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2022-08-26
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u<t0>
August 13, 1981 was a day that had
an enormous impact on the future of
home computers. IBM announced the IBM
5150 PC Personal Computer, in New
York. The PC featured a 4.77 MHz Intel
8088 CPU, 64 KB RAM (expandable to 256
KB), 40 KB ROM, one 5.25-inch floppy
drive (160 KB capacity), and PC-DOS
1.0 (Microsoft's MS-DOS), for about
$3000. It also included Microsoft
BASIC, VisiCalc, UCSD Pascal, CP/M-86,
and Easywriter 1.0. A fully loaded
version with color graphics cost
$6000.
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The IBM 5150 <Press Key>
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Microsoft began work in September
on a graphical user interface for
MS-DOS, initially called Interface
Manager, because it would effectively
hide the interface between programs
and devices like printers and video
cards. This was the beginning of
Windows.
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The greatest moment in computer
history (in this writer's humble
opinion) came on January 18, 1982,
when Commodore Business Machines
announced the Commodore 64, showing a
prototype at the Winter Consumer
Electronics Show. It featured a 6510
processor, 64 KB RAM, 20 KB ROM with
Microsoft BASIC, custom SID sound
chip, 8 sprites, 16-color graphics,
40-column screen, for $600.
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The Commodore 64 <Press Key>
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The C-64 was the first personal
computer with an integrated sound
synthesizer chip. Thanks to a well-
integrated series of chips designed by
MOS, the C-64 proved to be a very
capable sound and graphics machine,
often credited with starting the
computer demo scene. Early C64 ads
touted this, boasting "You can't buy a
better computer at twice the price."
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In February, Intel introduced the
6 MHz 80286 microprocessor, using a
16-bit data bus, that could access 16
MB of memory, or 1 GB of virtual
memory. The PC, using Intel's 80x86
technology, would grow into the
dominant hardware platform family. Due
to monopoly issues, IBM made its
design generally public domain. The
first IBM PC clone, the MPC, is
released by Columbia Data Products in
June. However, IBM kept its Basic
Input/Output System (BIOS) a well-
guarded secret. For some time, "IBM
Compatibles" were neither.
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In Shreveport, Jim and Judi
Mangham have a crazy idea -- provide
quality programming on monthly disks
for a software-starved nation.
Softdisk Monthly was filled with
useful and fun stuff for Apple II
users.
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Atari introduced the 1200XL home
computer in January, 1983, with 64 KB
RAM, and 256 color capability, and a
price of $900. Meanwhile, Commodore
Business Machines sold the 1,000,000th
VIC-20 computer, and introduced the
SX-64, the first color portable
computer. Weighing in at 10.5 kg, it
incorporated a 5-inch color monitor
and one or two 5.25 inch floppy drive,
for $1600.
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The Commodore SX-64 <Press Key>
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