Chapter 1
The age of the punch card
Chapter 2
Mainframes and the race to the Moon
Chapter 3
The personal computer revolution
Chapter 4
Smart machines and the grand pivot
YOUR GOAL
Master of The story of IBM
Ch 3 · The personal computer revolution
marcus The personal computer revolution
From punched cards, to PCs so small, IBM built Deep Blue, Beating them all!
marcus Designer Richard Sapper modeled the iconic black ThinkPad laptop after a Japanese bento box.
marcus IBM used off-the-shelf parts to launch the PC quickly, accidentally creating a clone industry.
Fun Fact
ThinkPad design source: The famous red TrackPoint button on the ThinkPad keyboard was originally designed to be magenta, but red was chosen to stand out.
Glossary
personal computer (noun)
A compact computer designed for use by one person at a time. IBM standardized this technology in August 1981 with the release of its model 5150.
A compact computer designed for use by one person at a time. IBM standardized this technology in August 1981 with the release of its model 5150.
Quiz
What was the name of the operating system that Microsoft provided for the original IBM PC?
Quiz
Which storage medium, originally measuring 8 inches, did IBM introduce in 1971 to load code into mainframes?
Quiz
What traditional Japanese item inspired the sleek, black design of the 1992 IBM ThinkPad laptop?
Quiz
Which semiconductor company did IBM choose to supply the microprocessors for its first PC in 1981?
Quiz
In which Florida city did a secret team of IBM engineers develop the original IBM Personal Computer (PC) in 1980?
Quiz
Why did the decision to use off-the-shelf parts for the IBM PC backfire on IBM's market dominance?
Quiz
Which company did IBM hire to write the operating system for its first Personal Computer in 1981?