Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
IBM had in fact experimented unsuccessfully with some small computer offerings pre-
vious to the PC. Announced in September 1975, the 5100 "Portable Computer" weighted
approximately 50 pounds and was targeted to engineers, analysts, and statisticians. IBM
made the machine available in 12 different models providing 16K, 32K, 48K or 64K posi-
tions of main storage. On the low-end, the 5100 sold for $8,975; on the high end: $19,975.
The machine came with either the APL or BASIC programming language, or both. Per
IBM's official history: "IBM offered three Problem-Solver Libraries, contained in magnetic
tape cartridges, with the IBM 5100 to provide more than 100 interactive routines applicable
to mathematical problems, statistical techniques and financial analyses. The cartridge had
a 204,000-character capacity on 300 feet of 1/4-inch tape."
Other similar IBM machines rose and fell. Among these was the 5110, launched in
1978 as a fully functional small machine for numerical business use (billing, inventory con-
trol, and accounts receivable and sales analysis). Another was the 5520 Administrative Sys-
tem which debuted in late 1979: a dedicated word processor totally focused on the creation,
storage, retrieval and editing of documents ranging from single-page memos to multi-page
manuals. (Prices for this latter system varied. Per IBM: "For example, a text system with
29 million characters of system/user disk storage capacity, five 5253 display stations and
two 5257 printers, cost $64,351 or could be leased for $1,980 a month. A text and docu-
ment distribution system with 130 million characters of system/user disk storage capacity,
fifteen 5253 display stations, six 5257 printers and the necessary features to support com-
munication lines, could be purchased for $175,753 or leased for $5,372 a month.") Addi-
tional machines included the IBM DisplayWriter (June 1980).
The groundbreaking aspect of the IBM PC was that it incorporated the functions of all
these devices, and more, in a stand-alone platform, and did so at an economical price. At
the same time, the machine set much of the standard for personal computing systems going
forward throughout its subsequent iterations: the XT and AT models, and the incorpora-
tion of hard drives, CD drives and modems. The $1,565 base-price for the original IBM
PC bought a system unit, a keyboard and 4-color/graphics capability. Peripheral options
included a display, a printer, two floppy diskette drives, extra memory, a communications
port, a game adapter and application packages.
For the first time in its history, IBM marketed via such retailers as ComputerLand and
Sears as well as IBM sales centers. (Many more retailers signed-on in rapid succession.)
To say the least, sales were brisk. By the end of 1982, audited sales actually came in at
one system per minute of every business day. Sales at times approached 250,000 units per
month.
Newsweek
called the machine a "roaring success." The
New York Times
raved: "The
speed and extent to which IBM has been successful has surprised many people, including
IBM itself." TIME named the PC "Machine of the Year" for 1983.
But IBM's period of dominance in the sale of PCs was to be short-lived.
