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139-474: The C128 is a significantly expanded successor to the C64, with nearly full compatibility. It is housed in a redesigned case with an improved keyboard including a numeric keypad and function keys . Memory was enlarged to 128  KB of RAM in two 64 KB banks. A separate graphics chip provided 80-column color video output in addition to the original C64 modes. It also included a Zilog Z80 CPU which allows

278-510: A COLLECT command for removing "splat" files (files that were not closed properly and truncated to zero length). All 1571 drives will normally start up in native mode on the C128. If the user switches to C64 mode by typing GO 64 , the drive remains in native mode. But if C64 mode is activated by holding the Commodore key down when powering up, the 1571 then goes into 1541 mode. This routine

417-457: A word processor , web browser or social media app. Touchscreens use virtual keyboards . Typewriters are the definitive ancestor of all key-based text entry devices, but the computer keyboard as a device for electromechanical data entry and communication largely comes from the utility of two devices: teleprinters (or teletypes) and keypunches . It was through such devices that modern computer keyboards inherited their layouts. As early as

556-666: A 1541 cannot read MFM disks and will run much slower due to not supporting the C128's burst mode. CP/M boot disks nonetheless must be in the drive's native GCR format; MFM disks cannot be booted from, only read once the user is already in CP/M. This is because the code necessary to operate the drive in MFM mode is loaded as part of the boot process. In addition, 80-column mode is generally required since most CP/M software expects an 80-column screen. The C128 emulates an ADM-3A terminal in CP/M mode, so software will have to be set up for that. Aside from

695-420: A C128. An easy way to differentiate between a hardware C64 and a C128 operating in C64 mode, typically used from within a running program, is to write a value different from $ FF (255) to memory address $ D02F (53295) , a register which is used to decode the extra keys of the C128 (the numerical keypad and some other keys). On the C64 this memory location will always contain the value $ FF no matter what

834-459: A C64 the SID chip $ D4xx memory page was also mirrored on $ D5xx, $ D6xx and $ D7xx pages, while on a C128 it was only accessible through $ D4xx page. This is not a common issue, since the C64 reference guide only describes registers in $ D4xx in details while describing $ D5xx-$ D8xx just as "SID IMAGES", making most programs accessing them through $ D4xx page and hence have the sound getting played as intended on

973-657: A board with fewer keys. Court reporters' stenotype machines use chorded keyboards to enable them to enter text much faster by typing a syllable with each stroke instead of one letter at a time. The fastest typists (as of 2007) use a stenograph, a kind of chorded keyboard used by most court reporters and closed-caption reporters. Some chorded keyboards are also made for use in situations where fewer keys are preferable, such as on devices that can be used with only one hand, and on small mobile devices that don't have room for larger keyboards. Chorded keyboards are less desirable in many cases because it usually takes practice and memorization of

1112-448: A certain pattern, allowing only one beam per row of keys (most commonly horizontal beam). Alphabetical, numeric, and punctuation keys are used in the same fashion as a typewriter keyboard to enter their respective symbol into a word processing program, text editor, data spreadsheet, or other program. Many of these keys will produce different symbols when modifier keys or shift keys are pressed. The alphabetic characters become uppercase when

1251-570: A chorded keyboard, was invented by Douglas Engelbart . Other types of one-handed keyboards include the FrogPad , the Half-keyboard , and one-handed Dvorak keyboard layouts designed for one hand typing . While other keyboards generally associate one action with each key, chorded keyboards associate actions with combinations of key presses. Since there are many combinations available, chorded keyboards can effectively produce more actions on

1390-410: A command line, window form or dialog box to operate its default function, which is typically to finish an "entry" and begin the desired process. In word processing applications, pressing the enter key ends a paragraph and starts a new one. Navigation keys or cursor keys include a variety of keys which move the cursor to different positions on the screen. Arrow keys are programmed to move the cursor in

1529-464: A cursor hovering above a menu. On some Samsung keyboards the cursor in the icon is not present, showing the menu only. This key was created at the same time as the Windows key. This key is normally used when the right mouse button is not present on the mouse. Some Windows public terminals do not have a Menu key on their keyboard to prevent users from right-clicking (however, in many Windows applications,

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1668-551: A full complement of graphics and sound-handling commands, as well as BASIC 4.0's disk commands and improved garbage cleanup, and support for structured programming via IF...THEN...ELSE, DO...WHILE , and WHILE...WEND loops. On the downside, BASIC 7.0 ran considerably slower than BASIC 2.0 unless 2 MHz mode was used due to its 28 KB size (a 250% increase over BASIC 2.0) and having to bank switch to access program variables and BASIC program text (if greater than 16k in length). The 128's ROM contains an easter egg : Entering

1807-406: A game controller, and can be used as such, instead of laid out flat on top of a table surface. Typically handheld keyboards hold all the alphanumeric keys and symbols that a standard keyboard would have, yet only be accessed by pressing two sets of keys at once; one acting as a function key similar to a 'Shift' key that would allow for capital letters on a standard keyboard. Handheld keyboards allow

1946-604: A larger number of files at one time. BASIC 7.0 includes DLOAD and DSAVE commands to support loading and saving to disk without using the ,8 or other device number, and also a DIRECTORY command that reads a disk's catalog information directly to screen memory without overwriting BASIC memory as in BASIC 2.0. In addition, the C128 introduces auto-booting of disk software, a feature standard on most personal computers, but absent from Commodore machines up to that point. Users no longer have to type LOAD"*",8,1 . BASIC also added

2085-482: A laser, onto a flat surface. The device then uses a camera or infrared sensor to "watch" where the user's fingers move, and will count a key as being pressed when it "sees" the user's finger touch the projected image. Projection keyboards can simulate a full size keyboard from a very small projector. Because the "keys" are simply projected images, they cannot be felt when pressed. Users of projected keyboards often experience increased discomfort in their fingertips because of

2224-607: A loop initializing the VIC-II chip registers. This memory-mapped register, unused in the C64, determines the system clock rate. Since this register is fully functional in C64 mode, an inadvertent write can scramble the 40-column display by switching the CPU over to 2–MHz, at which clock rate the VIC-II video processor cannot produce a coherent display. Fortunately, few programs suffer from this flaw. In July 1986, COMPUTE!'s Gazette published

2363-406: A middle ground between MBASIC's 32-bit floating point and 64-bit double precision variables. MBASIC also offers only 34k of free program space against BASIC 7.0's approximately 90k. The CP/M CBIOS (the part of CP/M that interfaces with the hardware) does not directly interface with the hardware like on most CP/M implementations; rather, it calls the kernal routines for interrupt handling and I/O—when

