Talk:Erfurt–Weimar Airport and Personal computer: Difference between pages
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[[Image:Altair8800.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Altair 8800]] was among the first microcomputers to be affordable by an individual, although it initially lacked peripherals and memory.]]
A '''personal computer''' ('''PC''') is a [[microcomputer]] whose price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals.
We may never know who coined the phrase with the intent of a small affordable computing device but [[John W. Mauchly]] described such a device in a November 3rd 1962 [[New York Times]] article entitled "[[Pocket Computer]] may replace Shopping List". Six years later a manufacturer took a risk at referring to their product this way when [[Hewlett Packard]] advertised their "Powerful Computing Genie" as "The New [[Hewlett Packard 9100A]] personal computer"<ref> http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/histnfacts/museum/personalsystems/0021/other/0021ad.pdf</ref>. This advertisement was too extreme for the target audience and replaced with a much drier ad for the [[HP 9100A]] programmable calculator. <ref>http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/issue_pdf/frontmatter_pdf/162/3852.pdf</ref> <ref>http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/histnfacts/museum/personalsystems/0021/index.html</ref> <ref>Origin of the term "personal computer": evidence from the JSTOR electronic journal archive;B.W.; Shapiro, F.R.; Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE Vol.22, Issue 4, Oct-Dec 2000 Page(s):70 - 71; Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MAHC.2000.887997</ref>
When the [[1977 Trinity]] of assembled small computers hit the markets, each released an advertisement which included the word 'personal' to describe their machines.<ref> http://www.kelleyad.com/Intro.jpg</ref><ref>http://www.commodore.ca/history/company/PET_Brochure/oldest_pet_brochure.htm</ref> Magazines, such as [[Byte (magazine)|''Byte'' magazine]],<ref>3rd Column 2nd Paragraph http://www.digibarn.com/collections/mags/byte-sept-oct-1975/one/4.jpg</ref> popularized the phrase along with ''[[micro computer]]''but the extreme popularity of [[International Business Machines|IBM]]'s [[IBM 5250]] <ref>http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/history/year_1981.html</ref> made 'personal computer' a household phrase.
Personal computers are also known as '''[[home computer]]s'''. Often, the term "personal computer" is used exclusively for computers running a [[Microsoft]] [[Windows]] operating system, but this is erroneous. For example, a [[Macintosh]] running [[Mac OS]] and an [[IBM PC compatible]] running [[Linux]] are both personal computers. This confusion stems from the fact that the term "PC" is often used as a shorthand form for "IBM PC compatible" and historically Mac OS has run on non-IBM compatible hardware like the [[PowerPC]] architecture. Linux runs on virtually any kind of hardware, but was developed later and has not quite achieved the same popularity as msWindows.
== History ==
{{Main|History of computing hardware (1960s-present)}}
=== Mainframes and large minicomputers ===
[[Image:Televideo925Terminal.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Time-sharing|Time shared]] [[computer terminal]]s connected to central computers, such as the TeleVideo [[ASCII]] character mode smart terminal pictured here, were sometimes used before the advent of the PC. But is however recognized as a "dumb terminal" to today's standards.]]
Before the introduction of the [[microprocessor]] in the early 1970s, computers were generally large, costly systems owned by large corporations, universities, government agencies, and similar-sized institutions. End users often did not directly interact with the machine but instead would prepare tasks for the computer on off-line equipment, such as [[Key punch|card punches]]. A number of assignments for the computer would be gathered up and processed in [[batch processing|batch mode]]. After the job had completed, users could collect the results. In some cases it could take hours or days between submitting a job to the computing center and receiving the output.
A more interactive form of computer use developed commercially by the middle 1960s. In a [[time-sharing]] system, multiple [[computer terminal]]s let many people share the use of one [[mainframe computer]] processor. This was common in business applications and in science and engineering.
A different model of computer use was foreshadowed by the way in which early, pre-commercial, experimental computers were used, where one user had exclusive use of a processor. Some of the first computers that might be called "personal" were early [[minicomputer]]s such as the [[LINC]] and [[PDP-8]], and later on [[VAX]] and larger minicomputers from [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] (DEC), [[Data General]], [[Prime Computer]], and others. By today's standards they were very large (about the size of a refrigerator) and cost prohibitive (typically tens of thousands of [[United States dollar|US dollars]]), and thus were rarely purchased by an individual. However, they were much smaller, less expensive, and generally simpler to operate than many of the mainframe computers of the time. Therefore, they were accessible for individual laboratories and research projects. Minicomputers largely freed these organizations from the [[batch processing]] and bureaucracy of a commercial or university computing center.
