Barry Altman
Barry Altman | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 11, 1944 |
| Died | December 8, 2012 (aged 68) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, electronics executive |
| Years active | 1970s–2012 |
| Known for | Founder of Commodore USA |
Barry Altman (April 11, 1944 – December 8, 2012) was an American entrepreneur and electronics executive best known for founding Commodore USA, a company that attempted to revive the iconic Commodore computer brand in the early 2010s. Under his leadership, Commodore USA released modern PCs styled after vintage computers such as the Commodore 64 and Amiga series.
Career
Before founding Commodore USA, Altman had a long career in electronics and telecommunications. He was the founder and CEO of Cabletech in the 1980s and 1990s, a company that specialized in importing and distributing cable television equipment across the United States.
Altman retired from the electronics industry in the late 1990s but returned to entrepreneurship in 2010 by licensing the **Commodore** trademark for computer hardware via a third-party entity. His aim was to modernize the legacy of Commodore by launching a new line of desktop PCs that visually resembled classic 8-bit systems.
Commodore USA
In 2010, Altman launched **Commodore USA, LLC**, a Florida-based company that entered into licensing agreements to use the **Commodore** and **Amiga** brand names. His company gained attention in the retrocomputing and technology communities for unveiling the **Commodore 64x**, a fully modern PC housed in a replica of the original Commodore 64 chassis. The C64x featured an Intel x86 CPU, HDMI output, and ran operating systems such as Linux and Windows.
Despite initial enthusiasm, the company faced criticism for its use of existing PC components, lack of original firmware or chipset development, and unclear licensing of Commodore and Amiga trademarks.[1] Altman defended the approach as a pragmatic way to honor Commodore’s legacy while making the systems accessible to modern users.
In addition to the C64x, Commodore USA announced plans for an **Amiga-branded** line of computers, though these were never fully realized before Altman’s passing.
Death
Barry Altman died on December 8, 2012, at the age of 68, reportedly after a battle with cancer.[2] His death effectively ended Commodore USA’s operations, and the company’s online presence and customer support services were discontinued soon afterward.
Legacy
Altman is remembered for his passionate attempt to bring back the Commodore name in the modern computing world. While Commodore USA was short-lived and controversial among some retro enthusiasts, the C64x remains a notable example of early 2010s retro-style hardware and has since become a collector's item.
See also
References
- ↑ "Commodore USA: The Retro-Brand You Didn't Know You Needed". Ars Technica. May 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
- ↑ "Commodore USA Founder Barry Altman Dies". TechSpot. December 10, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
External links
- Commodore USA (archived site)
- Who owns Commodore now? – *Ars Technica*, 2012
- Obituary – TechSpot, 2012