2502-478: A new version of the C128 with a redesigned chassis resembling the Amiga 1000 . Called the Commodore 128D, this new European model featured a plastic chassis with a carrying handle on the side, incorporated a 1571 disk drive into the main chassis, replaced the built-in keyboard with a detachable one, and added a cooling fan . The keyboard also featured two folding legs for changing the typing angle. The C128 released in

2641-594: A numeric keypad, commonly those of laptop computers. These keys are collectively known as a numeric pad, numeric keys, or a numeric keypad, and it can consist of the following types of keys: Arithmetic operators , numbers , arrow keys , Navigation keys , Num Lock and Enter key . Multifunctional keyboards provide additional function beyond the standard keyboard. Many are programmable, configurable computer keyboards and some control multiple PCs, workstations and other information sources, usually in multi-screen work environments. Users have additional key functions as well as

2780-583: A pixel-graphics frame buffer by reserving some characters for a bitmap and writing pixels directly to their corresponding character memory. In some historical graphics chips, including the TMS9918 , the MOS Technology VIC , and the Game Boy graphics hardware, this was actually the canonical way of doing pixel graphics. Text modes often assign attributes to the displayed characters. For example,

2919-511: A price of $ 1,300 in U.S. dollars (at a time when the minimum wage in the United States was only $ 2.30 per hour). Furthermore, from a business perspective, the business case for text terminals made no sense unless they could be produced and operated more cheaply than the paper-hungry teleprinters they were supposed to replace. Another advantage of text mode is that it has relatively low bandwidth requirements in remote terminal use. Thus,

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3058-513: A program called SVGATextMode is often used with SVGA cards to set up very large console text modes, such as for use with split-screen terminal multiplexers . Many modern programs with a graphical interface simulate the display style of text mode programs, notably when it is important to preserve the vertical alignment of text, e.g., during computer programming . There exist also software components to emulate text mode, such as terminal emulators or command line consoles . In Microsoft Windows ,

3197-453: A quick and cost-effective fashion to a cathode-ray tube . Text mode avoids the problem of expensive memory by having dedicated display hardware re-render each line of text from characters into pixels with each scan of the screen by the cathode ray. In turn, the display hardware needs only enough memory to store the pixels equivalent to one line of text (or even less) at a time. Thus, the computer's screen buffer only stores and knows about

3336-426: A reduced set of keys. They may not have a numeric keypad , and the function keys may be placed in locations that differ from their placement on a standard, full-sized keyboard. The switch mechanism for a laptop keyboard is more likely to be a scissor switch than a rubber dome; this is opposite the trend for full-size keyboards. Flexible keyboards are a junction between normal type and laptop type keyboards: normal from

3475-457: A replaceable fuse. Early versions of the C128 occasionally experience temperature-related reliability issues due to the use of an RF shield over the main circuit board. The shield was equipped with fingers that contacted the tops of the major chips, ostensibly causing the shield to act as a large heat sink . A combination of poor contact between the shield and the chips, the inherently limited heat conductivity of plastic chip packages, as well as

3614-459: A screenshot in the clipboard . The Break key /Pause key no longer has a well-defined purpose. Its origins go back to teleprinter users, who wanted a key that would temporarily interrupt the communications line. The Break key can be used by software in several different ways, such as to switch between multiple login sessions, to terminate a program, or to interrupt a modem connection. In programming, especially old DOS-style BASIC, Pascal and C, Break

3753-467: A similar functionality can be invoked with the Shift+F10 keyboard shortcut ). Many, but not all, computer keyboards have a numeric keypad to the right of the alphabetic keyboard, often separated from the other groups of keys such as the function keys and system command keys, which contains numbers, basic mathematical symbols (e.g., addition, subtraction, etc.), and a few function keys. In addition to

3892-416: A single ROM, with a slightly improved character set over that of the C64. But some C64 programs read the character ROM as data, and will fail in various ways on a C128. Thus, the C128 was given a double-sized character ROM, which delivers the C128 font in C128 mode, and the C64 font in C64 mode. International models of the C128 use the unmodified C64 font in both modes, since the second half of the character ROM

4031-535: A specified direction; page scroll keys, such as the Page Up and Page Down keys , scroll the page up and down. The Home key is used to return the cursor to the beginning of the line where the cursor is located; the End key puts the cursor at the end of the line. The Tab key advances the cursor to the next tab stop. The Insert key is mainly used to switch between overtype mode, in which the cursor overwrites any text that

4170-400: A standard size of 8 times 8 bits for each character, a framebuffer large enough to hold every pixel on the resulting screen would require at least 128,000 bits, 16,000 bytes, or just under 16 kilobytes. By the standards of modern computers, these may seem like trivial amounts of memory, but to put them in context, the original Apple II was released in 1977 with only four kilobytes of memory and

4309-519: A text mode remote terminal can necessarily update the screen much faster than a graphics mode remote terminal linked to the same amount of bandwidth (and in turn will seem more responsive), since the remote server may only need to transmit a few dozen bytes for each screen update in text mode, as opposed to complex raster graphics remote procedure calls that may require the transmission and rendering of entire bitmaps . The border between text mode and graphical programs can sometimes be fuzzy, especially on

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4448-426: A true windowing system, or generate higher-resolution graphics with a more flexible color palette. Little commercial software took advantage of these possibilities. The C128DCR is equipped with new ROMs dubbed the "1986 ROMs", so-named from the copyright date displayed on the power-on banner screen. The new ROMs address a number of bugs that are present in the original ROMs, including an infamous off-by-one error in

4587-448: A type-in program that exploited this difference by using a raster interrupt to enable fast mode when the bottom of the visible screen was reached, and then disable it when screen rendering began again at the top. By using the higher clock rate during the vertical blank period, standard video display is maintained while increasing overall execution speed by about 20 percent. A few C64 programs would lack sound effects and music because on

4726-425: A variety of function keys . The repertoire of glyphs engraved on the keys of a keyboard accords with national conventions and language needs. Computer keyboards are similar to electric-typewriter keyboards but contain additional keys, such as the command key or Windows keys . Keyboards on laptops and notebook computers usually have a shorter travel distance for the keystroke, shorter over travel distance, and

4865-456: A wired USB connection, or be connected wirelessly and powered by batteries. Illumination facilitates the use of the keyboard or keypad in dark environments. Text mode Text mode is a computer display mode in which content is internally represented on a computer screen in terms of characters rather than individual pixels . Typically, the screen consists of a uniform rectangular grid of character cells , each of which contains one of