In addition, minicomputers were relatively interactive and soon had their own [[operating system]]s. The minicomputer [[Xerox Alto]] (1973) was a landmark step in the development of personal computers, because of its [[graphical user interface]], [[bit-map]]ped high resolution screen, large internal and external memory storage, [[mouse (computing)|mouse]], and special software. <ref>Rheingold, H. (2000). Tools for thought: the history and future of mind-expanding technology (New ed.). Cambridge, MA etc.: The MIT Press.</ref> The minicomputer era was an intermediary step from mainframes to personal computer usage.
Minicomputers were available to smaller organizations than those that once used mainframes, but were not aimed at individuals, [[Ken Olsen]], founder of DEC, has been widely quoted as saying in 1971 "I can think of no reason why an individual would want to own a computer."{{Verify source|date=June 2007}} This was understandable, considering what DEC was offering: only a fairly large organization could use or afford a machine the size of an average home refrigerator that required external [[computer terminal|terminals]] to operate and program. A few individuals, such as [[Steve Wozniak]], had differing views, as will be seen below.
=== Computers at home ===
[[Image:Science museum 025.jpg|thumb|300px|The 1977 [[Apple II]], the first successful mass-produced home computer, selling 2 million units.{{Fact|date=June 2007}}]]
One early use of the term "personal computer" appeared in a [[November 3]], [[1962]], ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' article reporting [[John W. Mauchly]]'s vision of future computing as detailed at a recent meeting of the [[American Institute of Industrial Engineers]]. Mauchly stated, "There is no reason to suppose the average boy or girl cannot be master of a personal computer.<ref>{{cite news | title=Pocket Computer May Replace Shopping List | publisher=New York Times | date=[[1962-11-03]]}}</ref>"
The [[minicomputer]] ancestors of the modern personal computer used early [[integrated circuit]] (microchip) technology, which reduced size and cost, but they contained no [[microprocessor]]. This meant that they were still large and difficult to manufacture just like their [[mainframe]] predecessors. After the "computer-on-a-chip" was commercialized, the cost to manufacture a computer system dropped dramatically. The arithmetic, logic, and control functions that previously occupied several costly [[circuit board]]s were now available in one [[integrated circuit]], making it possible to produce them in high volume. Concurrently, advances in the development of [[solid state memory]] eliminated the bulky, costly, and power-hungry [[magnetic core memory]] used in prior generations of computers.
There were a few researchers at places such as [[SRI International|SRI]] and [[Xerox PARC]] who were working on computers that a single person could use and could be connected by fast, versatile networks: not home computers, but personal ones. Olsen did not ask them, because minicomputers were still selling.
A programmable terminal called the [[Datapoint 2200]] is the earliest known device that bears any significant resemblance to the modern personal computer<ref>http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/1994/2/1994_2_64.shtml</ref><ref>http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=596</ref>. It was made by [[Datapoint|CTC]] (now known as Datapoint) in 1970 and was a complete system in a small case bearing the approximate footprint of an [[IBM]] [[Selectric]] [[typewriter]]. The system's CPU was constructed from a variety of discrete components, although the company had commissioned [[Intel]] to develop a single-chip processing unit; there was a falling out between CTC and Intel, and the chip Intel had developed wasn't used. Intel soon released a modified version of that chip as the [[Intel 8008]], the world's first 8-bit microprocessor<ref>A History of Modern Computing, (MIT Press), pp. 220–21</ref>. The needs and requirements of the Datapoint 2200 therefore determined the nature of the 8008, upon which all successive processors used in IBM-compatible [[IBM PC|PCs]] were based. Additionally, the design of the Datapoint 2200's multi-chip CPU and the final design of the Intel 8008 were so similar that the two are largely software-compatible; therefore, the Datapoint 2200, from a practical perspective, can be regarded as if it were indeed powered by an 8008, which makes it a strong candidate for the title of "first [[microcomputer]]" as well.
