Difference between revisions of "PC"

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PC stands for "Personal Computer". The term was coined in the 70s for machines that are used directly by one person at a time. This was a huge paradigm shift over the big and expensive mainframe computers that were common at the time. Early examples of Personal Computers include the Apple II and the Commodore PET.
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PC stands for "Personal Computer". The term was coined in the 70s for machines that are used directly by one person at a time. This was a huge paradigm shift over the big and expensive mainframe computers that were common at the time. Early examples of Personal Computers include the [[Apple II]] and the Commodore PET.
  
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Nowadays the term PC usually refers to IBM compatible PCs. IBM built the original IBM PC in 1981 later followed by the IBM XT and the IBM AT. Since IBM decided to open up the design other manufacturers started to sell clones of the original IBM PC and it's successors, so called "IBM compatibles". This allowed the IBM PC architecture to quickly become the industry standard for Personal Computers intended for business oriented taks. The IBM PC is the ancestor of most modern desktop and laptop computers. In the early 80s, PCs were rather expensive and not really suited for multimedia. They were not often used as home computers. This changed throughout the 90s when better graphics and sound cards appeared, PCs became cheaper and modern operating systems made them easier to use.
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Nowadays the term PC usually refers to IBM compatible PCs. IBM built the original IBM PC in 1981, later followed by the IBM PC/XT in 1983 and the IBM PC/AT in 1984. Since IBM decided to open up the design other manufacturers started to sell clones of the original IBM PC and it's successors, so called "IBM compatibles". This allowed the IBM PC architecture to quickly become the industry standard for Personal Computers intended for business oriented tasks.
  
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Although the name Amstrad CPC is an abrivation for Color '''Personal Computer''', the Amstrad CPC was not an IBM compatible PC. Unlike many other homecomputers of the era the Amstrad CPC shared many components wich also was found in first IBM PCs and compatibles of the 80's
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The IBM PC is the ancestor of most modern desktop and laptop computers. In the early 80s, PCs were rather expensive and not really suited for multimedia. They were not often used as home computers. This changed throughout the 90s when better graphics and sound cards appeared, PCs became cheaper and modern operating systems made them easier to use.
  
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* [[CRTC]] (found om CGA cards)
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Although the name Amstrad CPC is an abrivation for Color '''Personal Computer''', the Amstrad CPC was not an IBM compatible PC. But unlike many other homecomputers of the era, the Amstrad CPC shared many components which also was found in first IBM PCs and compatibles of the 80's:
  
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* [[CRTC]] (found on CGA cards)
 
* [[FDC]] The PC used the same Floppy Disc Controler.
 
* [[FDC]] The PC used the same Floppy Disc Controler.
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* [[8255|PPI]] Same programmable peripheral interface as the CPC
  
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* [[PPI]] Same programmable parallel interface as the CPC
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<br>
  
 
== Amstrad and PCs ==
 
== Amstrad and PCs ==
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[[Amstrad PC]]
 
[[Amstrad PC]]
  
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List of Amstrad PCs:
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== List of Amstrad PCs ==
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* PC1512 (1985)
 
* PC1512 (1985)
 
* PC1640 (1987)
 
* PC1640 (1987)
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* PC2086
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* PPC1512 / PPC1640 (1987)
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* PC20
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* Amstrad PC20 / Sinclair PC200 (1988)
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* PC2000 series (PC2086, PC2286, PC2386) (1989)
 
* MegaPC (1993)
 
* MegaPC (1993)
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* And many others.
  
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Others?
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GEM, a graphical desktop user interface primarily used on [[Atari ST]], was shipped with some models of Amstrad PCs.
  
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== Links ==
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<br>
  
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible About the IBM and compatibles]
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== IBM Antitrust Consent Decree ==
  
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer About the original IBM PC]
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In the early 1950s, IBM was the dominant player in the computing industry, particularly with its mainframe computers. The company held a substantial market share, leading to concerns about monopolistic practices and stifling competition.
  
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC1512 About the Amstrad PC1512, the first real PC]
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The U.S. government, particularly the Department of Justice, initiated legal action against IBM in 1952, alleging that the company was violating antitrust laws by using its market power to suppress competition.
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The Consent Decree, finalized in 1956, was not a traditional antitrust lawsuit but rather a settlement that aimed to modify IBM's business practices. Notably, the decree encouraged the development of open standards in computing, promoting interoperability among different systems.
 +
 
 +
It led to the PC architecture being functionally an open design, as IBM was required to share its technology and promote competition. Therefore, IBM used standard components and a flexible design, making it easy for other manufacturers to replicate.
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This openness encouraged many companies like Amstrad to create compatible products, leading to rapid growth in the PC market. Software developers also benefited, as they could create programs that worked across various compatible machines.
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 +
And it explains why IBM did such a good job in documenting the PC architecture:
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*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/GG24-3057-00_IBM_PC_Internals_Fundamentals_Course_Notes_198603.pdf IBM PC Internals Fundamentals Course]
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*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/pc/6025008_PC_Technical_Reference_Aug81.pdf IBM PC] [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/pc_jr/PCjr_Technical_Reference_Nov83.pdf IBM PCjr] [http://www.retroarchive.org/dos/docs/ibm5160techref.pdf IBM PC XT] [https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/at/1502494_PC_AT_Technical_Reference_Mar84.pdf IBM PC AT] Hardware Technical Reference
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*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/dos/ IBM Disk Operating System Reference]
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<br>
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== Links ==
  
