The Evolution Of Personal Home Computers

1980-Current

TRS 80 Model 4P

By Joshua Brutzkus

Key Computer Definitions

• ROM- Read-only memory

• RAM- Random access memory

• CPU- Central Processing Unit

• MHz- Megahertz-One MHz represents one million cycles per second

• KB- KB represents 1,000 bytes.

• MB- short for megabyte 1,000,000 or bytes

Apple III

•Year of Origination: May 1980

•Manufacturer: Apple Computers

•Processor Speed: 2 MHz

•RAM : 128 KB

•ROM  16 KB

•This computer was mainly used for professional use due the complexity of the O.S. and the very high cost especially in 1983.

•The biggest flaw was that the case was so big and heavy that the internal temperate would sometimes cause the circuits and the motherboard to warp.

Price In 1983: £1995 ($3494 USD)

•Year of Origination: November 1983

•Manufacturer: IBM

•Processor Speed: 4.77 MHz

•RAM  64k (up to 640 KB)

•ROM  24 KB

•Screen Colors:16

•Operating System: MS DOS

The IBM PC JUNIOR was a very successful home computer. The computer was still expensive but it made it possible for the average person to buy one. The opperating system called DOS had to be loaded manually after computer startup. The computer was lighter in weight than it predecessors and took a 5.25" floppy disk .

•Year of Origination: February 1993 •Manufacturer: Apple •Processor Speed: 16 MHz •RAM:4 MB up to 10 M •ROM:1 MB •CPU: Motorola 68030

This Mac was the first to use a 10 inch monitor. It was relatively slow but it was smaller and more compact so it was ideal for home use.

•Manufacturer: Sony Corp.

•Processor speed: 3.2GHz

•RAM: expandable to: 2GB

•Hard drive size:250GB

• 1GB of DDR RAM

This modern day Sony computer is capable of high speed gaming, surfing the internet, storing 250GB of memory which equates to 250,000 times the amount of storage that a early 80’s computer could hold. This Computer can process at 3.2GHz which is over 3000 faster than the early 80’s computers. Also modern day computers have easier software to manage.

Manufacturer: Compaq

Processor Speed: 2.2GHz

RAM: 1GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM

Hard Drive Size: 250GB

Processor: AMD Athlon™ 64 3500+

This Compaq offers many options that were not found in the early 1980’s. This Compaq has a 250GB hard drive, it has a 2.2 GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. All of this computer terminology really means that the computer is extremely fast with processing commands, has a lot of memory for files such as music, and also has the capability to process many programs at once without freezing up.

Old vs. New• Relative cost of the computer has come down

tremendously.• Modern day computers are faster, smaller, and lighter.• New computers can surf the web, do word processing

programs, PowerPoint, download music, store big files, run many programs at once, ETC.

• Many 1980’s computers has integrated screens and CPU’S. Modern day computers, for the most part, have separate screen and CPU’S.

• The biggest and most important aspect is that modern day computers can be used by almost anyone. They are user friendly and are made so you do not need a PHD to operate one.

Bibliography

• www.old-computers.com/museum

• www.circuitcity.com