Putting IBM’s near year-long delays for the RS/6000 Series into perspective, Commodore Business Machines is still officially to launch its first Unix offering, despite first planning a Zilog Z8000-based model in 1984, a 68020 machine in 1988, and a 68030 machine in 1989 – and in January the West Chester, Pennsylvania-based company was noted amongst the supporters of the 68040. Now Commodore looks as if it might be taking things a bit more seriously, and has established a Systems Marketing Group under the control of Paul Calkin, a former Unisys Corp executive. The primary focus of the systems group, says Commodore, will be the release and marketing of Commodore Unix-based products. Calkin has 10 years’ of Unix sales and marketing experience as a team leader for Sperry and Unisys launches from 1983 to 1987. Commodore has become increasingly interested in the business, government and education markets since the appointment in April last year of president and chief operating officer Harold Copperman: its current computer lines include the multi-tasking AmigaDOS-based Amiga 2000 and 2500 systems, and MS-DOS compatible Colt, Select and Professional Series III lines.
