4 Jul
2012
4 Jul
'12
3:59 p.m.
On Wed, 4 Jul 2012, Ethan Dicks wrote:
It's much easier to define 10 characteristics of
"personal computing"
and give examples of what may be the first appearance of said
characteristic than to nominate "a" specific "first persona
compute".
I remember there was even an argument that the IBM 5150 was the first
personal computer specifically because it was call the the "IBM
Personal Computer" and was the first to use the term. That's clearly
easy to disprove (Apple wasn't even the first, but they use "personal
computer" or "personal computing" in their 1977 ads for the Apple II).
32 years ago, there was a computer store down the street, named "Personal
Computers". They went belly-up well before the 5150 was announced (August
1981)
I think it was Fred that said that "it must have
been the author's
first computer" - that certainly colors the common perception of
"first" - baby duck syndrome - a topic that makes the rounds here
frequently. My first 8-bitter was an PET, my second was an Elf, my
first 16-bitter was a PDP-11 and so on... they are still the machines
that evoke the most pleasant memories for me. There was a lot of
different hardware made in the 1960s and 1970s, but the ones I saw
first were certainly the ones I like "best".
To be fair, many people, even authors!, will acknowledge one generation
before the first that they bought. People who first bought PC may
acknowledge CP/M, people who first bought Mac may acknowledge PC, etc.
35 years ago, I was pricing personal computers, but I couldn't justify
the cost. So, to ME, the first ones were S100 with CP/M
Then the TRS80/Pet/Apple][ machines came out. I maintain that those three
were TIED for their relative timing. Different choices of measurement
(first announced, first demo'd, first shipped, first in a store that you
could carry home, etc.) can be used to give any of those three an edge
over the other 2. It is so easy to place any of the three ahead of the
other two, but by such small amounts, that I insist that they are TIED.
I bought TRS80 (for $400 without the [usually bundled] monitor and
cassette - had plenty already). Apple or Pet would have cost me more.
To other people, such as those who bought machines with RAM, drives,
monitor, etc. bundled, the TRS80 might NOT have seemed cheaper.
At the college, in 1983, we bought 5150s for $1280? plus a CGA and an FDC
card, and bought our monitors, RAM, and drives elsewhere, for a total cost
of under $2000. The college admins came up with a "faantastic deal" for
complete machine for $2800. Fortunately, our department head had been
with the district for long enough that he could tell them to F off.
A corollary to the "first" discussion would
be "first at what?" and/or
"first and why?" Those are easier to find counter examples to than
just an endless circular discussion of just "first".
For example, "First portable" is generally assigned to Osborne. But, the
5100 is clearly earlier. So is the Antikythera, but y'all probably will
reject it. However, The Elcompco model-V (CP/M machine with 5" monitor
built into a Halliburton briefcase) was announced, demo'd ("demonstrated",
not "demolished") and SOLD (5 of them) by Joe Garner at my booth at the
West Coast Computer Faire 6 hours before Adam made HIS announcement. He
had come over and shaken my hand, but that didn't stop his "first"
claims. It was sad to hear of his passing.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com