Configurations
Types ( Mobile computing | Workstation) | Specs (PC 99 | PC 98) | History (1998 | 1997)

Microcomputers, or more commonly referred to as Personal Computers (PCs), first became available in the 1970's, when it became possible to put the entire circuitry of a computer onto a small silicon chip.
Fit on desktop, used in homes, schools and industry

The IBM PC arrived in 1981. "The statistics show that the cost of computing has decreased 10 million fold since 1971. That's the equivalent of getting a Boeing 747 for the price of a pizza" - Bill Gates 1997.

Features

• Type/Size
  • IBM (launched 1981) and compatible's
  • Apple Macintosh
  • Others: Acorn (British based - used in many NZ Primary schools)
  • Examples: 1998, 1997
  • Mobile computing,  Workstation
• Cost
  • $200 to $15,000
  • Home desktop computers usually retail approx $3,000.

• 4.77Mhz (Original IBM PC 1981)
• 33Mhz (to external bus),
• 166Mhz internally (1996)
• 450-500 MHz internally (Pentium III 1999)
• High Speed processing as single user
• Speed as measured in Million Instructions per second (MIPS) - often referred to as "Meaningless indicator of processor speed"!!)
  • Intel 486DX2-66 = 21.4
  • Intel Pentium 100 = 49
  • Intel Pentium 166 = 81.3
  • (Computers & technology, 1996 Apr 9)

• Memory

• Disk Storage capacity

• Tape
  • 1996 - 40-80 Mbyte (uncompressed)
  • 1998 - 10GB (AIT to 50GB)

• Multiuser
  • complexity of tasks
    • Text Based
    • Graphical User Interface (GUI)
    • OS/2 - Multitasking
  • number of (simultaneous) users
    • MS-DOS - Single user
    • Windows for Workgroups - Networked 8 - 16 users
    • Windows 95/98 - single user/ Internet
    • Novell - Networked
    • Windows NT - Networked
• Operating System
  • MS-DOS - does not require multi-user file management
  • MS-DOS + Win311 - single user/limited multitasking
  • Win 95/98 - single user/multitasking
  • Win NT - multiuser/multitasking (usually at workstation level)
  • Unix - multiuser/multitasking. (usually at workstation level)
• Applications
  • Software purchased "off-the-shelf" ( Shrink wrapped )
• Development
  • Many languages supported. Can get compilers for languages that are portable through to mainframes eg. MS-COBOL, C ( C++), Java