5004-409: Is a Zilog Z80 which is used to run CP/M software, as well as to initiate operating-mode selection at boot time. The C128's keyboard includes four cursor keys , Alt , Help , Esc and Tab ↹ keys and a numeric keypad. None of these were present on the C64 which had only two cursor keys, requiring the use of the ⇧ Shift key to move the cursor up or left. This alternate arrangement

5143-544: Is a limited workspace. A thumb keyboard (thumb board) is used in some personal digital assistants such as the Palm Treo and BlackBerry and some Ultra-Mobile PCs such as the OQO . Numeric keyboards contain only numbers, mathematical symbols for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, a decimal point, and several function keys. They are often used to facilitate data entry with smaller keyboards that do not have

5282-577: Is a mirror of the RAM in blocks 0 and 1. Since the I/O registers and system ROMs can be disabled or enabled freely, as well as being locatable in either RAM bank and the VIC-II set to use either bank for its memory space, up to 256 memory configurations are possible, although the vast majority of them are useless (for example, unworkable combinations like the kernal ROM in bank 0 and the I/O registers in bank 1 are possible). Because of this, BASIC's BANK statement allows

5421-436: Is also descended from the mechanical typewriter. Its main purpose is to enter the space between words during typing. It is large enough so that a thumb from either hand can use it easily. Depending on the operating system, when the space bar is used with a modifier key such as the control key, it may have functions such as resizing or closing the current window, half-spacing, or backspacing. In computer games and other applications

5560-491: Is built into the ROM of Commodore disk drives and is usually accessed through BASIC, CP/M requires the use of a boot diskette and requires entry of terse commands inherited from minicomputer platforms. CP/M programs tend to lack the user-friendly nature of most Commodore applications. By incorporating the original C64 BASIC and Kernal ROMs in their entirety (16 KB total), the C128 achieves almost 100 percent compatibility with

5699-466: Is completely backward-compatible with the C64's 6510, but can run at double the speed if desired. The C64's Commodore BASIC 2.0 was replaced with BASIC 7.0, which includes structured programming commands from the Plus/4's BASIC 3.5, as well as keywords designed specifically to take advantage of the machine's capabilities. A sprite editor and machine language monitor were added. The screen-editor part of

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5838-408: Is designed with a focus on specific features that suit particular needs. Today, most full-size keyboards use one of three different mechanical layouts, usually referred to as simply ISO ( ISO/IEC 9995 -2), ANSI ( ANSI - INCITS 154-1988), and JIS ( JIS X 6002-1980), referring roughly to the organizations issuing the relevant worldwide, United States, and Japanese standards, respectively. (In fact,

5977-488: Is for a 60 mm fan. A significant improvement introduced with the DCR model was the replacement of the 8563 video display controller (VDC) with the more technically advanced 8568 VDC and equipping it with 64 KB of video RAM—the maximum amount addressable by the device. The four-fold increase in video RAM over that installed in the "flat" C128 made it possible, among other things, to maintain multiple text screens in support of

6116-434: Is implemented directly in hardware, the C128's Z80 firmware startup code polls these lines on power-up and then switches modes as necessary. C128 native-mode cartridges are recognized and started by the kernel polling defined locations in the memory map. C64 mode almost exactly duplicates the features of a hardware C64. The MMU, Z80, and IEC burst mode are disabled in C64 mode, however all other C128 hardware features including

6255-427: Is in each cell. In the simple case the display matrix can be just a matrix of code points (so named character pointer table ), but it usually stores for each character position not only a code, but also attributes . In the case of raster scan output, which is the most common for computer monitors, the corresponding video signal is made by the character generator , a special electronic unit similar to devices with

6394-536: Is instead dedicated to the international font (containing such things as accented characters or German umlauts ). Some of the few C64 programs that fail on a C128 will run correctly when the ⇪ Caps Lock key is pressed down (or the ASCII/National key on international C128 models). This has to do with the larger built-in I/O port of the C128's CPU. Whereas the SHIFT LOCK key found on both C64 and C128

6533-409: Is necessary for software that performs low-level drive access. The C128 has twice the RAM of the C64, a far higher proportion of which is available for BASIC programming, due to the new MMU bank-switching chip. This allows BASIC program code to be stored separately from variables, greatly enhancing the machine's ability to handle complex programs, speeding garbage collection and easing debugging for

6672-546: Is possible to install multiple keyboard layouts within an operating system and switch between them, either through features implemented within the OS, or through an external application. Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac provide support to add keyboard layouts and choose from them. Keyboards and keypads may be illuminated from inside, especially on equipment for mobile use. Both keyboards built into computers and external ones may support backlighting; external backlit keyboards may have

6811-432: Is present on and after its current location, and insert mode, where the cursor inserts a character at its current position, forcing all characters past it one position further. The Delete key discards the character ahead of the cursor's position, moving all following characters one position "back" towards the freed place. On many notebook computer keyboards the key labeled Delete (sometimes Delete and Backspace are printed on

6950-416: Is simply a mechanical latch for the left ⇧ Shift key, the ⇪ Caps Lock key on the C128 can be read via the 8502's built-in I/O port. A few C64 programs are confused by this extra I/O bit; keeping the ⇪ Caps Lock key in the down position will force the I/O line low, matching the C64's configuration and resolving the issue. A handful of C64 programs write to $ D030 (53296) , often as part of

7089-468: Is used (in conjunction with Ctrl) to stop program execution. In addition to this, Linux and variants, as well as many DOS programs, treat this combination the same as Ctrl+C. On modern keyboards, the break key is usually labeled Pause/Break. In most Windows environments, the key combination Windows key+Pause brings up the system properties. The escape key ( esc ) has a variety of meanings according to Operating System, application or both. "Nearly all of

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7228-490: Is written to it, but on a C128 in C64 mode the value of the location—a memory-mapped register—can be changed. Thus, checking the location's value after writing to it will reveal the actual hardware platform. To handle the relatively large amounts of ROM and RAM (tenfold the size of 8502's 64 KB address space) the C128 uses the 8722 MMU chip to create different memory maps, in which different combinations of RAM and ROM would appear according to bit patterns written into

7367-480: The EMACS -derived PerfectWriter available, and Commodore user groups sometimes had a selection of CP/M diskettes, but the limited software availability negated one of CP/M's chief attractions—its huge software library. In addition, the cartridges only work on early model C64s from 1982 and are incompatible with later units. Since they were also incompatible with the C128, the design team decided to support CP/M by putting

