IBM PC 30 years

IBM PC 30 yearsTriumph of the little rounderClunky, ugly, the monitor too small, the font green on black: seeing so revolutions? You bet! Exactly 30 years ago began selling the first IBM PC. Although it was initially too low for use, the device revolutionized our daily lives - thanks to a brilliant marketing tricks.It had just started to drizzle a thin film of water sat on top of the device that was waiting there carelessly placed on the sidewalk on the disposal. "Now come on!" Sarah cried, but I hesitated. "Wait," I tried it, "You have absolutely any idea what that is?"She looked briefly over, as she unlocked the car door. "Junk?"So you can see that. It was the late nineties, and of course, was the box on the roadside scrap: An IBM 5150, a behemoth of early PC. Clunky, ugly, with a tiny monitor that had once been bright green letters on a black background and nothing else. A little rounder at the factory, without a hard drive, a processor working in dunes liable slow clock of 4.77 MHz - a product of the digital stone age. From today's point of view would say that the thing was junk from the factory.The 5150 was from today's perspective, little expensive but it was from today's perspective, but from then seen as a bargain: the basic version costing $ 1,565, because of other tax rates in Germany about 5000 marks. Last but not least, he was one of the main triggers for what we now call our digital age. The 5150 While certainly not the first personal computer, but the first IBM PC and the direct precursor of all the computers on which Windows is running today.IBM was the 12th from the August 1981 sold something like 5150, first proof that it still could. The then world's leading IT companies had totally missed in previous years, that just sprouted not only a consumer demand for computers. Even in business, it was discovered that the basic concept of huge, expensive mainframe computer was no longer sustainable. Expandable, cheaper and at least moderately mobile systems that combine one could expand if needed and for which no one had to build specially-cooled computer rooms were on the rise.The new private and business demand served young start-ups such as MITS (Altair 8800), Apple, Atari or Commodore, celebrated the unexpected since 1974 sales results.Toys? Yes, but networked!The first mini-computer models such as the Altair 8800 (1974) or the Apple I (1975) IBM had been dismissed as trifles: For the electronics giant was the nerdy as kits for DIY tuberculosis-Rechnerchen sold without a large market potential. But then came 1977 Commodore PET 2001, the first real PC, and soon the Apple II - and not only looked after the computers, they were also used to something. The concept of the personal computer of the workstation without a central computer, now also enabled smaller medium-sized businesses, the "Electronic data processing" (EDP). IBM was shocked.Even those PCs were too expensive to create a private market of significant size. In the corporate world but they moved significant: it was found that they were good not only as individual workstations for small business, but that long ago, the network equipment waiting lay ready for them to connect to local networks, local area networks (LAN).In the early seventies was at Xerox plug-in card-based wireless modules have been developed for naturalized in mid-seventies, the term Ethernet. Robert Metcalfe, one of the leading developers of the mid-eighties, then shared standards, sniffed his chance in 1979 and began with the start-up independently 3Com: Its Ethernet ennobled by IBM initially derided potent PC to mainframe competitors. Such was the PET 2001 in Germany (and its architecture based on successor models) at the time of launch has become the IBM PC in just four years become the most widely used computer system in the business use. This glory would not last much longer now.IBM's trick: "give away" concept, roll up the marketBecause IBM was a brilliant marketing ploy to his technical approach to the market to push through: Americans exposed the basic design of their PC and thus created an informal industry standard, the soon to attribute the "IBM compatible" was called. The rationale was that as many suppliers could produce lucrative accessories for the IBM PC - reminiscent of Apple's current strategy App. IBM's pricing went on, but had side effects: Each machine could now build the same pattern, with the given operating system from IBM DOS (Disk Operating System) of the then tiny company Microsoft.The ridiculed by techies as little rounder IBM PC rolled to within a very short time private and business market. The funny thing about it: IBM succeeded with this strategy also displace themselves from the business world. Cheap IBM PC clones began soon to make IBM's own PC competition.Mac & Co. - the battle for the private "user"DOS and the IBM standard initially offered less than about Apple had to offer, which his computers continued concepts developed at a much higher rate of innovation. The disclosed on standardized components matched IBM design principle, but allowed small producers, much cheaper to throw it on the computer market.Apple and Commodore, meanwhile, went from the mid-eighties legal action against anyone who clones their proprietary techniques produced. The bottom line is they prevented so that it reached enough mass: They underestimated the role of the software platform. DOS (and later Windows), within the shortest possible time interface that was sooner or later everyone faces. The force of habit was the IBM PC of the offices in the households.That was also Commodores first, only two years selling IBM-compatible PC-1 entry-level model (1986), a bolt-together materials from cheaper clone of the 5150th Commodore was quickly followed by the PC 10 that made the IBM PC (now the model "XT" with 10-megabyte hard drive!) Of the basic equipment of the student. Nevertheless, even the mid-eighties was not yet identified, who would conquer the PC market, actually.Apple had introduced in 1983 with the model Lisa the graphical user interface, the Macintosh in 1984 she was the first to succeed in the computer market - despite a sales price of almost 10,000 marks. So Apple was brought for the next twenty years on track: The hosts of the group was now regarded as innovative but exclusive, as more and more expensive than the competition. Since 1982 with the Commodore C64 had an iron in the fire, which initially sold for 1495 Mark had far better chances to find their way into private homes. Which is valid until 1994 (!) C64 sold today as the best-selling computer in the world.In-house competitionHis concept was a contender for the home PC prototype to be. But Commodore developed for the unit to barely sat instead on a multi-pronged strategy: In addition to the C64 and a growing number of IMB-PC types, the Americans in 1985 were followed by even the Amiga platform. Who shone like Apple computer with a graphical user interface - and now in color! Quickly the main competitors of the Amiga to C64 - Commodore made to in-house competition with fondness.Differentiated from the market. The C64 took possession of the toy bar, the Amiga sound enthusiastic hobbyists and students who increased their number of semesters daddelnd. Apple began a triumphant among graphic, after 1988, the latest Photoshop software exclusively for the Mac came on the market. Joe Public but also chose increasingly privately for the IBM PC: the one now knew from work, its architecture and programs would be for private use. In addition, he was always cheaper.The mass makesThe market thus gained the technical platform, which seemed the least adapted to the needs of private users. It was also about the beginning of a love-hate: never worked the boxes the way you wanted it. Entertainment content such as games were working on the tool to use IBM PC at best mediocre. His mania, text and results again and again to sink in the digital nirvana, was proverbial. Especially after the introduction of the (hardly used) first version of Windows 1985 the "Blue Screen" icon for the pesky weaknesses of the system. It was not until Windows 3.0 (1990) was considered a beginner friendly, but had scarcely less quirks.In retrospect, one finds little more than price reasons, why we are consumers just decided to make a working device in our private lives. The first two and half decades of the PC era have been dominated by products for which you needed special skills that are rarely functioned smoothly and were annoying us with the fact that they were constantly overtaken by time. Even today, computers require "training": Unlike other entertainment and electronics work, we have much to learn unusual to dominate the PC.It was only initiated by the boom of the Apple App based smartphones and tablets seems to change now. The PC world (in the broadest sense) seems even more auszudifferenzieren: In a consumer-oriented, easily usable, more devoted to the entertainment everyday technology on the one hand, and again more of the work associated with computer technology on the other. For the "IBM compatible" PC is a return to the roots. His historical importance does not diminish: Only the IBM PC has aroused the hunger of the masses on digital technology and made it affordable.The IBM 5150, which I found in the late nineties by the roadside, had already got someone else, when I came back shortly afterwards. Ugly and useless now have these boxes for many of us growing sentimental value.