by Matthew Adams

Created on: October 27, 2009

The PC can either be the IBM PC or refer more generally to personal computer. More accurately, the history dates back to models pre-dating the first IBM PC of the '80s. As such, it is best to start with the Altair 8080.

The Altair 8080 was released in 1975, and was perhaps one of the first personal computers. It was based on the BASIC operating system, and provided a relatively small personal computer.

Perhaps more significantly was the formation of Apple in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Apple One was the first Apple 'PC' and provided a simple enough system with keyboard.

The sequel to the Apple 1 was appropriately enough the Apple 2. The Apple 2 was released in 1977, and was based on Apple DOS. This also included QWERTY keyboard, along with color display.

It is also worth noting the early Atari 8-bit family. The Atari 400/800 was released by 1979 and is referred to as an 8-bit computer. It proved to be a very worthy system, and was one of the best of its time.

Given that Atari and Apple systems had pre-dated the IBM-PC, it cannot really be said that the first personal computer was indeed the IBM PC released in 1981. However, it was perhaps the first to include a PC title. Generally, this system was open to third party support, and came with PC-DOS, or alternatively MS-DOS.

The Apple Lisa was also another very innovative system released in 1983. This boasted a GUI operating system, and included a mouse with a 5-inch floppy disk. Overall, the Apple Lisa did not really 'take-off' so the Apple Macintosh was later released by 1984, which became better established.

Despite the Mac however, the IBM PC was clearly ahead by 1986, with a number of clones of the PC XT featuring prominently. These were similar models, which included the DOS based operating system.

By the early '90s the CD (compact disc), or CD-ROM, was introduced to personal computers. This would ensure that PC and Apple Mac software would be all the better. The DVD would later supersede the CD.

In addition to these, the PC began to introduce MS-Windows based operating system. Windows 3, released in 1990, was not the first version of Windows but enhanced the design of earlier versions, and was less reliant on MS-DOS. These would replace the DOS based operating system.

While struggling, Apple remained in the industry and was revived with the introduction of the iMac in the mid '90s. This was a more colourful bondi-blue brand, with the Mac OS 8 operating system providing a Windows alternative.

So overall, today the PC and Apple Mac are the best-established personal computers, while the likes of Atari no longer remain. Of course, while the Windows based PC has the most appropriate name, the Apple iMac has remained an innovate alternative to the Windows PC.

Sources: Wiki

Learn more about this author, Matthew Adams.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.