[cctalk] Re: on the origin of home computers

Sellam, One criteria to me is not so much about the machine/system itself, but on how it is originally financed. If it costs more than a house or has to be financed by a committee, then it's not personal in the same sense as something like "my toothbrush." Because the use of that system is (generally) then under the control and whims of that committee or owners - they paid for it, so they get to decide what to do with it and who is authorized to use it. Once such a system retires or gets replaced, and then becomes part of 2nd hand market or surplus, then it's a "found object" that could coincidentally become "personally owned." But I think the original context on how the system came to exist stands. Then a second criteria (to me) is like the "my toothbrush" sentiment - it is something small enough or compact enough that an individual can manage putting it where they personally want it to be. That doesn't necessarily mean it fits in a pocket - but something about the size of small furniture or a typical kitchen appliance or smaller is about right. A third criteria is that it was built as a consumer product - meaning not just a hand full exist. The rationale here is that it is a "repeatable product" and the process of how the thing was made isn't so esoteric or obscure (or enough "production line" effort was made to make it repeatable, if only for a time), This helps draw the line between one-off custom builds -- which those are the ultimate personal computer ("I made it") but (to me) are just a different category (I didn't make my toothbrush, but the process for making it is so well understood its become a consumer product). -Steve