7506-597: The Kernal was further improved to support an insert mode and other features accessed through ESC-key combinations, as well as a rudimentary windowing feature, and was relocated to a separate ROM . The VIC-II chip which controls the 40-column display can only operate at 1 MHz, so the 40-column display appears jumbled in FAST mode. In 80-column mode the editor takes advantage of VDC features to provide blinking and underlined text, activated through escape codes , in addition to

7645-486: The VT100 terminal allows each character to be underlined, brightened, blinking or inverse. Color-supporting devices usually allow the color of each character, and often the background color as well, to be selected from a limited palette of colors. These attributes can either coexist with the character indices or use a different memory area called color memory or attribute memory . Some text mode implementations also have

7784-576: The Win32 console usually opens in emulated, graphical window mode. It can be switched to full screen, true text mode and vice versa by pressing the Alt and Enter keys together. This is no longer supported by the WDDM display drivers introduced with Windows Vista. Linux virtual consoles operate in text mode. Most Linux distributions support several virtual console screens, accessed by pressing Ctrl , Alt and

7923-426: The escape key ) can prompt the computer to execute system commands. In a modern computer, the interpretation of key presses is generally left to the software: the information sent to the computer, the scan code , tells it only which physical key (or keys) was pressed or released. In normal usage, the keyboard is used as a text entry interface for typing text, numbers, and symbols into application software such as

8062-409: The mainboard were consolidated to reduce production costs and, as an additional cost-reduction measure, the cooling fan that was fitted to the D model's power supply was removed. However, the mounting provisions on the power supply subchassis were retained, as well as the two 12-volt DC connection points on the power supply's printed circuit board for powering the fan. The C128DCR mounting provision

8201-421: The "start" button was to hold down the control key and press escape. This process still works in Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. The 'enter key' ⌅ Enter and 'return key' ↵ Return are two closely related keys with overlapping and distinct functions dependent on operating system and application . On full-size keyboards, there are two such keys, one in the alphanumeric keys and

8340-535: The 105 key layout is the norm in the rest of the world. This number is not always followed, and individual keys or whole sections are commonly skipped for the sake of compactness or user preference. The most common choice is to not include the numpad, which can usually be fully replaced by the alphanumeric section; such designs are referred to as "tenkeyless" (or TKL). Laptops and wireless peripherals often lack duplicate keys and ones seldom used. Function- and arrow keys are nearly always present. Another factor determining

8479-520: The 128 than for it." Because the 128 would run virtually all 64 software, and because the next-generation 32 / 16-bit home computers—primarily the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST —represented the latest technology, relatively little software for the C128's native mode appeared (probably on the order of 100–200 commercial titles, plus the usual share of public domain and magazine type-in programs ), leading some users to regret their purchase. While

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8618-456: The 128D also incorporates a 6502 in the disk drive), and two different video chips (VIC-IIe and VDC) for its various operational modes. The C128 does not perform a system RAM test on power-up like previous Commodore machines. Instead of the single 6510 microprocessor of the C64, the C128 incorporates a two-CPU design. The primary CPU, the 8502 , is a slightly improved version of the 6510, capable of being clocked at 2  MHz . The second CPU

8757-596: The 1870s, teleprinter-like devices were used to simultaneously type and transmit stock market text data from the keyboard across telegraph lines to stock ticker machines to be immediately copied and displayed onto ticker tape . The teleprinter, in its more contemporary form, was developed from 1907 to 1910 by American mechanical engineer Charles Krum and his son Howard , with early contributions by electrical engineer Frank Pearne . Earlier models were developed separately by individuals such as Royal Earl House and Frederick G. Creed . Earlier, Herman Hollerith developed

8896-502: The 8502 CPU and has both 40- and 80-column text modes available. CP/M Mode uses both the Z80 and the 8502, and is able to function in both 40- and 80-column text mode. C64 Mode is nearly 100 percent compatible with the earlier computer. Selection of these modes is implemented via the Z80 chip. The Z80 controls the bus on initial boot-up and checks to see if there is a CP/M disk in the drive, if there are any C64/C128 cartridges present, or if

9035-420: The 8502 for any I/O or interrupt processing. For these reasons, few users actually ran CP/M software on the C128. When the C128 is powered on, the Z80 is active first and executes a small boot loader ROM at $ 0-$ FFF to check for the presence of a CP/M disk. If one is not detected, control is passed to the 8502 and C128 native mode is started. CP/M mode in practice requires a 1571 or 1581 drive to be useful, since

9174-524: The BASIC interpreter and to ignore keyboard input during sensitive program execution, respectively. The C128's greater hardware capabilities, especially the increased RAM, screen display resolution, and serial bus speed, made it a more capable platform than the C64 for running the GEOS graphical operating system. The second of the C128's two CPUs is the Zilog Z80, which allows the C128 to run CP/M. The C128

9313-715: The C128 sold a total number of 4 million units between 1985 and 1989, its popularity paled in comparison to that of its predecessor. Some C64 software such as Bard's Tale III and Kid Niki ran in 128 mode without stating this in the documentation, using the autoboot and the 1571's faster disk access. Some Infocom text adventures took advantage of the 80-column screen and increased memory capacity. Some C64 games were ported to native mode like Kikstart 2 and The Last V8 from Mastertronic , which had separate C128 versions, and Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny from Origin Systems , which used extra RAM for music if running on

9452-456: The C128 to run CP/M , as an alternative to the usual Commodore BASIC environment. The huge CP/M software library, coupled with the C64's software library, gave the C128 one of the broadest ranges of available software among its competitors. The primary hardware designer of the C128 was Bil Herd , who had worked on the Plus/4 . Other hardware engineers were Dave Haynie and Frank Palaia, while

9591-614: The C128. Star Fleet I: The War Begins from Interstel had separate versions, and took advantage of 80-column display on the C128. However, the vast majority of games were simply run in C64 mode as few developers took advantage of the C128's native performance. Computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches . Replacing early punched cards and paper tape technology, interaction via teleprinter -style keyboards have been

9730-671: The C128D case and the normal case concurrently. In the latter part of 1986, Commodore released a version of the C128D in North America and parts of Europe referred to as the C128DCR, CR meaning "cost-reduced". The DCR model features a stamped-steel chassis in place of the plastic version of the C128D (with no carrying handle), a modular switched-mode power supply similar to that of the C128D, retaining that model's detachable keyboard and internal 1571 floppy drive. A number of components on

