A personal computer is one intended for interactive individual use, as opposed to a mainframe computer where the end users requests are filtered through operating staff, or a timesharing system in which one large processor is shared by many individuals. The history of pcs personal computers through the years. This book goes into lots of details and is a long, but an interesting read. The book is a slice through the history of those mainframe machines as experienced by the author. They demonstrated it to their soul mates at the homebrew computer club. A brief history of word processing through 1986 by. The calculations of this period were specialized and expensive, requiring years of training in mathematics. Walking through computer history with apple cofounder woz at the computer history museum duration.
The history of the personal computer as a massmarket consumer electronic device began with the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s. This question is simple and should be answered correctly by everyone. I seriously doubt that a single book can do justice. The soul of a new machine by tracy kidder, hackers. But in 1974, several companies announced the formation of a microprocessorbased intel 8008 pc, the device that performs the same function as large computer, but it was designed for a single user. Adele goldberg has done a masterful job of integrating conference papers including introductions and discussions with historically significant papers on the topic, such as vannevar bushs as we. In his book, he recollects about the machines he sold and the people he met in his store from the mid to late 1970s. Historians talk about snow white and the seven dwarves. Personal growth and personal development has been studied by theologians, philosophers and psychologists for 6,000 years. The enduring american love affairs with the automobile and the television set are now being transformed into a giddy passion for the personal computer, gushed the story written on a typewriter in the jan. Early history of the personal computer san jose state. Business history is also well represented, if less convincing. The history of computers, although published in 1995, remains my favorite book related to the history of early computers.
The computer age the earliest electronic computers were not personal in any way. Personal computers grew out of a hobbyist movement in the 1970s, as some began experimenting with the new microchips, building their own computers. Excellent, if technical, history of how ibm built the suite of new technologies needed to make the successful business computers of the 1960s. Early personal computing, the first personal computer, invention of the. A history of personal workstations acm other books. A personal computer is one intended for interactive individual use, as opposed to a mainframe computer where the end users requests are filtered through operating staff, or a timesharing system in which one large processor is shared by. It shows how our contemporary understanding of the internet is shaped by visions of the future that were put together in the 1950s and 1960s. Early personal computing, the first personal computer, invention of the microprocessor at intel. Associated with the cpu is the main storage, or memory. A brief history of the personal computer howstuffworks.
These are the 10 best books on computer history that explain difficult. In 1980, more than one million personal computers had been sold and by the mid1980s, this figure had risen to 30 million. The earliest electronic computers were not personal in any way. Early personal computing, the first personal computer, invention of the micrprocessor at intel and the first microcomputer are detailed. Most of the challengers paid dearly for their folly. How operating systems, ramrom memory, and permanent storage have changed. Snow white and the seven dwarves once upon a time, the land of silicon was ruled by a mighty blue giant. Over the history of computer books, there were lots of classics, top sellers, and books that are still considered great, even though some are out of print. The homebrew clublike similar clubswas a forum for sharing ideas.
Some operating systems cpm, ccpm, mpm trsdos, newdos80, lsdos, multidos, dosplus xenix msdos, pcdos windows 1. It begins with the homebrew club of hobbyists at menlo park in california in 1973, through the heady years of high growth to the current, in 2012, period as a commodity. Early personal computing, the first personal computer, invention of the micrprocessor at intel. Microsoft corporation, leading developer of personalcomputer software systems and applications. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. It also traces the evolution of the personal computer from the software hacker, to its use as a consumer appliance on the internet. This is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered. History of computers earliest computer originally calculations were computed by humans, whose job title was computers. He opened the first microcomputer store on the east coast, which was only the second one in the world. Heroes of the computer revolution by steven levy, the innovators. Time magazine suspends its man of the year tradition and names the computer machine of the year. More recent books i have purchased attempt to be too detailed for someone that simply wants to read how their pc or macintosh computer came about. For the reader, sherman tries to convey how vastly and rapidly computers have improved. Many valiant knights had challenged big blue in the early years, among them honeywell, control data, univac, ncr, burroughs, general electric and rca.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A brief history of personal computers 1281 words 123. A special edition of the word processing book for owners and prospective owners of the kaypro ii, 4 or 10. I have serious reservations about historians writing about computers, so do many science and engineering colleagues i have attended shot meetings. The questions of the history of technology the state of the literature in history of computing emerges perhaps more clearly by comparisonand by contrast with what is currently appearing in the history of technology in general and with the questions that have occupied historians of technology over the past decade or so. He wanted to make a personal computer for children of all agesa thin portable computer, highly dynamic device that weighed no more than two pounds the ideas led to the development of the xerox alto prototype, which was originally called the interim dynabook. The homebrew computer clubwhen steve jobs and steve wozniak completed the apple i, they didnt alert the media.
