ELLIS JASPER HARRY PhDFormat:Kindle Edition
Bil Herd, Margaret Gorts MorabitoFormat:Paperback
Back into the Storm: A Design Engineer's Story of Commodore Computers in the 1980s
Bottom line: The Back into the Storm: A Design Engineer's Story of Commodore Computers ($24.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 16:29 UTC): First-hand account by Commodore design engineer Bil Herd; main trade-off: niche retro-computing focus with limited mainstream appeal.
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ First-hand account by Commodore design engineer Bil Herd
- ✓ Insider stories of 1980s Commodore hardware development
- ✓ Co-authored with Commodore veteran Margaret Gorts Morabito
- ✓ Engineering-level detail, not just surface nostalgia
Cons
- ✗ Niche retro-computing focus with limited mainstream appeal
- ✗ Available only in paperback format
- ✗ Dense technical detail may overwhelm casual readers
- ✗ Scope limited to one company's 1980s era
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Back into the Storm: A Design Engineer's Story of Commodore… using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the retro reference & guides category. Bil Herd(Author),Margaret Gorts Morabito(Author)Format:Paperback's retro reference & guides lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for retro reference & guides of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Full Specifications
| Brand | Bil Herd(Author),Margaret Gorts Morabito(Author)Format:Paperback |
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Back into the Storm: A Design Engineer's Story of Commodore Computers in the 1980s is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
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