Blog 6: History of Personal Computers

  

    The communication technology I chose to research was the first personal computers. The date from our timeline listed the first personal computer as being created in 1975, but this is a very broad approximation as its creation was gradual and over a long period of time. Prior to 1970 computers were very large and heavy unlike what we are currently used to. On top of this computers were expensive and were used mostly for research and performing calculations.

    The first major breakthrough would come in 1971 when Intel released their 4004 Microprocessor, the first commercially available microprocessor. This would drastically reduce the size of future computers and was a major step to getting to personal computers. 1975 would bring the next important innovation in computer development, the Altair 8800. This is considered to be the first commercial personal computer, but it was still far from the design of modern models. For starters it needed to be assembled from kits, and utilized a purely text based display. These computers were mainly for hobbyists and were not yet accepted by the general public. However it was with these computers that allowed for further advancements and improvements in the next few years.

    In 1976 both the first word processor “Electric Pencil”, and the first text based adventure “Adventure” were released which are both important applications to the success of personal computers. 1977 Apple released the Apple II personal computer, which were fully assembled and more aimed towards the public.

    1981 would be one of the most important years in the history of computers. The first spreadsheet program “VisiCalc” was released, which demonstrated how computers could be used to enhance businesses and were not simply game machines or digital typewriters. Then IBM released their version of the personal computer which allowed for a plethora of different options and customizations, such as the type of floppy disk drive. One of these customizations included the MS-DOS operating system which IBM agreed would not be exclusive to IBM. This decision would create a shift in the tech industry as it meant that any computer created by any company would be allowed to use MS-DOS. This led to a boom in the PC industry in 1982 as a wide variety of new computers and models were released rapidly. Finally in 1984 Apple released the Apple Macintosh, what would be the closest model to what the average person thinks of when they imagine a personal computer. This computer came with a mouse and graphical user interface where users could click on and drag icons instead of typing out command lines. The computer was also much more affordable than other models released around this period and quickly became a standard for other computers developed after it.

    The invention of personal computers have had a drastic impact on us as a society. This level of advanced technology was finally put in the hands of the public instead of being used solely for scientific purposes, and would later be expanded upon further when the World Wide Web was finally created. These computers have had an effect on the business world that can not be overstated, as word processors and spreadsheets redefined how to properly organize a business. Personal computers served as a catalyst for future developments that would lead to the highly digital and connected society we have today.

Sources:

https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/

https://www.britannica.com/technology/personal-computer

https://lowendmac.com/2014/personal-computer-history-the-first-25-years/

https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=274

https://www.encyclopedia.com/computing/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/social-impact