Development of the single-chip [[microprocessor]] was an enormous catalyst to the popularization of cheap, easy to use, and truly personal computers. The [[Altair 8800]], introduced in a ''[[Popular Electronics]]'' magazine article in the January 1975 issue, at the time set a new low price point for a computer, bringing computer ownership to an admittedly select market in the 1970s. This was followed by the IMSAI 8800 computer, with similar abilities and limitations. The Altair and IMSAI were essentially scaled-down minicomputers and were incomplete: to connect a keyboard or screen to them required heavy, expensive "peripherals". These machines both featured a front panel with switches and lights, which communicated with the operator in [[binary]]. To program the Machine, one didn't simply power up: one first had to key in the [[bootstrap loader]] program in binary, then read in a paper tape containing a [[BASIC]] interpreter, using a massive paper-tape reader. Keying the loader required setting a bank of eight switches up or down and pressing the "load" button, once for each byte of the program, which was typically hundreds of bytes long. This was before one could begin to do any computing.
In 1976, the Kooro Manufacturing & Electronics Cooperative in Skopje, Macedonia produced in limited quantities, an all in one (integrated keyboard, monochrome monitor, 8 inch floppy disk drive and 16k of ram) for use by government officials. Similar in appearance to the TRS-80 Model III computer using a proprietary operating system.{{Verify source|date=June 2007}}
It was arguably the Altair computer that spawned the development of [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], as well as [[Microsoft]] which produced and sold the [[Altair BASIC]] programming language interpreter, Microsoft's first product. The second generation of [[microcomputer]]s — those that appeared in the late 1970s, sparked by the unexpected demand for the kit computers and the [[Steve Wozniak]]-designed Apple release, the [[Apple I]] — were usually known as [[home computer]]s. For business use these systems were less capable and in some ways less versatile than the large business computers of the day. They were designed for fun and educational purposes, not so much for practical use. And although you could use some simple office/productivity applications on them, they were generally used by computer enthusiasts for learning to [[computer programming|program]] and for running [[computer game]]s, for which the personal computers of the period were less suitable and much too expensive. For the more technical hobbyists home computers were also used for electronics interfacing, such as controlling [[model railroad]]s, and other general hobbyist pursuits. By the late 1980s, "home computers" were slowly being replaced by "personal computers" because the graphics and sound capacities of "home" systems were matched by those intended for "business" purposes. This, combined with a general decrease in costs of personal computers, caused the two market segments to fuse. These computers were pre-assembled, often pre-configured with bundled software, and required little technical knowledge to operate.
The MOS 6500 series microprocessor lead to a reduction in the expense of creating computing systems. The [[Commodore PET]], the [[TRS 80]], and the [[Apple II]], also known as the [[1977 Trinity]] by [[Byte Magazine]], are often cited as the first personal computers. Specifically, the Commodore PET, which Byte called the first <ref>Byte Magazine 1982</ref>. The design of the Commodore PET, a single integrated machine with a built in monitor, keyboard, and datasette device, went on to inspire the popular Macintosh computer, by Apple.
A 1978 ad for the Apple II used the wording "Apple, the personal computer". There was no trademark symbol. Three years later, the term "personal computer" was a trademark of IBM, which had decided to invade Apple's turf and had done it successfully; a few years later, a judge declared that "personal computer" was no longer an IBM trademark, but a generic term for any personal computer not made by Apple. A cynic once said: "Apple never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity." Ironically, in 1997, a leading computer magazine declared that Apple's new [[iMac]] computer was the best-selling personal computer on the market, with nearly 10% market share.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The magazine printed a list of computers by several different manufacturers, in order of sales volume: they were not separated by operating system, despite the fact that in that year very few retailers displayed IBM PC's and Macintosh computers side by side.
=== Back to business ===
<!-- Feh... this is a bit of a strong claim. Need to rethink it. -->
[[Image:IBM PC 5150 Image.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A release photo of the original IBM PC (ca. 1981).]]
It was the launch of the [[VisiCalc]] [[spreadsheet]], initially for the [[Apple II family|Apple II]] (and later for the [[Atari 8-bit family]], [[Commodore PET]], and [[IBM PC]]) that turned the microcomputer into a business tool.
In fact, An Apple employee discovered in 1980 that IBM's San Jose research lab had purchased several [[Apple II]]s, solely to run [[VisiCalc]].
This was followed by the [[August 12]] [[1981]] release of the IBM PC, which would revolutionize the computer market. The [[Lotus 1-2-3]], a combined [[spreadsheet]] (inspired by VisiCalc), presentation graphics, and simple [[database]] application, would become the PC's own [[killer application]]. Good [[word processor]] programs would also appear for many home computers, in particular the introduction of [[Microsoft Office Word|Microsoft Word]] for the [[Apple Macintosh]] in 1985 (while earlier versions of Word had been created for the PC, it became popular initially through the Macintosh).
