The development of the PC

Abstract

Computer systems are essentially about gathering, sorting and analysing data and then outputting it in a usable format. Up to the mid 1970s the only type of computers available were mainframes or minicomputers. These were only used in the workplace by a relatively small number of individuals. They were slow and inflexible, and usually designed to cope with massive number-crunching activities such as maintaining stock lists or managing payrolls. The very idea of a personal computer in the home seemed a remote and futurist notion.