testing on their tube tester (the VU. meter
saying Good, Bad, or ?), and then installing new, replacement tubes in
those TVs.
TI:
What is your earliest memory of using (or trying to use) a computer –
your own, a friend’s, at work, in a store.
TI:
When did you get your first computer and what was it? RB:
It was a Commodore 64 bought from Federated Electronics in Stockton on
August 4, 1983. The price had dropped to $199.95, and I had to buy it,
even though my paycheck was about $500 net per month. I brought it to
the parents' home, eagerly opened the box, read through the
instructions, and hooked it into the antenna connection of my parents'
television. Wow, I actually had a computer being displayed on the TV
screen! Next I had to make the C64 do something. I typed in the BASIC
listings from the Commodore 64 user's guide and watched what they did on
the screen. Nice! But I wanted more. There were no other listings, and
the programs I keyed in would disappear as soon as I turned off the
computer; I had no program storage device. A Commodore 1541 disk drive
was too expensive, but a cassette drive was within my price range. One
month later with the arrival of my paycheck, I bought an aftermarket
cassette drive for $30, not the Commodore 1530 Datasette for $35.
TI:
What computers have you owned? RB:
I started with the C64. Then in 1985, it was the SX-64, followed by the
C128 in that same year. In 1986 I went to the C128DCR. In 1995 I
received my first Amiga 500 from Dick Estel. After that, everything
escalated to where I have now many different Commodores and Amigas. In
fact, I am receiving items (as gifts or as discards) that are not CBM
– an Apple IIGS, Tandy 100 and its NEC near-twin, Atari 800XL, and
Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. TI:
How often do you use a Commodore computer? RB:
That varies every month.
TI:
Did you ever use a Commodore of any kind at work or for work purposes? RB:
I brought my C64 to the classroom in 1984. When the students finished
their work early, they used educational programs on the Commodore, like
Hangman and Sea Route to India from Compute!'s Gazette magazine and the
Cave of the Word Wizard spelling program from Timeworks. When I bought
the C128 (and then the C128DCR), I did my grades, record-keeping, and
word processing on that system. For the grades, I used the expensive but
powerful Vizastar. For record-keeping, I used the simple and quick Dfile
128. For word processing, I used Speedscript 128 and later the Write
Stuff 128. TI:
Do you use a computer at work, and if so what type? How do you use it or
what do you use it for? (If retired, answer based on your final year or
two of work). RB:
For many years I used Commodore at school. At one time I had as many as
three C64 systems in the classroom. Then in 1998 the school put a
Windows PC in the classroom. I kept the Commodores in the classroom, but
the writing was on the wall. By 2003 or so, the school put 15 PC's in my
room, forcing out any Commodores. Also around that time, I had to start
putting final grades onto the PC in my classroom, though I still
calculated the everyday grades on my C128DCR. Finally, all grade
calculation and final grades had to be done on the school system, making
any grade calculation on the Commodore superfluous. Documents had to be
exchanged with administrators and other teachers with the use of
Microsoft Word. Keeping a personal database was no longer necessary now
that all record-keeping was kept on-line in the school system. TI:
What computer-type devices that are not specifically a laptop or desktop
do you use (iPad or other tablet, smart phone, other). Have you used any
in the past that you no longer have or use? The desktop PC
on my teacher's desk was eventually replaced by a Windows XP laptop
which was replaced by a MacBook Pro and iPad which were replaced by a
newer MacBook Pro and iPad. In my school district, it seemed that change
kept coming faster and faster as new technology kept coming faster and
faster. TI:
What computer magazine or magazines did you subscribe to or read
regularly, and which one give you the most help or was your favorite? RB:
Back in the 1980's I eagerly bought Commodore magazines in order to
improve my understanding of my systems and their capabilities. Some of
the magazines were Commander, Compute!, Compute!'s Gazette, Run, Info
64, Commodore magazine, and Loadstar disk magazine. In the early 1990's,
even before I had an Amiga, I started buying Amiga magazines with cover
disks, like CU Amiga. Nowadays, there are the on-line magazines, like
Commodore Free and Reset. TI:
What are your predictions or expectations for the future of Commodore
brand computers? RB:
I expect homebrew Commodore software and hardware projects to continue.
As for Amiga, there will be homebrew software and hardware for classic
Amiga systems. However for Amiga, there are companies spending millions
of dollars on “official” development; A-EON built the AmigaOne X1000
desktop, is building the new AmigaOne X5000 desktop, and will build the
A1222 board and the A.L.I.C.E. laptop; Hyperion continues development on
AmigaOS 4.1 Final Edition with the goal of OS 4.2. TI:
When did you join FCUG? RB:
That was in January, 1995. I remember being warmly welcomed by
everybody. TI:
Any final words or thoughts? RB: For several years I've been the moderator at two forums at http://www.commodore.ca/forum and http://forum.retro-link.com and the owner of two inherited mailing lists – homestead@robertbernardo.com and commodor@robertbernardo.com (formerly, homestead@vcsweb.com and commodor@vcsweb.com which used to be commodor@listserv.buffalo.edu). I also co-own the blog at http://blog.retro-link.com . If my haters out there in the world expect me to retire anytime soon from my Commodore/Amiga activities, I intend to still be active for another 28 years! So don't be haters; be lovers! :) |
| This page is sponsored by the Fresno Commodore User Group |
| Articles Page 1 Articles Page 2 Articles Page 3 |
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Updated November 30, 2017