In the [[January 3]] [[1983]] issue of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, the personal computer was named the "[[Person of the Year]]" for 1982.
=== Today ===
<!-- This needs to talk more about the fact that microcomputers simply became the dominant form of computer, and standardization led to similar components being used for high-end computers and PCs. -->
[[Image:Computer lab showing desktop PCs warwick.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A university computer lab containing many desktop PCs]]
During the 1990s, the power of personal computers increased radically, blurring the formerly sharp distinction between personal computers and multi-user computers, such as [[mainframe computer|mainframes]]. Today higher-end computers often distinguish themselves from personal computers by greater reliability or greater ability to multitask, rather than by brute [[central processing unit|CPU]] ability alone.
In today's common usage, personal computer and PC usually indicate an [[IBM PC compatible]]. Due to this association, some manufacturers of personal computers that are not IBM PCs avoid explicitly using the terms to describe their products.
Due to networks, the Internet and such factors as [[digital rights management]], modern personal computers are no longer the exclusive tools of their users. Support of desktop computers in business now requires as much bureaucracy and professional training as did operating a time-sharing system, with the drawback of much lower security and many users skilled enough to get into trouble but not skilled enough to get out.
Modern computers are thousands of times more powerful than those of only twenty years ago. [[multi-core (computing)|Multi-core processors]], a gigabyte of [[random access memory|RAM]] and [[hard drive]]s of several hundred gigabytes have become the norm. These numbers eclipse even [[supercomputer]]s from past decades.
<!--We should talk about the collapse of the "people's computer" paradigm and the re-corporatization of the computer. -->
== Uses ==
Personal computers are normally operated by one user at a time to perform such general purpose tasks as [[word processing]], [[Internet]] browsing, [[Internet fax]]ing, [[e-mail]] and other digital messaging, [[multimedia]] playback, [[computer game]] play, [[computer programming]], etc. The user of a modern personal computer may have significant knowledge of the operating environment and application programs, but is not necessarily interested in programming nor even able to write programs for the computer. Therefore, most [[software]] written primarily for personal computers tends to be designed with simplicity of use, or "[[usability|user-friendliness]]" in mind. However, the [[software industry]] continuously provide a wide range of new products for use in personal computers, targeted at both the expert and the non-expert user.
== Configuration ==
[[Image:Personal computer, exploded 5.svg|thumb|right|325px|An exploded view of a modern personal computer:
<ol>
<li>[[Computer Monitor|Monitor]]
<li>[[Motherboard]]
<li>[[Central processing unit|CPU]] ([[Microprocessor]])
<li>[[Primary storage]] ([[random access memory|RAM]])
<li>[[Expansion card]]s
<li>[[Computer power supply|Power supply]]
<li>[[Optical disc|Optical disc drive]]
<li>[[Secondary storage]] ([[Hard disk]])
<li>[[Computer keyboard|Keyboard]]
<li>[[Mouse (computing)|Mouse]]
</ol>]]
Personal computers can be categorized by size and portability:
* '''[[Desktop computer]]s'''
* '''[[Laptop|Laptop or notebook]]s'''
* '''[[Personal digital assistant]]s (PDAs)'''
* '''[[Portable computer]]s'''
* '''[[Tablet PC|Tablet computer]]s'''
* '''[[Wearable computer]]s'''
This section describes the desktop computer because it's the most complete and one can easily look inside the case. The others have the same basic setup, but usually lack the peripherals.
===Computer components===
{{main|Computer hardware}}
A minimal setup of a typical contemporary desktop computer would be:
*[[Computer case]] with power supply (usually sold together)
*[[Motherboard]]
*[[cpu|Processor]] with fan (usually sold together)
*At least one [[computer memory|memory card]]
*[[Mass storage]]
*[[computer keyboard|Keyboard]] and [[computer mouse|mouse]] for input
*[[Monitor]] for output
The motherboard connects everything together. The memory card(s), graphics card and processor are mounted directly onto the motherboard (the processor in a [[cpu socket|socket]]) and the memory and graphics cards in an [[expansion slot]]). The mass storage is connected to it with cables. Same for keyboard and mouse, except that they are external and conect to the [[back plate]]. The monitor is also connected to the back plate, except not (usually) directly to the motherboard, but to a connector in the graphics card.
