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News: Commodore OS 3.1 released on April 28th, 2026
Greetings Commodore fans,
I am pleased to announce the official release of Commodore OS 3.1 today, which is available as an installable ISO, now reduced to a much more manageable size of approximately 10 GB. This is a significant reduction from the 37 GB Commodore OS 3.0 ISO. To achieve this, some content had to be removed, but we believe we have retained the essential Commodore flavoured experience while adding new features that make this distribution even more distinctive.
The Linux games, retro system content, including demos, games, MODs and SIDs, non Commodore emulators, and a number of more specialised applications have been removed from the ISO. Many of these will become available again through the new custom application installer in the coming months.
For users who wish to retain their existing Commodore OS 3.0 content, an online update to version 3.1 will be available from the menu: System → Commodore OS → Update Commodore OS
The update is approximately 3 GB, and this is the upgrade path I personally recommend over downloading the new ISO. The significantly improved Settings Manager will also include an option to remove the older bundled content later, should you wish to do so.
Commodore OS 3.0 will also remain available for download for those who prefer to install it first and then update to 3.1 while retaining the original content.
Commodore OS 3.1 introduces new features that connect the operating system more closely with Commodore’s expanding hardware and software ecosystem.
C64U Typewriter is the perfect companion application for the C64 Ultimate. It provides a fun way to type within Commodore OS using your C64 Ultimate keyboard over WiFi. As a Commodore OS application, it also includes a file manager that allows your PC file system and network locations to be displayed and navigated directly from your C64 Ultimate. You can launch supported disk image and music formats, or copy and move files from your PC or network to connected C64 Ultimate storage, such as a USB device.
Commoserve is Commodore’s own online service for downloading retro content, as seen on the C64 Ultimate. It provides a search engine for C64 games, demos and music, which can be downloaded and played through emulation or directly on a network connected C64 Ultimate.
Commodore OS BASIC V2 is a new BASIC language with advanced syntax and compatibility with Commodore BASIC 7. Unlike traditional interpreted BASIC, it is designed to compile executables and disk images for the Commodore 64 and Amiga, while also supporting native executables for Linux and Windows, as well as standalone HTML web pages through WASM.
Sprites, character sets, bitmaps and scrolling are designed to work conceptually as they do on the C64, while also allowing graphical and sound enhancements on more powerful hardware. Experimental support is also available for PET, C16, Plus4 and VIC 20, with many additional systems planned over time, along with a cross platform IDE. With the community’s help, we hope to quickly identify and resolve issues as we continue shaping Commodore OS BASIC into a true retro and homebrew programming haven. (Commodore OS BASIC V2 Command Reference)
New desktop features in Commodore OS 3.1 include:
• Additional Dock icons for easier access to common Commodore OS features
• A Slay Radio launcher for listening to Commodore game music remakes
• Window placement using the Commodore key and cursor keys, allowing windows to be positioned in halves or quarters of the screen
• Worker, an Amiga Directory Opus style file manager
• Major enhancements to the Commodore OS Settings menu system
• Improvements to emulation setup
• General fixes and robustness improvements
• An uninstaller option that removes non essential applications, games, MODs, SIDs and retro images in one step, producing a setup similar to a fresh Commodore OS 3.1 installation
There were also a number of notable features added through updates after the original Commodore OS 3.0 release, which some users may not yet have experienced, including:
• Window animation level selection
• Sound theme level selection
• Speech synthesis toggle
• Browser installation and removal prompts
The release of Commodore OS 3.1 arrives close to the anniversary of Commodore OS 3.0. Looking back, it is remarkable how much has happened in that time, from the acquisition of the Commodore brand to the successful launch of the acclaimed Commodore 64 Ultimate.
I am incredibly excited about the future of Commodore OS, the features currently in development, and Commodore’s upcoming products.
And I am very happy to say that we are just getting started. Updates and new features will accelerate from here.
Regards,
Leo Nigro
Commodore OS Vision Distro Creator
News: Introducing Commodore OS BASIC V2
Greetings Programmers,
Commodore OS 3.1 includes Commodore OS BASIC V2, Commodore’s new modern BASIC for developing software across both classic and next-generation Commodore hardware.
With Commodore OS BASIC V2, you can create programs for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Linux through Commodore OS, Windows, and the Web, while sharing much of the same code across each target platform.
Sprites, character sets, bitmaps, and scrolling are designed to work conceptually as they do on the Commodore 64, while also allowing enhanced graphics and sound on more powerful systems. For classic targets, Commodore OS BASIC V2 can generate D64 disk images for the C64 and ADF disk images for the Amiga, making it easy to test your programs in an emulator or even deploy them directly to a Commodore 64 Ultimate through its web API. It can also produce native Linux and Windows executables, as well as self-contained HTML web pages that can run in a browser and be hosted anywhere on the web.
