AMD recently sent out a PR letter announcing a survey the Sunnyvale chipmaker is conducting. The survey asks questions about breakout events in world history. Several winners will be drawn and given Athlon 64 systems as prizes.</P>
Participating in this survey really got me thinking about what events were most important to computing history. Of course, that led directly to questions about the history of the PC. Some might say that IBM’s 1981 announcement of the 5150 Personal Computer was the milestone for advancement of a reclusive and mainly government supported industry. Others would give Steve Jobs and John Wozniak that credit for the development of their prototype ‘home computer’ in 1976. </P>
Overall, hundreds of companies have done their part in contributing to the PC era. Processors, memory, storage, video, audio, and peripherals have all come leaps and bounds from the beginning stages of PC development. What was that huge turning point? When did the PC become something more than a ‘rich man’s toy’? The answer may be easy for some of you, but hopefully I can get you asking those questions of yourself yet again. As I go through a brief history of momentous events in recent computer history, I’d like you to really put that brain to work and add your thoughts to those of the masses. Perhaps our collective mental capacity will help to come up with the answer to questions long pondered.
The best thing I can think of to do is to start at the beginning. To be first is not always to be most important, but being number one does lend a lot of credit. The first major turning point would have to be credited to Intel for the invention of the MPU (Micro Processing Unit) in 1971. This invention was surrounded by quite a bit of controversy. It turns out Intel and Busicom, the company they had contracted to create the processor for, both thought the MPU 4004 would only be useful for calculators. If not for consistent argument from Ted Hoff, a former Stanford researcher and the brains behind the project, the CPU we all know and love may have never come to be. At the time, Busicom had drafted that all processes were to be handled by separate semi-conductors. </P>
The year was 1977, and Radio Shack was a booming electronics supplier. They had over 7000 stores and provided everything any avid radio operator could imagine needing. As the owner of the chain of hobby shops, Charles Tandy felt the need to produce a product that could compete with the likes of current offerings such as Processor Technology’s SOL and Steve Jobs’ Apple II. The solution turned out to be the TRS-80. The $599.95 unit had a total of 4k memory and made use of the Zilog Z-80 processor created by several ex-Intel engineers. This processor was built upon the Intel 8080 and offered a more powerful solution, while still remaining compatible with the architecture. The TRS-80 was the first home computer with a warranty, which would be voided by opening the case. Thus, TRS-80 users generally had no idea how the machine actually worked. The less a user knew of the insides of their systems, the more Radio Shack could sell to the general public. Otherwise, people could buy more powerful kits that were assembled at home.</P>
In 1980, Seagate Technology created the world’s first Microcomputer Hard Disk Drive. Coming in at a whopping 5MB, five times that of a standard 1MB floppy disk, the product allowed for huge advancements in the way data was stored. A permanent storage device allowed for much faster and easier access to operating systems and other software. Removable media could still be used to transport files, but computing as we know it would never have been without the hard disk. </P>
IBM, a long-time leader in computer and mainframe development, took the obvious step for their product line and developed the world’s first branded Personal Computer. The 5150’s were small and inexpensive enough that middle class could afford to write their documents in style. Unlike some earlier concepts in the industry, the PC came with everything, including a monitor, printer, and keyboard. It was the perfect solution for business owners and for after-work projects. Even though the unit wasn’t as powerful as those offered by other companies, it was incredibly easy to upgrade. The motherboard allowed for expansion of memory and included serial and parallel ports for extra peripherals. By obtaining the rights to the name Personal Computer, IBM had bought the ability to own a significant portion of a new industry. </P>
MOS, a subsidiary of Commodore International, LTD., developed state of the art video and sound chips in 1981. These chips were offered to any company who wanted to make the world’s best video game. Of course, by video game, they meant what we now call a video game console. The design was meant for a machine that would connect to a television and use cartridges or tapes such as we saw from Atari and later Nintendo. As it turned out, Commodore, whose VIC 20 was just about at the end of its usefulness, decided to use these chips in their long awaited C-64 home computer. The Commodore 64, announced in 1982, went on to be the best selling unit in computer history. The first model initially sold for about $500 and Commodore was able to drop that price to under $100 thanks to incredible sales. Department stores across the country carried the computer and peripherals and offered them at a price many people could afford. </P>
In 1983, just two years after IBM began selling the 5150, Compaq had successfully reverse-engineered IBM’s newest products and created their own 100% IBM-compatible PC clone. The seemingly small event quickly drew IBM’s reign as the superior, dominant producer to an end. This also marked the beginning of a massive influx of other companies claiming to sell their very own PC clone products. Those that could produce truly compatible machines were very successful, while those who didn’t generally failed. Compaq was not one of those who failed. In the first year, more than 53,000 PC’s were shipped. By the next year, Compaq began selling units in Europe where they were able to grab a large percentage of the market.</P>
Just as IBM began to dominate the industry and not long after Compaq was ripping apart that IBM 5150, Steve Jobs released Apple Macintosh home computer. By all appearances, Jobs had created a truly different product. The addition of a complete GUI (Graphical User Interface), built-in monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse really drew the attention of the average “Joe”. Of course, that person never was able to afford a Macintosh. At $2495, it was a lot more expensive than most other computers designed for home users. The fact that it had a much faster processor and a lot more memory couldn’t really account for the cost. This was the beginning of Apple filling a niche in the industry. The average user wasn’t willing to pay the premium asked, no matter how good the product might have been.</P>
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