:The mass storage can be:
:*[[Hard disk]]
:*[[Floppy drive]] of [[zip drive]] (both with media)
:*[[Optical drive]] ([[CD]] or [[DVD]])
:The [[operating system]] (eg [[Linux]] of [[msWindows]]) can be located on either of these, but typically it's on one of the hard disks. A [[live cd]] is also possible, but very slow and used for either installation of the OS or problem solving.
On top of these, a typical computer also has:
*[[Sound card]]
*[[Network card]]
*[[Modem]] and possibly [[router]]
Common additions, connected on the outside (peripherals), are:
*[[Printer]]
*[[Scanner]]
*[[Webcam]]
*[[Speaker]]s
*[[Microphone]]
*[[Headset]]
*[[Card reader]]
*Gaming devices such as a [[joystick]]
Several functions (implemented by [[chipset]]s) can be integrated into the motherboard, such as typically [[USB]] and network, but also graphics and sound. But even if these are present, a separate card can be added if what is available isn't sufficient.
The graphics and sound card can have a [[break out box]] to keep the analog parts away from the [[electromagnetic radiation]] inside the computer case. For really large amounts of data, a [[tape drive]] can be used or (extra) hard disks can be put together in an external case.
These components can usually be put together with little knowledge, to build a computer. If something shouldn't go somewhere, it usually doesn't fit (this used to not always be the case in the past) and if it ''does'' fit it can usually do little harm.<!-- Exceptions are ........ -->
<!-- Move all this upgrading text into its own section... The section title here promises an architectural description of PCs, not a PC upgrader's guide. -->
Most personal computers are standardized to the point that purchased software is expected to run with little or no customization for the particular computer. Many PCs are also user-upgradeable, especially desktop and workstation class computers. Devices such as main memory, mass storage, even the [[motherboard]] and [[central processing unit]] may be easily replaced by an end user. This upgradeability is, however, not indefinite due to rapid changes in the personal computer industry. A PC that was considered top-of-the-line five or six years prior may be impractical to upgrade due to changes in industry standards. Such a computer usually must be totally replaced once it's no longer suitable for its purpose. This upgrade and replacement cycle is partially related to new releases of the primary mass-market operating system, which tends to drive the acquisition of new hardware and tends to obsolete previously serviceable hardware (see [[planned obsolescence]]).
<!-- This is making some logical leaps that may not be wise to make in an encyclopedic article... -->
The [[computer hardware|hardware]] capabilities of personal computers can sometimes be extended by the addition of [[expansion card]]s connected via an expansion [[computer bus|bus]]. Some standard peripheral buses often used for adding expansion cards in personal computers as of 2005 are [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]], [[Accelerated Graphics Port|AGP]] (a high-speed PCI bus dedicated to graphics adapters), and [[PCI Express]]. Most personal computers as of 2005 have multiple physical [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]] expansion slots. Many also include an AGP bus and expansion slot or a PCI Express bus and one or more expansion slots, but few PCs contain both buses.
=== Motherboard ===
{{Main|Motherboard}}
The motherboard (or mainboard) is the primary [[circuit board]] within a personal computer. Many other components connect directly or indirectly to the motherboard. Motherboards usually contain one or more CPUs, supporting circuitry -- usually [[integrated circuit]]s (ICs) providing the interface between the [[central processing unit|CPU]] memory and input/output peripheral circuits, main memory, and facilities for initial setup of the computer immediately after being powered on (often called boot [[firmware]] or, in IBM PC compatible computers, a [[BIOS]]). <!-- BIOS is software, remember? --> In many portable and embedded personal computers, the motherboard houses nearly all of the PC's core components. Often a motherboard will also contain one or more peripheral buses and physical connectors for expansion purposes. Sometimes a secondary [[daughter board]] is connected with the motherboard to provide further expandability or to satisfy space constraints.
