CoCo The Colorful History of Tandy’s Underdog Computer

This engaging book tells the story of Tandy's underdog Color Computer (CoCo), which debuted on July 31, 1980, and competed against the era's biggest names, including the IBM PC and Commodore 64. It would be ten years of fascinating ups and downs before the last computer in the series, the Color Computer 3, was officially dropped from Tandy's computer line. Exploring the interesting story of the business and engineering triumphs and missteps before, during, and after CoCo's prime time, this work is the definitive account of the premiere underdog computing series of the 1980s and beyond.

CoCo: The Colorful History of Tandy’s Underdog Computer is the first book to document the complete history of the Tandy Color Computer (CoCo), a popular 8-bit PC series from the 1980s that competed against the era’s biggest names, including the Apple II, IBM PC, and Commodore 64. The book takes you inside the interesting stories and people behind this unique, underdog computer. Both noted computer science and technology advocates, authors Pitre and Loguidice reveal the story of a pivotal period in the home computing revolution from the perspective of Tandy’s CoCo. As these computers were sold in Radio Shack stores throughout the United States and other countries, they provide a critical point of reference for key events in the unprecedented evolutionary period for the PC industry in the 1980s. The book also features first-hand accounts from the people who created and promoted the CoCo, from the original Tandy executives and engineers to today’s active product creators and information keepers. The CoCo impacted many lives, and this book leaves no stone unturned in recounting this fascinating slice of the PC revolution that is still in play today. From early telecommunications experiments to engineering and budgetary challenges, it covers all the aspects that made the CoCo a truly personal, useful computing experience in as small and inexpensive a package as possible.

Tandy Gets PersonalPlanting the SeedColorful ComputingSomewhere over the RainbowDouble TroubleSilicorn ValleyThree’s CompanyThird Time’s CharmMade in the USAThe Time Has ComeHello DarlingCoCo Forever

Boisy G. Pitre has been an avid and passionate advocate for CoCo for nearly 30 years. In 1992, he joined Microware Systems Corporation, the makers of OS-9, as a software engineer and has worked in the industry ever since. Today, he remains a part of the CoCo community, leading various open source initiatives and working with his partner Mark Marlette at Cloud-9 to provide hardware and software for the CoCo hobbyist. He received an MS and BS in computer science with a minor in mathematics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Bill Loguidice is a critically acclaimed technology author and documentary producer as well as co-founder and managing director for the online publication, Armchair Arcade. A noted videogame and computer historian and expert, he personally owns and maintains well over 400 different systems from the 1970s to the present day, including a large volume of associated materials.