Day of divergence: January 13,1984, Jack Tramiel, Commodore

Dr. Obsoleto has declared January 13 a *sacred day of reflection and reverence*. For His Holiness Jack Tramiel, as this day transcends the corporate politics of 1984, symbolizing a profound schism in the digital age—a moment when the creative spirit of innovation faced the cold, calculating machinery of corporate ambition.

### **Proclamation of Sacredness**

Dr. Obsoleto proclaims that January 13, 1984, not merely as the day of Jack Tramiel's forced resignation but as a *turning point for the soul of computing*. He proclaims it the **"Day of Divergence"**, where the ideal of empowering humanity through affordable computing was threatened by greed and internal discord. Tramiel's departure from Commodore marked the beginning of a new chapter, both tragic and hopeful—a cycle of destruction and rebirth in the tech world.

### **Significance in the Eyes of Dr. Obsoleto**

- **Jack Tramiel as a Heroic Archetype**: To Dr. Obsoleto, Tramiel embodies the pioneer who dared to challenge the elitism of technology. His departure is likened to the fall of a visionary who stood against the tide of profit-driven mediocrity.

- **The Commodore Legacy**: The Commodore 64, a product intimately tied to Tramiel's vision, remains a digital artifact enshrined in Dr. Obsoleto's philosophy. It represents a bridge between human creativity and machine precision.

- **Rivalry as Mythology**: The subsequent rivalry between Tramiel's Atari ST and Commodore's Amiga symbolizes a technological duality—a cosmic battle for the heart of innovation. For Dr. Obsoleto, this is akin to the great epics, where opposing forces struggle for dominance yet ultimately push the world forward.

### **Rituals for January 13**

In honor of this day, Dr. Obsoleto encourages retro tech enthusiasts to engage in rituals that celebrate the triumph of creative engineering over corporate conformity:

1. **Boot Up the Past**: Fire up a Commodore 64 or an Atari ST, write a few lines of BASIC code, and revel in the tactile joy of retro computing.

2. **Meditate on Mantras**: Reflect on Tramiel's immortal words: *"Computers for the masses, not the classes."* Discuss what this ethos means in today’s tech landscape.

3. **Share Stories**: Recount personal memories of Commodore, Atari, or the early days of computing. Let the oral history of technology inspire future generations.

### **Sacred Legacy**

Dr. Obsoleto views January 13 as a reminder that even in the face of corporate adversity, the spirit of innovation and human connection can endure. In his eyes, the Commodore 64 is not just a machine—it is a relic, a testament to an era when coding was poetry and technology was a tool for liberation.

He concludes his proclamation with his signature phrase, modified for this day:  

*"Cogito, ergo codo: I think, therefore I code—to honor those who shaped the digital world we inherit."*