Main content

Toast - Commodore Computers

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Toast. Sean Farrington examines why the best-selling computer manufacturer, Commodore, didn't make it into the internet age.

Why did the best-selling computer manufacturer, Commodore, go bust?

While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up… Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands which had promised so much to consumers.

In each episode, the presenter and Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did it fail? What can we learn from it today?

In this episode, Sean examines the remarkable story behind the man who founded one of the world's best-selling computer manufacturers.

Commodore computers were huge in the 1980s so why couldn't the business adapt to survive in an age when computing became even more popular?

Expert commentators and employees reflect on why the company was so successful and what led to its demise.

Guests include David Pleasance - a former Commodore international executive and later joint managing director of its UK arm; Tim Danton - editor-in-chief of PC Pro magazine; Dan Wood - a Commodore computers enthusiast.

Alongside them is the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to analyse the missteps that changed the brand’s fortunes.

If you have an idea for a topic with a toast moment then you can email the programme at toast@bbc.co.uk

Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in February. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Sounds.

Toast is produced by Jon Douglas and Viant Siddique and is a Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Audio North production for Radio 4 and Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Sounds.

Available now

25 minutes

Last on

Thu 25 Jan 2024 12:32

Broadcast

  • Thu 25 Jan 2024 12:32

Podcast