Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site uwmacc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!gatech!seismo!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster From: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious Oyster) Newsgroups: net.micro.atari Subject: Re: origin of "personal computer" Message-ID: <1664@uwmacc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 10:28:11 EST Article-I.D.: uwmacc.1664 Posted: Thu Nov 7 10:28:11 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 10-Nov-85 08:32:21 EST References: <12156932787.14.MRC@SIMTEL20.ARPA> Reply-To: oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious Oyster) Organization: UWisconsin-Madison Academic Comp Center Lines: 25 In article <12156932787.14.MRC@SIMTEL20.ARPA> MRC@SIMTEL20.ARPA (Mark Crispin) writes: >1) The term "personal computer" has been around since at least the early >70's. >2) A PDP-n from DEC is a "Programmed Data Processor", not a "Personal Data >Processor." The name came about because DEC was selling to organizations >which had managerial problems in buying "computers" (which were multi-million >dollar machines even though DEC's machines weren't) but could easily purchase a >"programmed data processor." >------- Just a few more tidbits (from DEC's _Guide to Personal Computing_): DIGITAL made quite a sensation in 1960 by announcing the first "personal" computer, the PDP-1. The PDP-1 was different in another more important way. Users could change its programming midstream and "talk" to it through a simple keyboard. It answered by displaying messages or data on a small video screen or by typing on a printer. [Ed. note: What a concept!] The PDP-1 was the first commercial computer to offer this capability. It also has a picture, which looks sorta like a heathkit product from ten years ago. Interesting. - joel ({allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster)