Review: On The Edge
On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore
Written by Brian Bagnall
Published by Variant Press
ISBN: 0-9738649-0-7
Review by Ricky Coulter
I was eager to dive into On The Edge when I discovered it’s existence. For the record, I never grew up with Commodore computers, although more recently I have began catching up on all I’ve missed in the computer industry. When the book arrived, I opened up the packaging and realized the task that lay before me. It was time to learn about Commodore, one of the principal components of the early computer industry.
The book weighs in at 561 pages. A hefty book for casual reading, to be sure, but it almost seems a bit light for a computer history book. The book’s length belies the veritable wealth of information contained within. Mr. Bagnall starts near the very beginning of the story of Commodore with MOS Technology and Chuck Peddle, arguably the founder of personal computing. The story is told mostly through interviews with many important Commodore legends, including Chuck Peddle, Leonard Tramiel, Bob Yannes, Dave Haynie, Bil Herd, Thomas Rattigan, R.J. Mical, Al Charpentier, and more.
This book doesn’t pull any punches. The interviewees are honest, sometimes brutally so, and there is a fair amount of foul language. The language shouldn’t deter anybody from reading On The Edge, however. At times, I found myself laughing out loud at various engineering stories, and at other times, I wanted to scream in frustration at Commmodore’s management. It really pulled me in for a wild ride.
As the book unfolds, the reader begins to gain an insight as to the inner workings of Commodore, from engineering to management. There is enough technical jargon to have a tendency to lull the reader into drowsiness, but there is ample emotion and determination to keep the reader wide awake in anticipation of the next page. Mr. Bagnall takes us on a personal tour at various points in time of Commodore. We learn of Jack Tramiel’s brutal determination, as well as his insane deadlines, and how he was able to lead the struggling Commodore from the brink of bankruptcy all the way to becoming a leader in the Personal Computer industry. We learn the trials and tribulations of being an engineer struggling against seemingly mindless and incompetent management, as well as the harsh realities of being on the receiving end of a “Jack Attack”.
The story goes on to describe the successes and failures of Commodore, ranging from the PET and the VIC-20 and the Commodore 64, to the Plus/4 and the Commodore 128 and the Amiga. It also details the constant rotation of management and engineering, and the frustration therein. In some ways, the story of Commodore is Business 101.
All in all, On The Edge really is a wild ride. If you are a computer enthusiast, you need this book. If you are a former Commodore user, you really need this book. It is a tribute to the previously-untold Commodore legacy, and computer users around the world owe the company their thanks. Highly recommended. 5 out of 5.
If you would like to find out more about this fascinating book, check out www.commodorebook.com.
-Ricky Coulter
