Chapter 7. 1980 to 1989: The Rise of Personal Computers and Personal Software
The 1980s witnessed a major business change in history. The arrival of the IBM personal computer and the continued expansion of the Apple line turned computers and software from pure corporate business tools into sophisticated personal tools. The hardware changes were accompanied by a huge expansion in new commercial software packages aimed at the personal computer market. Indeed, “commercial off-the-shelf” (COTS) software began to displace custom-built software in many industries on both mainframe and personal computers.
The explosion of personal computers had a negative impact on minicomputers, which had been a growing business up until this time. Mainframes and supercomputers ...
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