The history of computing in the history of technology. This presentation relates to personal computers only. This book is an exciting history of the personal computer revolution. Selected fulltext books and articles storage and retrieval of data. The book is based on the proceedings of the acm conference on the history of personal workstations, but it is much more than the usual proceedings. Generally, the slowest operations that a computer must perform are. Aimed at a primary school reader, sherman offers a quick history of computing, with emphasis on the personal computer. These human computers were typically engaged in the calculation of a mathematical expression. Vikram chandras top 10 computer books books the guardian. It attracted hobbyists and those eager to experiment, many of whom became leaders in personal computing. Bibliography30 a history of the personal computer 264. By the late 1980s, microsoft had become the worlds biggest personalcomputer software company, based on sales.
They were enormous and hugely expensive, and they required a team of engineers and other specialists to keep them running. What are the best books about the history of computers. By the early 1970s there was a vast number of people who had had some experience with mainframe computers and would love to have a computer of their own. Since the dawn of thought, the most historically significant figures either consciously or unconsciously implemented the concepts taught by todays personal development experts. Dos for dummies by dan gookin was an instant classic that was first written in 1991 and what helped create the dummies series of books. Initially, microprocessors were used in a variety of specialized devices, such as calculators. Kit computers appeared, available from small mail order companies, but the computer that brought a wider audience to personal computing was the trs80 model i, introduced by tandy. Please list or explain something you have learned so far in. It embodied all the elements of a graphical user interface, or gui, as early as 1972. The dazzling capabilities of modern personal computers are based upon the work and experiences gained from many years of use of mainframe computers.
Early personal computing, the first personal computer, invention of the micrprocessor at. The company also publishes books and multimedia titles, produces its own line of hybrid tablet computers, offers email services, and sells electronic game systems, computer peripherals inputoutput devices, and portable media players. The first personal computers, introduced in 1975, came as kits. A short history of the personal computer guide books. Upgrading and repairing pcs by scott mueller is one of our favorite books that is an indepth overview of computers and computer hardware. The brain computer may one day come down to our level of the common people and help with our incometax and bookkeeping calculations. Something that the reader is probably too young to appreciate. The history, development, and importance of personal computers 2,799 words, approx. In 1995, amidst skyrocketing purchases of personal computers for home and office. List of books and articles about history of computers. The impulse to write my first nonfiction book, geek sublime. Since the latter is likely what the reader is best acquainted with.
The mits altair 8800, followed by the imsai 8080, an altair clone. Computers small and inexpensive enough to be purchased by individuals for use in their homes first became feasible in the 1970s, when largescale integration made it possible to construct a sufficiently powerful microprocessor on a single semiconductor chip. Dynabook complete history of the dynabook computer. Personal computers are now a very common item in many houses yet in 1955, there were only 250 computers in use throughout the world. A small firm named mits made the first personal computer, the altair. Here are some landmark dates in the history of personal computers which evolved from heavy desktop computers in the 1970s to the lightweight laptops introduced over the. Take a look at this brief history of the personal computer to see how its changed through the decades. Without an operating system a personal computer is a very awkward device to use. A brief history of personal computers the electronic computer is a relatively modern invention. History of personal computers ibm personal computer ibm pc compatible ibm personal. The history of the personal computer as a massmarket consumer electronic device began with. Stan was a pioneer in the realm of personal computers. The book has illustrations and is not as overwhelming as some other computer books. This is the only book that provides such comprehensive coverage.
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