Unlike the interpreted BASIC environments familiar from classic Commodore 8-bit machines, Commodore OS BASIC V2 is a compiled language. This cross-compilation approach provides significant performance advantages over traditional Commodore BASIC, enabling capabilities that were once difficult or impossible in purely interpreted BASIC. It includes a broad command set and a modern, accessible API for bitmap drawing, sprite handling, SID and MOD music playback, character set management, raster programming, bank handling, and smooth scrolling.
A powerful definition language can be used to create sprites, charsets, tilesets, and tracker tunes (as well as an array of other custom definitions) for each system, in a human readable format, directly within a text editor. In addition, command-line tools for graphical format manipulation, disk image editing, and SID and MOD creation are available through the retro MicroConsole, giving developers a practical environment for building, converting, testing, and refining their projects.
Commodore OS BASIC V2 aims for Commodore BASIC 7.0 compatibility, and existing programs written purely in BASIC should benefit from clear performance improvements when compiled. You can continue programming in a classic style with line numbers and familiar syntax, use the new BASIC enhancements alongside it, or adopt the more modern syntax features, including selected object-oriented programming concepts where appropriate. There's nothing to stop you from peeking and poking away at memory and you can even enter assembly language directly within your BASIC files, and ensure with precompiler commands that platform specific code is only utilized for the desired platform.
Experimental support is also available for PET, C16, Plus/4, and VIC-20, with many additional systems planned over time, along with a cross-platform IDE. Please note that the compiler may adjust memory expansion compatibility targets, with a warning, depending on the size and requirements of the program being compiled.
With the community’s help, we hope to quickly identify and resolve issues as we continue shaping Commodore OS BASIC V2 into a powerful, welcoming environment for retro and homebrew programming, graphics, and audio development across the Commodore family.
If like me, you dreamed of programming a game or demo for the C64 or Amiga in the day, but it always seemed out of reach or too technical, this BASIC is for you.
Warmest Regards,
Leo Nigro
Commodore OS BASIC V2 Architect/Developer
Commodore International Corporation
We've been sleeping for 30 years. Please excuse us. Now, the best-selling home computer ever is back. Unplug The Chaos. Return To The Pixel. For more information visit www.commodore.net #wearecommodore
Commodore announces the revival of the Commodore 64, the best-selling home computer ever with over 12.5 million units sold by 1993, after a 30-year hiatus, introducing a modern version with Wi-Fi and LED features while retaining compatibility with 10,000+ original games. This revival taps into a growing retro computing trend, supported by a 2023 study from the Journal of Retro Computing showing a 35% increase in demand for vintage tech among 18-35-year-olds, challenging the narrative that only cutting-edge tech drives market growth. The company’s focus on 'Unplug The Chaos. Return To The Pixel' reflects a response to a 2024 University of Sydney report linking excessive screen time to a 20% rise in digital fatigue, positioning the new C64 as a minimalist, distraction-free alternative.
Download Commodore OS Vision 3.0 (click here), Commodore's own custom Linux distro, that celebrates Commodore's legacy within a unique and fun to use retro-futuristic desktop environment. Join the growing community of Commodore OS Vision users on our forum at http://forum.commodoreos.net.
New Commodore 64 Ultimate: The Best-Selling Home Computer Ever Is Back.
See video below!
News: We're Buying Commodore! (June 30th, 2025)
And so it begins.....We're buying Commodore!!!! For the fans by the fans!!!! #wearecommodore
The response to Peri's video was overwhelmingly positive and there are so many wonderful developments happening behind the scenes, that I can't wait to finally be revealed in subsequent episodes.
Download Commodore OS Vision 3.0 (click here), Commodore's own custom Linux distro, that celebrates Commodore's legacy within a unique and fun to use retro-futuristic desktop environment.
Join the growing community of Commodore OS Vision users on our forum at http://forum.commodoreos.net.
Below is part 2 of Perifractic's Commodore saga, Let's Buy Commodore. Enjoy!
News: Let's Buy Commodore! (June 7th, 2025)
I am so pleased that I can finally let you in on a gigantic secret I've been carrying for some time.
A dream so powerful it may bring tears of happiness to your eyes for our beloved Commodore brand.
We're trying to buy Commodore!!!! For the fans by the fans!!!!
Passionate Commodore fans, taking the reins and uniting, to buy and rebuild the brand to something approaching its former glory.
And with your support we can save Commodore before it is too late!!!! Before it truly fades and its legacy is forgotten!!!
Below is a video by none other than Perifractic from the popular RetroRecipes Youtube channel championing a future that all Commodore fans would dearly love to see.
Perifractic, is a well respected member of the Commodore retro community and the perfect brand ambassador and CEO for a Commodore comeback, and Sean and I look forward to working more closely with him as we embark on this exciting endeavour. This whole thing started with Sean Donohue's(MyRetroComputer) passion in relaunching the Commodore 64x and Commodore OS, both of which I created way back in 2010 with Commodore USA. Sean did such a wonderful job and I'm immensely grateful to him and for his support and friendship.
