First Internet message and ...

[Chris Zach]

I would make a strong argument that DEC invented the PC: Twice actually. 
The PDT11/150 is a pretty amazing system: 64k of memory, serial port, 
printer port, RT11 operating system and if I recall correctly someone 
wrote a version of Visicalc and a nice word processor on it as a 
demonstration.

Unfortunately Dec saw that such a system would cannibalize their sales 
of pdp11 computers and sold the damn thing as a communication 
controller. Sad beyond belief.

They did it again with the Pro/350: A system that had integrated 
graphics, 512k of memory, dual floppies and a hard disk, easy to install 
card options (Ethernet, TMS, etc) and of course a real time 
multi-program operating system and (with Synergy) a fairly neat GUI.

Unfortunately Dec saw that such a system would cannibalize their sales 
of pdp and vax computers and crippled the living daylights out of it. 
Ultimately selling it as a front-end processor. Sad beyond belief.

It wasn't just having the technology, it was having it and knowing how 
to market it. You need both to make a good product and DEC really was 
all about protecting their current market share (which is insane as they 
came to be by exploiting a niche in the computer industry).

Oh well.

CZ

On 11/26/2019 8:45 PM, Richard Pope via cctalk wrote:
> Fred,
>      I'm not stating that IBM invented the PC. I am stating that IBM 
> says it invented the PC. Yeah right. I actually believe that it was 
> Commodore that invented the Personal Computer for they were the first 
> company to come out with an affordable home computer system that was 
> very flexible. Of course this is my opinion.
> GOD Bless and Thanks,
> rich!
> 
> On 11/26/2019 7:39 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
>>>>      And IBM invented the Personal Computer.
>>> No.
>>> We already established that Steve Jobs did that. Please pay attention.
>>
>> Where do you suppose he picked up such heretical revisionist ideas?
>>
>