Howdy Fellow Commodore Users!

Well, here it is, as I write this, the second weekend of July. Since last month's meeting was so late in the month, my scheduling for this article actually got screwed up! Hopefully it will make the editor in time! Sorry!

Here in Cincinnati, we have already had more smog alerts than one hand can count. On the forth of July, there was a Smog Alert, Heat Alert, and River Alert, what else could have been done to keep people inside? I know I had to get outside for a concert that I wanted to see that weekend, and braved all the alerts against possible better judgement. I enjoyed myself despite all the harsh conditions.

On the days I could stay inside, I powered up my Commodore, as it was the computer that sits right in front of my air conditioning. On the CBS News one day, they had a news story that I thought sounded like it would be interesting to do further research on.

VIDEOTOPIA is currently on display at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore's beautiful Inner Harbor from May 29 through September 6, 1999. Why am I promoting something that isn't even in Cincinnati? Thanks to the World Wide Web, anyone around the world can check out this exhibit at:

http://www.videotopia.com/

This exhibit does not focus primarily on Commodore, it does focus on the events that helped the Commodore 64 become the computer that everyone could afford to own. Without the invention of Arcade Videogames, and the history leading to Home Arcade Machines, like the early Atari, Magnavox, and Mattel console units, computers would still be very expensive, and for businesses, schools, and governments that could afford them (to process their statistics, spreadsheets, accounting, etc.).

Browsing through the website will give you background history on some programs that made it big, and also made it to the Commodore gaming platform, like my favorites GORF, and Battlezone. Learning the history of your favorite game can bring new spark of interest or trivia that you did not know. I found out that the aliens from the popular came of Stargate, (a Defender sequel) were actually the competitors of the videogame manufacturer (remember these names? Irata, Yllabians, are actually Atari, and Bally).

So, on that next hot day, when you don't want to do anything outside, why not check out this site? Have no internet access? Check out your local library for the use of their internet machines, there. It is a way to stay cool, and learn a little bit of the wonders of the World Wide Web.

I will not be at July's meeting due to another commitment that has me scuba diving that weekend. I will be getting my certification for an Advanced Scuba Diver (after about 17 years of scuba diving with a basic certification and a handful of specialties). I should have a good time, but will miss meeting everyone until August's meeting. I'll see you all then!