CBM 3032 and 4032

A successor to the original PET 2001, the 3032 has more memory and a full size, if somewhat unusual, keyboard layout but still only a nine inch monochrome screen. It was launched in 1979. With 32KB memory and the larger keyboard, the 3032 was more like a professional computer. The cassette deck was now a separate unit and disk drives and printers were available. My 3032 has been upgraded to Basic 4.0 by a previous owner.

Introduced in 1980, the 4032 also has 32K of memory and Basic 4.0 but boasts a twelve inch screen. Apart from the screen size and the addition of a piezo buzzer giving limited sound to the 4032, these two computers appear much the same to the user.

I have a second 4032, serial WG 7663 also made in West Germany. This one has what seems to be a common fault among PETs, a screen full of characters when switched on.

The Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) series of computers introduced in 1977 were the first to be sold as a complete package, ready to use straight out of the box. Commodore had bought out MOS Technology, a chip maker and had the 6502 processor available. PETs came equipped with a version of Microsoft Basic.

The original PETs had a built-in cassette recorder and a keyboard with calculator-style keys, dubbed Chiclet after a brand of chewing gum. Probably the only time in its existence, Commodore listened to its customers and removed the cassette, leaving room for a full-size keyboard.

As well as two cassette recorders (called Datasettes), disk drives and printers can be added. Only Commodore peripherals could be easily connected.

The PET appealed to home users but was also sold as a business machine. In the US it was sold to schools.

In Europe, the 3032 and subsequent machines were badged as a CBM (Commodore Business Machines) but retained the PET's graphic symbols and the non-standard positioning of some characters on the keyboard.

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