In the dim and distant past when dinosaurs roamed the data centre (although it was called the machine room, or for trendy types who liked to keep up to date, the computer room), sometimes called the 1970s, a new type of computer gradually started to appear. This computer was intended to be used by one individual at a time, and more it was intended to be part of the furniture of an office (in the sense it belonged). It became known as the personal computer.
To quote Steve Wozniak: “To me, a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive“. Of course “inexpensive” is relative and we wouldn’t think the personal computer of the 1970s was inexpensive. When you trawl through old copies of BYTE, please remember that when you get shocked at the prices that you have to add in inflation!
The field of personal computers grew so quickly that most of the dinosaur behemoths grew interested and joined in. One – the IBM PC – grew so popular that IBM grew to regret throwing it together so quickly, and it eventually came to dominate the market. Except for a small bunch of weirdos who insisted that the Apple Mac was the bees knees, and that the PC would soon die.
The argument between the two groups of fanatics grew so heated that “PC” become synonymous with the IBM PC – even well after IBM stopped dominating the market, and Macs were excluded from the “PC” label. Even after they become PC in all but name – today an Apple machine is no different to a normal PC from someone like Dell, HP, etc. except from the operating system.
Yet because of that ridiculous “cold war” between the Microsofties and the Applites, every time I issue a communique I have to use the phrase “PCs and Macs” because some cold war era warrior will claim “… but you didn’t say anything about Macs” or “… but not Macs?”.
So in the interests of clarity, although when I say PCs I mean both, I shall start using the phrase inclusive personal computers. Or iPCs.
And no, I don’t mean the Sun IPC.
