The personal computer, otherwise known as a PC, is referred to as any general-purpose computer that is easily useful for individuals. PC's are operated directly by an end user, with no other intervening computer operator. Desk computers, laptops, tablet computers and palmtops are all considered personal computers. With early PC's, owners had to write or type their own programs to do anything useful, but today's PC's have commercial software which is provided in ready-to-run form.
In the late 1970's and early 1980's, computers were beginning to be used in the households of individuals. They offered personal productivity, programming and games. It also helped with the office and small businesses.
Personal computers have made such a large impact on today's society giving individuals more privacy and portability. Over the past decade, the growth in production of PC's has changed drastically. I remember believing I was the coolest kid on the block because I owned a clear and teal, egg shaped, Mac computer in 2000, yet today the screens are flat and the laptops are a quarter of the size they used to be.
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It is interesting to think of the transformation from super-computers, which took up entire rooms, to desktop PC's, to laptops, and now to PDA's (which might be considered the smallest form of personal computer). How will the PC evolve next? It seems that they are becoming smaller and smaller with less physical components. Will we reach a day where computers are something less than a tangible object?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Drew, even thinking back to the computers we had in elementary school. For colleges to nowadays require students to own a laptop (not even desktop), seems bizarre compared to previous years. The phenomenon of computer has nationally reciprocated in all spectrums and shown itself to be, possibly, one of the most influential electronic devices.
ReplyDeleteWhile everyone in my generation uses a lap top, I find the older generations still use a desk top type of computer. Sometimes I find desk tops preferable to lap tops because of their speed and dependability. I like using my blackberry to look things up, but find it annoying to manipulate a small screen. Like Drew, I wonder too if technology will keep shrinking in size, or not have a size at all. Weird!
ReplyDeleteThe personal computer was also once known as the microcomputer, to distinguish it from the minicomputer which came after the mainframe. When IBM introduced its personal computer into the market, well after Atari, Commodore, Apple, Texas Instruments, Radio Shack, etc., it called it the PC. And since IBM used Microsoft DOS, all computers that used a Microsoft OS came to be referred to as PCs, whereas Apple computers were known as Macs, for the Macintosh OS. And that eventually led to all those funny Mac vs. PC commercials.
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