=== Central processing unit ===
{{Main|Central processing unit}}
The central processing unit, or CPU, is that part of a computer which executes software [[computer program|program]] instructions. In older computers this circuitry was formerly on several [[printed circuit board]]s, but in PC class machines, has been from the first personal computers, a single integrated circuit. Nearly all PCs contain a type of CPU known as a [[microprocessor]]. The microprocessor often plugs into the motherboard using one of many different types of socket. [[IBM PC compatible]] computers use an [[x86]]-compatible processor, usually made by [[Intel]], [[AMD]], [[VIA Technologies]] or [[Transmeta]]. Apple Macintosh computers were initially built with the [[Motorola]] 680x0 family of processors, then switched to the [[Power PC]] series (a [[RISC]] architecture jointly developed by [[IBM]], [[Motorola]], and [[Apple Computer]]), but as of 2006, Apple has switched again, this time to x86 compatible processors.
=== Main memory ===
{{Main|Primary storage}}
[[Image:4mbramvax.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A four-[[megabyte]] [[random access memory|RAM]] card measuring about twenty-two by fifteen inches (56 by 38 centimeters); made for the [[VAX]] 8600 [[minicomputer]] (ca. 1986). [[Dual in-line package|Dual in-line package (DIP)]] [[Integrated circuit]]s populate nearly the whole board; the RAM chips are the most common kind, and located in the rectangular areas to the left and right.]]
A PC's main memory (i.e., its 'primary store') is fast storage that is directly accessible by the CPU, and is used to store the currently executing program and immediately needed data. PCs use [[semiconductor]] [[random access memory]] (RAM) of various kinds such as [[dynamic random access memory|DRAM]] or [[static random access memory|SRAM]] as their primary storage. Which exact kind depends on cost/performance issues at any particular time. Main memory is much faster than mass storage devices like [[hard disk]]s or [[optical disc]]s, but is usually [[volatile memory|volatile]], meaning it does not retain its contents (instructions or data) in the absence of power, and is much more expensive for a given capacity than is most mass storage. Main memory is generally not suitable for long-term or archival data storage.
=== Mass storage ===
{{Main|Hard disk}}
[[Image:Hard disk dismantled.jpg|thumb|left|Internals of a Winchester hard drive with the disks removed.]]
Mass storage devices store programs and data even when the power is off; they do require power to perform read/write functions during usage. Although semiconductor [[flash memory]] has dropped in cost, the prevailing form of mass storage in personal computers is still the electromechanical [[hard disk]].
<!-- Generalize and clean up this article section. -->
The disk drives use a sealed head/disk assembly (HDA) which was first introduced by IBM's "Winchester" disk system. The use of a sealed assembly allowed the use of positive air pressure to drive out particles from the surface of the disk, which improves reliability.
If the mass storage controller provides for expandability, a PC may also be upgraded by the addition of extra hard disk or optical drives. For example, [[DVD|DVD-ROM]]s, [[CD-ROM]]s, and various [[optical disc recorder]]s may all be added by the user to certain PCs. Standard internal storage device interfaces are [[Advanced Technology Attachment|ATA]], [[Serial ATA]], [[SCSI]], and CF+ Type II in 2005.
=== Video card ===
{{Main|Video card}}
<!-- This section probably needs to be moved out of architecture and covered in dialogue about peripheral devices. Nothing mandates that a personal computer contains a display adapter, and they're plenty of counterexamples. -->
The [[video card]] - otherwise called a graphics card, graphics adapter or video adapter - processes and renders the graphics output from the computer to the [[computer display]], also called the visual display unit (VDU), and is an essential part of the modern computer. On older models, and today on budget models, graphics circuitry tended to be integrated with the motherboard but, for modern flexible machines, they are supplied in [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]], [[Accelerated Graphics Port|AGP]], or [[PCI Express]] format.
When the IBM PC was introduced, many existing personal computers used text-only display adapters and had no graphics capability.
== Laptop computers ==
{{Main|Laptop}}
A laptop computer or simply [[laptop]], also called a notebook computer or notebook, is a small personal computer designed for mobility. Usually all of the interface hardware needed to operate the laptop, such as [[parallel port|parallel]] and [[serial port]]s, graphics card, sound channel, etc., are built in to a single unit. Most laptops contain [[battery (electricity)|batteries]] to facilitate operation without a readily available electrical outlet. In the interest of saving power, weight and space, they usually share RAM with the video channel, slowing their performance compared to an equivalent desktop machine.
One main drawback of the laptop is that, due to the size and configuration of components, relatively little can be done to upgrade the overall computer from its original design. Some devices can be attached externally through ports (including via USB); however internal upgrades are not recommended or in some cases impossible, making the desktop PC more modular.