9869-570: The C64, the VIC-II can only see the character ROM in banks 2 and 4 of its memory space, the C128, on the other hand, makes it possible to enable or disable the character ROM for any VIC-II bank via the register at $ 1 . Also, there are two sets of color RAM—one visible to the CPU, the other to the VIC-II and the user may select what chip sees what. In CP/M mode, the Program Segment Prefix and Transient Program Area reside in Bank 1 and

10008-418: The Commodore 64. The C64 mode can be accessed in three ways: Grounding the cartridge port's /EXROM and/or /GAME lines will cause the computer to automatically start up in C64 mode. This feature faithfully duplicates the C64's behavior when a cartridge (such as Simons' BASIC ) is plugged into the port and asserts either of these lines but, unlike an actual C64, where the memory-map-changing action of these lines

10147-466: The Commodore key (which serves as the C64-mode selector) is being depressed on boot-up. Based on these conditions, it will switch to the appropriate mode of operation. In 1984, a year before the release of the Commodore 128, Commodore released the Plus/4. Although targeted at a low-end business market that could not afford the relatively high cost and training requirements of early IBM PC compatibles, it

10286-456: The Esc key extensively. Historically it also served as a type of shift key, such that one or more following characters were interpreted differently, hence the term escape sequence , which refers to a series of characters, usually preceded by the escape character . On machines running Microsoft Windows, prior to the implementation of the Windows key on keyboards, the typical practice for invoking

10425-444: The I/O registers and CP/M system code in Bank 0. The C128's RAM is expandable from the standard 128 KB to 256, 512 or even 1,024 KB, either by using commercial memory expansion modules, or by making one based on schematics available on the internet. Commodore's RAM Expansion Units use an external 8726 DMA controller to transfer data between the C128's RAM and the RAM in the expansion unit. Late in 1985, Commodore released

10564-584: The IBM 5153. However, PAL models of the C128 operate at 50 Hz and aren't compatible with most CGA monitors, which expect a 60 Hz refresh rate. Two new disk drives were introduced in conjunction with the C128: the short-lived single-sided 1570 and the double-sided 1571 . A dual-disk 1572 model was announced but never produced. Later on, the 3.5-inch 1581 was introduced. The 1581 drive also has more on-board RAM than its predecessors, making it possible to open

10703-505: The IC design work was done by Dave DiOrio. The main Commodore system software was developed by Fred Bowen and Terry Ryan, while the CP/M subsystem was developed by Von Ertwine. The C128's complex architecture includes four differently accessed kinds of RAM (128 KB main RAM, 16–64 KB VDC video RAM, 2 kNibbles VIC-II Color RAM, 2-KB floppy-drive RAM on C128Ds, 0, 128 or 512 KB REU RAM), two or three CPUs (main: 8502, Z80 for CP/M;

10842-511: The MMU's configuration register at memory address $ FF00 . Another feature of the memory management unit is to allow relocation of zero page and the stack . Although the C128 can theoretically support 256k of RAM in four blocks, the PCB has no provisions to add this extra RAM, nor can the MMU actually access more than 128k. Therefore, if the MMU is programmed to access blocks 2 or 3, all that results

10981-673: The Macintosh and Apple keyboards, the modifier keys are the Option key and Command key , respectively. On Sun Microsystems and Lisp machine keyboards, the Meta key is used as a modifier and for Windows keyboards, there is a Windows key . Compact keyboard layouts often use a Fn key . " Dead keys " allow placement of a diacritic mark, such as an accent, on the following letter (e.g., the Compose key ). The enter/return key typically causes

11120-565: The PC's VGA hardware, because many later text mode programs tried to push the model to the extreme by playing with the video controller . For example, they redefined the character set in order to create custom semi-graphical characters, or even created the appearance of a graphical mouse pointer by redefining the appearance of the characters over which the mouse pointer was shown at a given time. Text mode rendering with user-defined characters has also been useful for 2D computer and video games because

11259-590: The United Kingdom on 25 July 1985, and in North America in November 1985. According to Bil Herd, head of the Hardware Team (a.k.a. the "C128 Animals"), the C128D was ready for production at the same time as the regular version. Working to release two models at the same time had increased the risk for on-time delivery and was apparent in that the main PCB has large holes in critical sections to support

11398-524: The VDU and 2 MHz mode are still accessible. The extended keys of the C128 keyboard may be read from machine language, although the kernal routines only recognize the keys that exist on the C64. A few games are capable of detecting if a C128 is running and switching to 2 MHz mode during the vertical retrace for faster performance. On North American C128s, when in C64 mode, even the character (font) ROM changes from that of C128 mode. Early C128 prototypes had

11537-503: The VDU chips as they were prone to overheating and self-destructing. The VDU also underwent numerous hardware revisions while the C128 was in development and the CP/M programmer was unable to get his code working properly, so the C128 engineering team requested instead that he simply rewrite the CBIOS to pass function calls to the 8502. CP/M mode is very different from the operating environments familiar to Commodore users. While Commodore DOS

11676-410: The Z80 on the main system board. The C128 runs CP/M noticeably slower than most dedicated CP/M systems, as the Z80 processor runs at an effective speed of only 2  MHz . This was because the C128's system bus was designed around the 65xx CPUs. These CPUs handle data and memory addressing very differently from the Z80. CP/M also ran more slowly for several reasons, such as needing to pass control to

11815-451: The additional cost and space requirements of other types of hardware keyboards. Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and some varieties of Linux include on-screen keyboards that can be controlled with the mouse. In these, the mouse has to be maneuvered onto the on-screen letters given by the software. On the click of a letter, the software writes the respective letter in the respective spot. Projection keyboards project an image of keys, usually with

11954-451: The characters of a character set ; at the same time, contrasted to graphics mode or other kinds of computer graphics modes. Text mode applications communicate with the user by using command-line interfaces and text user interfaces . Many character sets used in text mode applications also contain a limited set of predefined semi-graphical characters usable for drawing boxes and other rudimentary graphics, which can be used to highlight

12093-401: The combinations to become proficient. Virtual keyboards , sometimes called on-screen keyboards (rarely software keyboards), consist of computer programs that display an image of a keyboard on the screen. Another input device such as a mouse or a touchscreen can be used to operate each virtual key to enter text. Virtual keyboards have become very popular in touchscreen enabled cell phones due to

