A Long Way From Univac

A Long Way From Univac


Adv. Eng. 9

Computers


     Can you imagine a world without computers?  You most probably interact

with some form of a computer every day of your life.  Computers are the most

important advancement our society has ever seen.  They have an interesting

history, many interesting inner components, they are used nearly everywhere, and

continue to advance incredibly fast.  Because the field of computers is so broad,

this paper will focus mainly on personal computers.


     Although computers have been evolving for quite some time, they really

didnıt gain popularity until the introduction of the personal computer.  In 1977,

Steve Jobs, co-founder of  the Apple Computer Company, unveiled what is

generally considered to be the first personal computer, the Apple II.  This

computer was introduced on April 16, 1977, at the First West Coast Computer

Faire, in San Francisco.  In 1981, the International Business Machines Company

introduced the first IBM PC.  Unlike Apple, IBM used a policy of open

architecture for their computer.  They bought all of their components from the

lowest bidder, such as the 8086 and 8088 microprocessor chips, made by a Intel,

a Hillsboro, Oregon company.   When IBMıs computerıs design had been finalized,

they shared most of the inner workings of the computer with everyone.  IBM hoped

that this would encourage companies to manufacture computers that were

compatible with theirs, and that in turn, would cause software companies to

create operating systems, or OS, and other programs for the ³IBM Compatible²

line of computers.  One of the computer manufacturers was a Texas company called

Compaq.  A company called Dell Computers was the first ³factory direct² computer

seller.  A small Redmond, Washington company called Microsoft made a large

amount of software for the ³IBM Compatible² line of computers.  This open

architecture policy of IBM was not without itıs flaws, however.  IBM lost some

business to the ³clones² who could offer more speed, more memory, or a smaller

price tag.  IBM had considered this an acceptable loss.  One of the few

components of the IBM PC that was kept from the clone manufacturers was the

Basic Input Output System, or BIOS.  This program, which was usually etched

permanently on a chip, controlled the interactions between the internal hard and

floppy drives, the external drives, printers, and monitors, etc.  Clone

manufactures had to make their own versions of an input output system.  Some

manufacturers copied the IBM BIOS exactly, such as Eagle Computers, and Corona

Data Systems.  This is one adverse affect that IBM had not thought of.  However,

all of IBMıs copyright violation lawsuits against these companies ended in IBMıs

favor.  IBM has continued to grow to this day, however, the clone manufacturers

make far more personal computers than IBM, while IBM makes more business

machines, and the Power PC microprocessor, used in Macintosh computers.  IBM

clone are now made by Packard Bell, Sony, Acer, Gateway 2000, and more.  The

clones have continued to use software and operating systems made by Microsoft,

including: DOS (Disk Operating System), Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT.

The clones also primarily use microprocessors manufactured by Intel, including

the 8086, 8088, 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium and Pentium Pro, which offer speeds

over 200 megahertz, and will be even faster in the near future (Silver 7-28).


     Apple took a somewhat different course during this period.  Not willing

to enter the IBM clone manufacturing market, Apple continued to make their own

kind of computers.  They made minor improvements on the Apple II line, but

eventually decided they needed to make a new type of computer.  They first

introduced the Apple III in September of 1980.  It was a dismal failure.  The

first buyers encountered numerous system errors and failures, because of a poor

OS.  Besides that, it was poorly manufactured, with improperly fitting circuitry,

loose wires and screws, etc.  The later released Apple III+ did poorly becau
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