== Non IBM-compatible personal computers ==
Though many personal computers are [[IBM PC compatible|compatible with IBM PCs]] using either [[Microsoft Windows]] or [[Unix-like]] [[operating system]]s such as [[Linux]], a number of other personal computer types are also popular. Note that in many regions, in popular usage the term "PC", though simply short for "personal computer", has become synonymous with "IBM PC–compatible."
An alternative to the IBM-compatible PC is the [[Macintosh]] (thus the commonly heard comparative, "PC vs. Mac"). The Macintosh originally used the [[Motorola 68000]] series, then shifted to the IBM and Motorola [[PowerPC]] processors. This makes the term “IBM-compatible” particularly ironic, since some PowerPC-based Macintoshes were powered by an IBM chip, though neither IBM PCs nor so-called “IBM-compatibles” were. In January, 2006, Apple [[Apple Intel transition|shifted its architecture]] to the same Intel processor family found in many so-called “IBM-compatibles.”
== List of other non-IBM-PC-compatible business PCs ==
=== Pre-IBM-PC personal business computer systems ===
This is a list of non IBM PC compatible business personal computers (PC), and Personal Workstation (PW) computers, that came on the market '''before''' the IBM-PC (August [[1981]]).
* [[Apple III]] designed as a business system by [[Apple Inc.]]
* [[Astrocom 760]] by [[Astrocom Corporation]]
* [[C4P]] and C8P systems made by [[Ohio Scientific]]
* [[Commodore PET|Commodore Business Machines (CBM)]] a series of mostly compatible machines by [[Commodore International]]
* [[CompuColor 8001]] by [[Intecolor]]
* Cromemco (S-100 compatible computers)
* [[DEC Professional (computer)]] from [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] - three models
* The Digital Group (multiple platform microcomputers)
* [[DPS-1]] by [[Intersystems]]
* Gimix (SS-50 SWTPC compatible computers)
* Helix (SS-50 (and later SS-64) SWTPC compatible computers)
* Midwest Scientific (SS-50 SWTPC compatible computers)
* Morrow Designs (S-100 compatible computers)
* [[NorthStar Horizon]] by [[North Star Computers]]
* [[HP-85A]] From [[Hewlett-Packard]]
* [[MSI computer]] systems from [[Midwest Scientific Instruments]]
* [[M20]] from [[Olivetti]]
* [[Noval 760]] by [[Noval/Gremlin]]
* Ohio Scientific (multiple platfomrs micro computers)
* [[QDP-100]] and [[QDP-8100]] systems from [[Quasar Computer Systems]]
* [[RCC REX]] by [[Realistic Controls Corporation]]
* [[S-100 bus]] systems, built from components made by various companies, mostly running [[CP/M]]
* [[SBC/9]] by [[Percom]]
* [[SBS-8000]] by [[Small Business systems]]
* [[Sol-20]] by [[Processor Technology]]
* [[Sphere computer]] by [[Sphere inc.]]
* Smoke Signal Broadcasting (SS-50 SWTPC compatible computers)
* [[Superbrain]] by [[intertec Data Systems]]
* [[Telmac 1800]] by the [[Finland|Finnish]] company Telercas
* [[SWTPC]] (South West Technical Products Corporation) systems
* Tano Systems (SS-50 SWTPC compatible computers)
* [[TRS-80|TRS-80 model I]] and Model II by [[Tandy Corporation]]
* [[H-8]] CP/M microcomputer by Heathkit
* [[Z-89]] by [[Zenith Electronics|Zenith]]/[[Heathkit]]
=== Post-IBM-PC personal business computer systems ===
This is a list of non IBM PC compatible business personal computers (PC), and Personal Workstation (PW) computers, that came on the market '''after''' the IBM-PC (August [[1981]]).
* [[Acorn Archimedes]] & [[RiscPC]]
* [[ACT Apricot]] by [[ACT]] (runs [[MS-DOS]] but is not IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc">This means that MS-DOS is ported to this machine, and is using BIOS calls to interface with the hardware, but the architecture of the hardware is completely different. So IBM-PC software that directly writes to (for example) the video screen (which almost all software did) won't work. The differences with the IBM-PC architecture could be huge. Especially the [[memory mapping]] and the video display hardware, but even simple things like the way the keyboard was interfaced to the system could be completely different. See also [[IBM PC compatible#Compatibility issues]].</ref>
* [[Apple Lisa]] by [[Apple Inc.]]