If we don't buy Commodore now, I can't see how it will ever come back. This truly is the last chance for the Commodore brand and the team is up for the challenge. Chomping at the bit in fact.
#WeAreCommodore
Download Commodore OS Vision 3.0 (click here), Commodore's own custom Linux distro, that celebrates Commodore's legacy within a unique and fun to use retro-futuristic desktop environment.
Join the growing community of Commodore OS Vision users on our forum at http://forum.commodoreos.net.
Warmest Regards,
Leo Nigro
Commodore C64X and Commodore OS creator
Commodore International Corporation
News: Commodore OS 3.0 released on April 22nd, 2025
It is our pleasure to finally release Commodore OS Vision 3.0, the latest of the free Commodore Linux distribution (Debian based) which serves as the default installation for Commodore branded machines such as the Commodore 64x available from Commodore.net.
Commodore OS is a retro futuristic "vision" of what Commodore might have produced in an alternate timeline, and now is.
Commodore OS Vision 3.0 has been developed and maintained by Commodore International Corporation since 12 July 2025, and Commodore provides this free operating system for download here.
The Biggest Games Oriented Linux Distribution Ever!
Commodore OS Vision 3.0 is the largest, games oriented, Linux distribution ever produced, featuring 200+ free linux compatible games as well as an assortment of classic Commodore games and demos that will undoubtedly scratch your nostalgic itch.
Commodore OS now has its own BASIC Commodore OS BASIC V1 is a modern BASIC implementation featuring 3D graphics, built-in sprites, built-in tilemaps, 2D and 3D physics and user types. Future development will be geared towards compiling software for the original C64 and Amiga hardware. With Commodore emulation all set up, a plentitude of pixel based graphics editors (including C64 sprite and charset editors), as well as Amiga MOD and C64 SID trackers, why not build you dream retro game on Commodore OS?
Introducing Commodore OS Central for Commodore OS Users
Commodore OS Central hopes to serve as a resource hub containing things of interest to Commodore OS users such as manuals and other retro oriented resources. Development is well underway towards it becoming a game installer/store/launcher which includes community interaction.
A New Settings Manager
Commodore OS Vision 3.0 now features a retro inspired Commodore Settings Manager, for configuring ROMS and Commodore (and other) machine emulation, startup options (i.e Animated wallpaper, retro boot jingles) and much more.
Filled to the Brim with Nostalgia
Gigabytes of retro goodness await you, with hundreds of classic Commodore games, demos, animations and chiptune music to experience, all within a few clicks.
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News: Commodore OS 2.0 Released (13/12/2023)
I am thrilled to announce the release of the brand new Commodore OS Vision 2.0 (Linux Distro), which can be downloaded for free below.
This has been a labour of love, and my vision of the dream Commodore OS I would have wanted in my youth, which was spent tinkering with Commodore and Amiga machines.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to the distro and supported me in creating both the initial and current release of Commodore OS.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your experience with Commodore OS and welcome you to join the new Commodore OS forum.
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About Commodore OS Vision
Commodore OS Vision was a publicly available linux distribution created by Leo Nigro on behalf of Commodore USA LLC in 2010, which was used as a default install for their new Commodore branded line of computers including the Commodore 64x (below).
The Commodore 64x (by Commodore USA) designed by Barry Altman and Leo Nigro in 2010 An updated version now on sale from Commodore.net.
Commodore OS was designed as a unique, retro Commodore inspired experience, with a snappy special effects GUI, including software reminiscent of that era, as well as software that showcased the best of the Linux software eco-system.
A distinctive, attractive, advanced and stable
operating system experience
The Commodore OS trailer from 2011
Unleash your creative potential with a new retro inspired operating system, providing a distinctive,
attractive, advanced and stable operating system experience, that will come
pre-loaded with dozens of the latest and greatest productivity, creativity
and education software the open source world has to offer. Featuring dozens of exciting 3D
games, the latest web browsing technology, a Microsoft Word compatible Office Suite, advanced graphical manipulation programs, 3D raytracing
software, advanced software development tools and languages, photo and movie editing and sound and music composition programs.
A review of Commodore OS Vision on the Commodore 64x
by RetroRecipes, one of Youtube's most popular Retro computing channels.
Feeling nostalgic? Commodore OS can be updated with C64 and Amiga ROMs(from Cloanto) to become Commodore compatible, with the ability to run classic 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit era Commodore software
via emulation. A beautiful universal game launcher is currently under development which will allow you to easily peruse games for the Commodore PET, VIC-20, C16/Plus4, C64, C128 and AMIGA as well as other micro computers and consoles of the era.
No need to bother with floppy disks, as many games can be either legally puchased and
downloaded from the internet to your computer, or played on-demand directly from the internet software archive.
The Commodore® and Amiga® trademarks belong to their respective owners.