12232-426: The command SYS 32800,123,45,6 in native mode reveals a screen with a listing of the machine's main developers followed by the message Link arms, don't make them." Also, entering the keywords QUIT or OFF will produce an ?UNIMPLEMENTED COMMAND ERROR . These commands are holdovers from the BASIC interpreter intended for a planned but never-produced LCD portable computer and had been intended to exit from

12371-475: The computer. If this happens, it will default to a gray background with brown text. In CP/M mode, it is possible to run MBASIC , Microsoft's release of BASIC-80 for CP/M. Compared with the native mode BASIC 7.0, MBASIC is terse and limited in its capabilities, requiring the use of terminal-style key combinations to edit program lines or move the text cursor and lacking any sound or graphics features. Moreover, Commodore BASIC has 40-bit floating point which serves as

12510-622: The concept of line attributes. For example, the VT100-compatible line of text terminals supports the doubling of the width and height of the characters on individual text lines. Depending on the graphics adapter used, a variety of text modes are available on IBM PC–compatible computers. They are listed on the table below: MDA text could be emphasized with bright, underline, reverse and blinking attributes. Video cards in general are backward compatible, i.e. EGA supports all MDA and CGA modes, VGA supports MDA, CGA and EGA modes. By far

12649-499: The content or to simulate widget or control interface objects found in GUI programs. A typical example is the IBM code page 437 character set. An important characteristic of text mode programs is that they assume monospaced fonts , where every character has the same width on screen, which allows them to easily maintain the vertical alignment when displaying semi-graphical characters. This

12788-529: The earliest computers incorporated electric typewriter keyboards: the development of the ENIAC computer incorporated a keypunch device as both the input and paper-based output device, and the BINAC computer made use of an electromechanically controlled typewriter for both data entry onto magnetic tape (instead of paper) and data output. The keyboard remained the primary, most integrated computer peripheral well into

12927-402: The emitters and sensors are located in the perimeter, mounted on a small PCB . The light is directed from side to side of the keyboard interior and it can only be blocked by the actuated keys. Most optical keyboards require at least 2 beams (most commonly vertical beam and horizontal beam) to determine the actuated key. Some optical keyboards use a special key structure that blocks the light in

13066-429: The equal sign. On Japanese/Korean keyboards , there may be language input keys for changing the language to use. Some keyboards have power management keys (e.g., power key, sleep key and wake key); Internet keys to access a web browser or e-mail ; and/or multimedia keys, such as volume controls; or keys that can be programmed by the user to launch a specified application or a command like minimizing all windows. It

13205-452: The era of personal computing until the introduction of the mouse as a consumer device in 1984. By this time, text-only user interfaces with sparse graphics gave way to comparatively graphics-rich icons on screen . However, keyboards remain central to human-computer interaction to the present though mobile personal computing devices such as smartphones and tablets use a virtual keyboard . Different types of keyboards are available and each

13344-401: The expense of the advanced high-resolution displays to which they were connected. For applications that required simple line graphics but for which the expense of a framebuffer could not be justified, vector displays were a popular workaround. But there were many computer applications (e.g., data entry into a database) for which all that was required was the ability to render ordinary text in

13483-451: The extended VESA -compatible Super VGA text modes are manufacturer-dependent. Also on these display adapters, available colors can be halved from 16 to 8 when a second customized character set is employed (giving a total repertoire of 512 —instead the common 256— different graphic characters simultaneously displayed on the screen). Some cards (e.g. S3 ) supported custom very large text modes, like 100×37 or even 160×120. In Linux systems,

13622-405: The first keypunch devices, which soon evolved to include keys for text and number entry akin to normal typewriters by the 1930s. The keyboard on the teleprinter played a strong role in point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication for most of the 20th century, while the keyboard on the keypunch device played a strong role in data entry and storage for just as long. The development of some of

13761-561: The full arrangement of keys, and laptop from the short key distance. Additionally, the flexibility allows the user to fold/roll the keyboard for better storage and transfer. However, for typing the keyboard must be resting on a hard surface. The vast majority of flexible keyboards in the market are made from silicone; this material makes them water- and dust-proof. This is useful in hospitals, where keyboards are subjected to frequent washing, and other dirty or must-be-clean environments. Handheld ergonomic keyboards are designed to be held like

13900-497: The game screen can be manipulated much faster than with pixel-oriented rendering. A video controller implementing a text mode usually uses two distinct areas of memory . Character memory or a pattern table contains a raster font in use, where each character is represented by a dot matrix (a matrix of bits ), so the character memory could be considered as a three-dimensional bit array . Display matrix (a text buffer , screen buffer , or nametable ) tracks which character

14039-437: The kernel needs to be used, the Z80 uses routines at $ FFD0 - $ FFEF to pass parameter data to the 8502, which is then activated and the Z80 deactivated. After the kernel routine is finished executing, control is passed back to the Z80. It was reported that the programmer in charge of porting CP/M to the C128 had intended to have the CBIOS interface with the hardware directly in Z80 machine language, but had great difficulty with

14178-480: The key has myriad uses in addition to its normal purpose in typing, such as jumping and adding marks to check boxes. In certain programs for playback of digital video, the space bar is used for pausing and resuming the playback. Modifier keys are special keys that modify the normal action of another key, when the two are pressed in combination. For example, Alt + F4 in Microsoft Windows will close

14317-477: The keyboard decoding table, in which the Q character would remain lowercase when ⇪ Caps Lock was active. Some software will only run on the DCR, due to dependencies on the computer's enhanced hardware features and revised ROMs. Despite the DCR's improved RGB video capabilities, Commodore did not enhance BASIC 7.0 with the ability to manipulate RGB graphics. Driving the VDC in graphics mode continues to require

14456-471: The lack of "give" when typing. A flat, non-reflective surface is also required for the keys to be projected. Most projection keyboards are made for use with PDAs and smartphones due to their small form factor. Also known as photo-optical keyboard, light responsive keyboard, photo-electric keyboard and optical key actuation detection technology. An optical keyboard technology utilizes LEDs and photo sensors to optically detect actuated keys. Most commonly

14595-473: The latter, the Enter key is in a single row (usually the third from the bottom) while in the former it spans over two rows and has an inverse L shape. The purpose of the ⇧ Shift key is to invoke the first alternative function of the key with which it is pressed concurrently. For alphabetic keys, shift+letter gives the upper case version of that letter. For other keys, the key is engraved with symbols for both