* [[Amiga]] (previously produced by [[Commodore International|Commodore]], now under license from Amiga Inc.)
* [[Amstrad PCW]] series (Personal Computer Word processor) from [[Amstrad]]
* [[Atari]] [[Atari ST|ST]]
* [[BeOS]] [[BeBox]]
* [[C-10]] by Cromemco
* [[Commodore 64]] by [[Commodore International|Commodore]]
* [[Compustar II VPU Model 20]] by [[Intertec]]
* [[Corvus Concept]] by [[Corvus Systems]]
* [[HP 150]] by [[Hewlett-Packard]] (Runs MS-DOS but is NOT IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc"/>
* [[Kaypro 10]] by [[Kaypro]]
* [[Knowledge Worker]] by [[A.B.Dick Comp.]]
* [[Micro 16s]] by [[Fujitsu]]
* [[Micro Decision]] by [[Morrow Designs]]
* [[MTU-130]] by [[Micro Technology Unlimited]]
* [[NeXT]] workstations by [[Next|Next Software]]
* [[North Star Computers|The NorthStar Advantage]] by [[Northstar]] (could run MS-DOS with an optional [[Intel 8086|8086 CPU]] plugin card).<ref name="nopc"/>
* [[PC-8800]] system from [[NEC]] (8-bit Z80 system running CP/M)
* [[PC-9800]] system from [[NEC]] (Runs MS-DOS but is NOT IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc"/>
* [[Pegasos]] by [[Genesi]]
* [[QX-10]] by [[Epson]]
* [[Rainbow 100]] from [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] (Runs MS-DOS but is NOT IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc"/>
* [[RoadRunner]] from [[MicroOffice]]
* [[Series 999]] by [[Golden West Computers]]
* [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] workstations like the [[SGI Indigo]] and [[SGI Onyx]]
* [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]] [[SPARCstation]]
* [[TRS-80|TRS-80 model 16, 16e and 6000]] by [[Tandy Corporation]]
* [[TI Professional]] Computer by [[Texas Instruments]]
* [[Tulip System-1]] by [[Tulip Computers]] company (Runs MS-DOS but is NOT IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc"/>
* [[Victor 9000]] by [[Sirius Systems Technology]] (Runs MS-DOS but is NOT IBM PC compatible.) <ref name="nopc"/>
The term "personal computer" is often avoided by advocates of the above computer systems, because of the association with the "PC" in "IBM PC".
IBM-compatible is a historical term since [[IBM]] no longer manufactures personal computers. It is still a short-hand way of designating, especially during the period 1981–1997, a computer generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT and AT. Pragmatically, the operational definition of "compatible personal computer" is now "capable of running the current edition of Microsoft Windows".
== See also ==
{{portalpar|Electronics|Nuvola_apps_ksim.png}}
* [[Linux]]
* [[Microsoft Windows]]
* [[Computer]]
* [[CP/M]]
* [[Desktop replacement computer]]
* [[Gaming PC]]
* [[History of computing hardware (1960s-present)]]
* [[Home computer]]
* [[HTPC]]
* [[Laptop]]
* [[Mainframe computer]]
* [[Microcomputer]]
* [[Minicomputer]]
* [[Osborne 1]]
* [[Apple Inc.]], [[Apple II series|Apple II]], [[Apple Lisa]], and [[Macintosh]]
* [[TRS-80]], [[Commodore PET]]
* [[Personal Computer Museum]]
* [[Silent PC]]
* [[Supercomputer]]
* [[Workstation]]
* [[Xerox Star]]
* [[Public computer]]
* [[List of computer system manufacturers]]
== Notes ==
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== Further Reading ==
* John Markoff: ''What the Dormouse Said'' (ISBN 978-0143036760), Viking 2005. How the sixties counterculture shaped the personal computer industry.
== External links ==
* [http://www.pcmuseum.ca Personal Computer Museum] - Showcasing over 40 interactive displays
* [http://pc-museum.com/ Rune's PC Museum]
* [http://computer.howstuffworks.com/pc.htm Howstuffworks' article on "How PCs Work"]
* [http://pc.wikicities.com Wikicity for PC enthuiasm]
* [http://www.scribd.com/doc/63895/How-Computers-Work/ All about personal computers for kids]
* [http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml BlinkenLights Archaeological Insititute - Personal Computer Milestones] What was the first personal computer?
* [http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/total-share.ars/ "Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures"] — From [[Ars Technica]]
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