A Short History of the Personal Computer

A short History of the Personal Computer relates the 38 year history of one of the world’s greatest technology revolutions. It begins with the Homebrew Club of hobbyists at Menlo Park in California in 1973, through the heady years of high growth to the current, in 2012, period as a commodity. Distinctively, it takes the view that it was specific software developments that were the major drivers of the spectacular growth of the PC, more so than the remarkable hardware developments. Time and again over the last 35 years it has been the arrival of critical new software that has caused the PC industry to realize incredible growth spurts. Our history illustrates the developments with short descriptions of the contributions of the companies and individuals that led the industry at various stages. It is also interspersed with the unique experiences of the author in working in and around the industry both as a consultant and as an avid user. It is sprinkled with insights about how technology companies succeed that will be useful to entrepreneurs and their backers building these companies. Enjoy!