What led to the invention of the personal computer? Before personal computers came on the scene computers were anything but "personal". They were these enormous machines that took up a great deal of space. Not only were they big, but they were also expensive and required a team of experts to run them. It is hard to believe this, but they cost roughly $500,000, weighed 30 tons and took up about 2,000 square feet of space! As you sit there reading this on your PC or even your smartphone, imagine how different computers are today.
An invention that was integral to the development of the personal computer was the microprocessor. Before microprocessors were invented computers had to have a separate integrated circuit chip for each of their individual functions. This one one of the reasons that explained their large size. Microprocessors came along not could do things circuit chips could not, they were the size of a thumbnail. They could do amazing things like remember information, run computer programs, and run data without the aid of humans. Game changer for sure!
These innovations led the way for the invention of personal computers. In 1974, a company named MITS introduced the first personal computer called the Altair. It was actually a mail-order, build it yourself kit costing $400 and called the Altair. It was a huge success with thousands purchasing the kits. The only problem was it still didn't do very much.
It didn't take long before Harvard students, Bill Gates and Paul Allen adapted the basic programming knowledge of the Altair making it much easier to use. Eventually, the dynamic duo took this knowledge and formed the empire of Microsoft. Not far behind them were two engineers in the Homebrew Computer Club in Silicon Valley named Steve Jobs and Steve Wasnaik. Their invention of the Apple I computer changed the world as we know it today. It had more memory and even a monitor. The only thing missing came soon after when in 1977 they introduced the Apple II which had a keyboard and a color screen. It couldn't get any more exciting than that, or could it?
Oh, boy did it! The PC revolution had begun with companies like Xerox, Tandy, Commodore, and IBM entering the market. Computers soon were found in just about every office and eventually, it became commonplace in homes. Long gone were the days of typing out complicated commands, computers become user-friendly and easy to use.
Today, we have personal computers with us wherever we go. Laptops, smartphones, tablets, and even watches allow us to perform tasks with amazing speed and ease.
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