14734-466: The magazine stated that, "The latest word online is that the last C128 will roll off the lines in December of 1987." Compute! stated in 1989, "If you bought your 128 under the impression that 128-specific software would be plentiful and quick to arrive, you've probably been quite disappointed. One of the 128's major selling points is its total compatibility with the 64, a point that's worked more against

14873-482: The main input method for computers since the 1970s, supplemented by the computer mouse since the 1980s. Keyboard keys (buttons) typically have a set of characters engraved or printed on them, and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol . However, producing some symbols may require pressing and holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence. While most keys produce characters ( letters , numbers or symbols), other keys (such as

15012-595: The mechanical layouts referred such as "ISO" and "ANSI" comply to the primary recommendations in the named standards, while each of these standards in fact also allows the other way.) ANSI standard alphanumeric keyboards have keys that are on three-quarter inch centers (0.75 inches (19 mm)), and have a key travel of at least 0.15 inches (3.8 mm). Modern keyboard models contain a set number of total keys according to their given standard, described as 101, 104, 105, etc. and sold as "Full-size" keyboards. Modern keyboards matching US conventions typically have 104 keys while

15151-751: The most common text mode used in DOS environments, and initial Windows consoles, is the default 80 columns by 25 rows, or 80×25, with 16 colors. This mode was available on practically all IBM and compatible personal computers. Several programs, such as terminal emulators , used only 80×24 for the main display and reserved the bottom row for a status bar . Two other VGA text modes, 80×43 and 80×50, exist but were very rarely used. The 40-column text modes were never very popular outside games and other applications designed for compatibility with television monitors, and were used only for demonstration purposes or with very old hardware. Character sizes and graphical resolutions for

15290-408: The new computer more attractive to business software developers. While the 128's 40-column mode closely duplicates that of the C64, an extra 1K of color RAM is made available to the programmer, as it is multiplexed through memory address 1. The design of the C128's power supply is different from that used with the C64. Although it is much larger, the new power supply is equipped with cooling vents and

15429-416: The other one is in the numeric keys. The purpose of the enter key is to confirm what has been typed. The return key is based on the original line feed / carriage return function of typewriters : in many word processors, for example, the return key ends a paragraph; in a spreadsheet, it completes the current cell and move to the next cell. The shape of the Enter key differs between ISO and ANSI keyboards: in

15568-461: The program in an active window . In contrast, pressing just F4 will probably do nothing, unless assigned a specific function in a particular program. By themselves, modifier keys usually do nothing. The most widely used modifier keys include the Control key , Shift key and the Alt key . The AltGr key is used to access additional symbols for keys that have three symbols printed on them. On

15707-507: The programmer. An executing program can be STOP ped, its code edited, variable values inspected or altered in direct mode , and program execution resumed with the variable table intact using BASIC's GOTO command. Although other BASICs support the CONT command to restart execution without clearing variables, editing any code causes them to be cleared. Different memory configurations can be loaded using BASIC's BANK command. BASIC 7.0 has

15846-419: The relatively poor thermal conductivity of the shield itself, resulted in overheating and failure in some cases. The SID sound chip is particularly vulnerable in this respect. The most common remedy is to remove the shield, which Commodore had added late in development to comply with FCC radio-frequency regulations. The C128 has three operating modes . C128 Mode ( native mode ) runs at 1 or 2 MHz with

15985-409: The rest of bits as an index in the display matrix — see the scheme. The character memory resides in a read-only memory in some systems. Other systems allow the use of RAM for this purpose, making it possible to redefine the typeface and even the character set for application-specific purposes. The use of RAM-based characters also facilitates some special techniques, such as the implementation of

16124-469: The row of number keys above the top alphabetic row, most desktop keyboards have a number pad or accounting pad, on the right hand side of the keyboard. While num lock is set, the numbers on these keys duplicate the number row; if not, they have alternative functions as engraved. In addition to numbers, this pad has command symbols concerned with calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division symbols. The enter key in this keys indicate

16263-420: The same key) serves the same purpose as a Backspace key. The Backspace key deletes the preceding character. Lock keys lock part of a keyboard, depending on the settings selected. The lock keys are scattered around the keyboard. Most styles of keyboards have three LEDs indicating which locks are enabled, in the upper right corner above the numeric pad. The lock keys include Scroll lock , Num lock (which allows

16402-442: The same name used in video technology . The video controller has two registers : scan line counter and dot counter, serving as coordinates in the screen dot matrix. Each of them must be divided by corresponding glyph size to obtain an index in the display matrix; the remainder is an index in glyph matrix. If glyph size equals to 2 , then it is possible just to use n low bits of a binary register as an index in glyph matrix, and

16541-575: The screen buffer through control sequences may lose synchronization with the actual display so that many text mode programs have a redisplay everything command, often associated with the Ctrl + L key combination. Text mode video rendering came to prominence in the early 1970s, when video-oriented text terminals started to replace teleprinters in the interactive use of computers. The advantages of text modes as compared to graphics modes include lower memory consumption and faster screen manipulation. At

16680-490: The screens as a "scratchpad" or for rudimentary multiple buffer support. The active display can be switched with ESC-X. A hardware reset button was added to the system. The keyboard, however, was not switched to the Selectric layout as had become standard, instead retaining the same ADM-3A -derived design as on Commodore's prior models. NTSC C128s will work with any CGA-type monitor (TTL RGB @ 15 kHz/60 Hz) such as

16819-419: The shift key or Caps Lock key is depressed. The numeric characters become symbols or punctuation marks when the shift key is depressed. The alphabetical, numeric, and punctuation keys can also have other functions when they are pressed at the same time as some modifier keys. The Space bar is a horizontal bar in the lowermost row, which is significantly wider than other keys. Like the alphanumeric characters, it

16958-482: The size of a keyboard is the size and spacing of the keys. The reduction is limited by the practical consideration that the keys must be large enough to be easily pressed by fingers. Alternatively, a tool is used for pressing small keys. Desktop computer keyboards include alphabetic characters and numerals (and usually additionally a numeric keypad ), typographical symbols and punctuation marks , one or more currency symbols and other special characters, diacritics and

17097-406: The standard ADM-3A terminal commands, a number of extra ones are available to use the VIC-II and VDC's features, including setting the text and background color. The CP/M command interpreter (although not application software) includes a safeguard to prevent the user from issuing a control code to make the text and background the same color, which would render text invisible and force the user to reset

17236-413: The standard Commodore reverse text. The C128's 80-column mode can display lowercase characters along with PETSCII graphics characters; 40-column mode is subject to the same "upper- and lowercase" or "uppercase-plus-graphics" restriction as earlier Commodores. The 40- and 80-column modes are independent and both can be active at the same time. A programmer with both a composite and RGB display can use one of