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_Mega_PC The Amstead Mega PC]
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer IBM Personal Computer] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible IBM PC compatible] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC1512 Amstrad PC1512] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_Mega_PC Amstrad Mega PC] Wikipedia articles
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*[https://www.seasip.info/AmstradXT/index.html Amstrad XT Pages] [https://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/index.html Vintage PCs]
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*[https://youtu.be/ZntnK09m1yU Amstrad PC demonstration GEM 16 Colors CGA graphics]
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*[https://youtu.be/re40EEKHAqU Amstrad PC1512 Retrospective] [https://youtu.be/a7KRAg61zEk Amstrad Integra Compaq Clone] by [[Nostalgia Nerd]]
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*[https://youtu.be/rv-RS4U33ak Amstrad PPC640 System Review] by [[ChinnyVision]]
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*[https://youtu.be/7xtqLJH1z10 Personal Computer Graphics in the 1960s and 1970s] by [[Stephen Edwards]]
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*[https://lennartb.home.xs4all.nl/coreboot/col2.html A brief history of the PC platform from 1981 to 2011]
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*[https://www.tutorialspoint.com/microprocessor/index.htm Microprocessor tutorial]
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*[https://wiki.osdev.org/Expanded_Main_Page OSDev Wiki] [https://www.seasip.info/Gem/ Intel GEM]
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*[https://archive.org/details/The_Undocumented_PC_Second_Edition_Frankvan_Gilluwe/ The Undocumented PC] A Programmer’s Guide to I/O, CPUs, and Fixed Memory Areas
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*[https://youtu.be/niKblgZupOc CGA Graphics - Not as bad as you thought] by [[The 8-Bit Guy]]
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*[https://www.nand2tetris.org/ From Nand to Tetris] [https://github.com/jherskow/nand2tetris/blob/master/nand2tetris%20BOOK.pdf The elements of computing systems ebook]
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*[https://youtu.be/kn06jcwRAs4 All 1980's] [https://youtu.be/mcIe6gSv5bM All 1990-1992] [https://youtu.be/2dXNTb2OsIo All 1993-1995] DOS games in one video
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*[https://www.retro-exo.com/ Retro eXo] Home of eXoDOS, eXoWin3x, eXoScummVM game archives
  
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[[Category: Non CPC Computers]]
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[[Category:Non CPC Computers]]

Latest revision as of 17:12, 9 February 2025

The Amstrad PC1512 - The first PC by Amstrad
The Amstrad PC2086
The Amstrad PC20 - An attempt to market the PC as a home computer
The Amstrad PPC - An early 'laptop' PC
The Amstrad Mega PC - Built in Sega games console


PC stands for "Personal Computer". The term was coined in the 70s for machines that are used directly by one person at a time. This was a huge paradigm shift over the big and expensive mainframe computers that were common at the time. Early examples of Personal Computers include the Apple II and the Commodore PET.

Nowadays the term PC usually refers to IBM compatible PCs. IBM built the original IBM PC in 1981, later followed by the IBM PC/XT in 1983 and the IBM PC/AT in 1984. Since IBM decided to open up the design other manufacturers started to sell clones of the original IBM PC and it's successors, so called "IBM compatibles". This allowed the IBM PC architecture to quickly become the industry standard for Personal Computers intended for business oriented tasks.

The IBM PC is the ancestor of most modern desktop and laptop computers. In the early 80s, PCs were rather expensive and not really suited for multimedia. They were not often used as home computers. This changed throughout the 90s when better graphics and sound cards appeared, PCs became cheaper and modern operating systems made them easier to use.

Although the name Amstrad CPC is an abrivation for Color Personal Computer, the Amstrad CPC was not an IBM compatible PC. But unlike many other homecomputers of the era, the Amstrad CPC shared many components which also was found in first IBM PCs and compatibles of the 80's:

  • CRTC (found on CGA cards)
  • FDC The PC used the same Floppy Disc Controler.
  • PPI Same programmable peripheral interface as the CPC


Amstrad and PCs

Amstrad PC

List of Amstrad PCs:

  • PC1512 (1985)
  • PC1640 (1987)
  • PPC1512 / PPC1640 (1987)
  • Amstrad PC20 / Sinclair PC200 (1988)
  • PC2000 series (PC2086, PC2286, PC2386) (1989)
  • MegaPC (1993)
  • And many others.

GEM, a graphical desktop user interface primarily used on Atari ST, was shipped with some models of Amstrad PCs.


IBM Antitrust Consent Decree

In the early 1950s, IBM was the dominant player in the computing industry, particularly with its mainframe computers. The company held a substantial market share, leading to concerns about monopolistic practices and stifling competition.

The U.S. government, particularly the Department of Justice, initiated legal action against IBM in 1952, alleging that the company was violating antitrust laws by using its market power to suppress competition.

The Consent Decree, finalized in 1956, was not a traditional antitrust lawsuit but rather a settlement that aimed to modify IBM's business practices. Notably, the decree encouraged the development of open standards in computing, promoting interoperability among different systems.

It led to the PC architecture being functionally an open design, as IBM was required to share its technology and promote competition. Therefore, IBM used standard components and a flexible design, making it easy for other manufacturers to replicate.

This openness encouraged many companies like Amstrad to create compatible products, leading to rapid growth in the PC market. Software developers also benefited, as they could create programs that worked across various compatible machines.

And it explains why IBM did such a good job in documenting the PC architecture:


Links

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