Apple II boasted built-in BASIC
programming language, color graphics, and
a 4100 character memory for only $1298.
Programs and data could be stored on an
everyday audio-cassette recorder. Before
the end of the fair, Wozniak and Jobs had
secured 300 orders for the Apple II and
from there Apple just took off.
Also introduced in 1977 was the
TRS-80. This was a home computer
manufactured by Tandy Radio Shack. In its
second incarnation, the TRS-80 Model II
came complete with a 64,000 character
memory and a disk drive to store programs
and data on. At this time, only Apple and
TRS had machines with disk drives. With the
introduction of the disk drive, personal
computer applications took off as a floppy
disk was a most convenient publishing
medium for distribution of software.
IBM, which up to this time had been
producing mainframes and minicomputers
for medium to large-sized businesses,
decided that it had to get into the act and
started working on the Acorn, which would
later be called the IBM PC. The PC was the
first computer designed for the home
market which would feature modular
design so that pieces could easily be added
to the architecture. Most of the
components, surprisingly, came from
outside of IBM, since building it with IBM
parts would have cost too much for the
home computer market. When it was
introduced, the PC came with a 16,000
character memory, keyboard from an IBM
electric typewriter, and a connection for
tape cassette player for $1265.
By 1984, Apple and IBM had come
out with new models. Apple released the
first generation Macintosh, which was the
first computer to come with a graphical
user interface (GUI) and a mouse. The GUI
made the machine much more attractive to
home computer users because it was easy
to use. Sales of the Macintosh soared like
nothing ever seen before. IBM was hot on
Apple's tail and released the 286-AT, which
with applications like Lotus 1-2-3, a
spreadsheet, and Microsoft Word, quickly
became the favorite of business concerns.
That brings us up to about ten years
ago. Now people have their own personal
graphics workstations and powerful home
computers. The average computer a person
might have in their home is more powerful
by several orders of magnitude than a
machine like ENIAC. The computer
revolution has been the fastest growing
technology in man's history.