Critical Analysis - Computers The life story of technology post 2

Computers have come a long way since I was born, let alone since the release of the intel 4004 processor in 1974. The “microcomputer” or now better known as the PC has undergone massive changes in the last few decades. The PC started out as taking up an entire room to the laptop that’s on my lap in my bed. These changes were driven by the competitive forces created by consumer demand. These consumers consisted of personal and business users of computers. The advances were driven by a collaboration of the different components of today’s pc, the competition between hardware companies, software companies and companies who actually built the computers.

                One of the first successful computers was the altair 8800 which used the intel 8080 processor. 4000 orders were put in within the first three months of production. The intel 8080 was used in many microcomputers such as the Micral and the IBM PC. IBM created a close relationship with Microsoft which allowed them to provide MS-DOS on their computers which separated them from the rest of the market. They also obtained programs such as VisiCalc which allowed IBM to dominate many business related market segments. The Microsoft and IBM team up drove out many other companies such as IMSAI, Osborne and Kildall’s DRI. The only other strong company which remained was apple.

                Apple now had to find a way to overcome the IBM stronghold on the market, so it was forced to develop something new. They took xerox’s GUI technology, which allowed the computer to have a visual interface and a mouse and a menu with icons. Apple created the Macintosh computer using the Motorola 68000. Using extensive advertising Macintosh became successful. IBM still controlled most of the market despite Apple’s success.

                Eventually the IBM stronghold was broken, not by Apple but other PC manufacturers. The IBM pc could be copied for three reasons. The intel chips and the Microsoft OS could be bought by any manufacturer, and the IBM ROM bios could be reverse engineered and recreated. Companies such as Compaq, Dell, Gateway and Toshiba emerged, of which Compaq showed great success selling more than “$1 billion of computers a year” (101) by 1988. Intel chips still flooded the market and were in most selling pc’s.

“One of the major reasons for the success of Intel-based personal computer is that other companies also made intel-like chips, forcing intel to continually strive to improve their products and keep their prices competitive” (102). The computer changed the lives of many American consumers and the consumers forced the computer to change drastically over the years. Powered by demand The computer industry sky-rocketed and fueled some of the fastest growing technological improvements in human history. Along with government funding caused by the “space race” and the growing inter-computer network which developed into today’s internet, the lives of many people were changed creating an online world which was used for business, communication , networking and entertainment. Every industry was affected as companies needed to adapt to the new opportunities presented to them with internet advertising and services. Internet businesses are overcoming actual physical stores as our world moves from physical reality to an artificial online reality.