17375-1091: The standard functions and can typically use a single keyboard and mouse to access multiple sources. Multifunctional keyboards may feature customised keypads, fully programmable function or soft keys for macros/pre-sets, biometric or smart card readers, trackballs , etc. New generation multifunctional keyboards feature a touchscreen display to stream video, control audio visual media and alarms, execute application inputs, configure individual desktop environments, etc. Multifunctional keyboards may also permit users to share access to PCs and other information sources. Multiple interfaces (serial, USB, audio, Ethernet, etc.) are used to integrate external devices. Some multifunctional keyboards are also used to directly and intuitively control video walls. Common environments for multifunctional keyboards are complex, high-performance workplaces for financial traders and control room operators (emergency services, security, air traffic management; industry, utilities management, etc.). Many keyboards have been designed for one-handed operation. The first one,

17514-434: The time text terminals were beginning to replace teleprinters in the 1970s, the extremely high cost of random-access memory in that period made it exorbitantly expensive to install enough memory for a computer to simultaneously store the current value of every pixel on a screen, to form what would now be called a framebuffer . Early framebuffers were standalone devices which cost tens of thousands of dollars, in addition to

17653-536: The time", it signals Stop , QUIT , or "let me get out of a dialog" (or pop-up window). It triggers the Stop function in many web browsers. The escape key was part of the standard keyboard of the Teletype Model 33 (introduced in 1964 and used with many early minicomputers). The DEC VT50 , introduced July 1974, also had an Esc key. The TECO text editor (ca 1963) and its descendant Emacs (ca 1985) use

17792-442: The underlying text characters (hence the name "text mode") and the only location where the actual pixels representing those characters exist as a single unified image is the screen itself, as viewed by the user (thanks to the phenomenon of persistence of vision ). For example, a screen buffer sufficient to hold a standard grid of 80 by 25 characters requires at least 2,000 bytes. Assuming a monochrome display , 8 bits per byte, and

17931-419: The unshifted and shifted result. When used in combination with other control keys (such as Ctrl , Alt or AltGr ), the effect is system and application dependent. The Menu key or Application key is a key found on Windows-oriented computer keyboards. It is used to launch a context menu with the keyboard rather than with the usual right mouse button. The key's symbol is usually a small icon depicting

18070-480: The use of calls to screen-editor ROM primitives or their assembly language equivalents, or by using third-party BASIC language extensions, such as Free Spirit Software's " BASIC 8 ", which adds high-resolution VDC graphics commands to BASIC 7.0 . By January 1987, Info reported that "All of those rumors about the imminent death of the C128 may have some basis in fact." Stating that Commodore wanted to divert resources to increasing 64C production and its PC clones,

18209-468: The use of the numeric keypad), and Caps lock . The SysRq and Print screen commands often share the same key. SysRq was used in earlier computers as a "panic" button to recover from crashes (and it is still used in this sense to some extent by the Linux kernel ; see Magic SysRq key ). The Print screen command used to capture the entire screen and send it to the printer, but in the present it usually puts

18348-454: The user the ability to move around a room or to lean back on a chair while also being able to type in front or away from the computer. Some variations of handheld ergonomic keyboards also include a trackball mouse that allow mouse movement and typing included in one handheld device. Smaller external keyboards have been introduced for devices without a built-in keyboard, such as PDAs , and smartphones. Small keyboards are also useful where there

18487-731: The user to select 15 of the most useful arrangements, with the power-on default being Bank 15. This default places the system ROMs, I/O registers, and BASIC program text in block 0, with block 1 being used by BASIC program variables. BASIC program text and variables can extend all the way to $ FFEF . But since block 0 contains the ROMs and I/O registers from $ 4000 onward, BASIC uses an internal switching routine to read program text higher than $ 3FFF . The top and bottom 1k of RAM ( $ 0 – $ 3FF and $ FF00 - $ FFFF ) are "shared" RAM, visible from both blocks. The MMU allows either to be expanded in increments up to 16k. The $ 0 – $ 3FF range contains

18626-473: The zero page and stack while $ FF00 - $ FFFF contains the MMU registers and reset vectors. These areas are always shared and cannot be switched to non-shared RAM. Shared RAM is always the opposite bank from the one currently being used by the CPU, thus if bank 0 is selected, any read or write to shared RAM will refer to the corresponding locations in bank 1 and vice versa. The VIC-II can be set to use either RAM bank and from there, its normal 16k window. While on

18765-484: Was an analogy of early mechanical printers which had fixed pitch. This way, the output seen on the screen could be sent directly to the printer maintaining the same format. Depending on the environment, the screen buffer can be directly addressable . Programs that display output on remote video terminals must issue special control sequences to manipulate the screen buffer. The most popular standards for such control sequences are ANSI and VT100 . Programs accessing

18904-446: Was perceived by the Commodore press as a follow-up to the 64 and would be expected to improve upon that model's capabilities. While the C64's graphics and sound capabilities were generally considered excellent, the response to the Plus/4 was one of disappointment. Upon the Plus/4's introduction, repeated recommendations were made in the Commodore press for a new computer called the "C-128" with increased RAM capacity, an 80-column display as

19043-458: Was retained on the 128, for use under C64 mode. The lack of a numeric keypad, Alt , and Esc on the C64 was an issue with some CP/M productivity software when used with the C64's Z80 cartridge. A keypad was requested by many C64 owners who spent long hours entering machine language type-in programs . Many of the added keys matched counterparts present on the IBM PC 's keyboard and made

19182-567: Was shipped with CP/M 3.0 (a.k.a. CP/M Plus, which is backward-compatible with CP/M 2.2) and ADM31/3A terminal emulation. A CP/M cartridge had been available for the C64, but it was expensive and of limited use since the 1541 drive cannot read the MFM-formatted disks that CP/M software was distributed on. Software had to be made available on Commodore-specific disks formatted using the GCR encoding scheme. Commodore made versions of PerfectCalc and

19321-521: Was standard in business computers, a new BASIC programming language that made it easy for programmers to use the computer's graphics and sound without resorting to PEEK and POKEs , a new disk drive that improved upon the 1541 's abysmal transfer rate, as well as total C64 compatibility. A new chip, the VDC , provides the C128 with an 80-column color CGA -compatible display (also called RGBI for red-green-blue plus intensity ). The then-new 8502 microprocessor

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