C64 Twitter Client

The last of the Commodore 64’s shortcomings has been addressed; it finally has a Twitter client. [Johan Van den Brande] wrote BREADBOX64 for use on the C64/128. It’s running on top of the open source Contiki operating system. The hardware is an MMC Replay cartridge with an ethernet adapter. If you don’t have the hardware available, you can run it inside an emulator like VICE. Embedded below is a C128D running the program.

(P.S. all of our posts are on @hackadaydotcom)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m86mm-SMGA%5D

[via Retro Thing]

18 thoughts on “C64 Twitter Client

  1. Every time I hear twitter I can only think of this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbhnRuJBHLs

    (and of course Gabe and Tycho’s “twitter $hitter”)

    Couldn’t the C64 get on a BBS when it was new? Is this a huge breakthrough in any way?

    I am seriously not into Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Classmates, etc. Really, really, REALLY Not.

    But if you enjoy it then more power to you, next an AMIGA and BBC Micro edition, then here come the Atari 800 and Neo Geo editions.

    I do like the link to the MMC Replay http://www.vesalia.de/e_mmcreplay.htm

    And the info on the RR-Net ethernet adapter http://www.redsretro.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23

    That is cool. It is amazing the capability of these older systems when you stop and look at exactly what you are doing with them. No need for photos or graphics, just the straight dope (text), and a sleek OS that does what you want when you want. I would love a C64 Wristwatch (OK, make it a Pentium or 486 wristwatch), the display can be in my glasses and the keypad can hang from my belt (a numpad or half-moon keyboard).

  2. I agree with assbag. This is useless. But, that’s not saying it’s worthless. It’s cool using older technology to just get the job done. it’s kind of like the old 10 base-t router i have at my house. internet speed is 1.5 in my neighborhood because of old cabling. the only thing i have wired to the router is my modem, desktop, and old laserjet. i even have a stack of servers with fc cards that i use for folding.

  3. the more I read comments here these days the more i realize its a bunch of slashdot wanna-be haters who have nothing else better to do than shit on a hack for any reason whatsoever. youre all like a bunch of old people in dire need of an enema.

    to the OP – great hack.

  4. very cool. not something I would do, but cool.

    It’s official, the comments section has now become the “people bitching about other people bitching about the content selection”

  5. Why?

    130€ for the board and the ether module, some folks just got too much money…

    And I though this was a hack site….

    Not an I bought all these shields for my arduino and now it’s a web server $400 later…

  6. Hmm.. I’ve got an old Plus/4 laying around and I think it would be really fun to put it to new use, even if it would be just for the sake of doing it. I haven’t done much programming for it yet, and I know the Plus/4 isn’t as compatible with the C64 as the C128 is, so I’m curious how much would have to be recompiled to make it work on the Plus/4, or if its even possible (I don’t see why not). Anyone have any thoughts on this?

  7. Though I’m not a twitter user (I just don’t get the point), this is pretty awesome.

    Also, as an aside to users like assbag and josh: If you don’t like silly technical projects, gtfo. This site is not at all for you.

  8. actually, alex, i did say i liked it. it’s useless, which is one of the reasons i like it. notice that we both said it was cool. twitter is useless, so this project is useless except to show how archaic hardware can achieve something like this.

  9. To alex – STFU!

    There are a million useful projects that could have been done on a c64 but why twitter? Something that a cheap prepaid cellphone can accomplish, I just don’t get it.

    But I applaud the guy, he did it because he could which is what makes it cool.

    So go take your nerd rage out on xbox live or furries or something.

  10. Awesome! Don’t everyone be a bunch of haters, this is a really cool thing he managed to accomplish. The fact that yes a cheap cell phone can use Twitter does not impress me, the fact that a 27 year old computer can be made to does impress me!

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