Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the Macintosh Plus, which was based around the 8 MHz 68000 processor, had 1 MB RAM,
SCSI-based hard disk connector (the first ever computer to have integrated SCSI interfaces)
and an 800 KB 3.5-inch floppy drive. It cost $2600 (while a 512 KB version cost $2000).
Unfortunately, it was still not possible to connect an Apple Mac onto an IBM PC-based net-
work, unless a telephone connection was used. This held it back from wider adoption in the
commercial market. Apple, though, was starting to make great inroads into the publishing
industry with the release of the innovative LaserWriter Plus printer.
Microsoft had over the past few years initiated many new products for both the IBM PC,
and the Apple Macintosh. In 1985, they consolidated their market with new versions of the
successful software, such as MS-DOS 3.2 and Microsoft Word 3.0. In MS-DOS 3.2, support
was added for 3.5-inch 720 KB floppy disk drives (these disks were much more reliable than
the older, 'floppy', 5-inch floppy disk, as they had a hard case to protect them). The initial
investment of time, and energy, for those involved in Microsoft was rewarded when, for the
first time, Microsoft sold its shares to the public. When floated, each share was worth $21,
which raised $61 million for Microsoft, and made Bill Gates the world's youngest billion-
aire.
The UK also showed that they could innovate in market niches with the release of the
Inmos T800 Transputer, which was a powerful RISC processor that could be used in parallel
processing applications.
Several computer manufacturers, such as Silicon Graphics, started to move towards the
new range of RISC processors produced by MIP Technologies, such as the 8 MHz, 32-bit,
R2000 processor. This used 110 000 transistors and gave a speed of 5 MIPS. At Motorola,
they were working on the 68030 processor, which would have over 300 000 transistors. They
also began work on the 88000 processor.
At IBM, work had begun on a computer range which would become a classic: the IBM
RS/6000 series. The newcomer of the year was Gateway 2000, which shipped its first PC. In
addition, after using the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) on Apple's Macintosh
(SCSI-1), it was standardised with the ANSI X3.131-1986 standard.
1.7
Exercises
The following questions are multiple choice. Please select from a-d.
1.7.1
Who solved the US Governments Census problems:
(a)
Bill Gates
(b)
Herman Hollerith
(c)
William Shockley
(d)
Lee De Forest
1.7.2
Which computer helped aid the British Government to crack codes in World War
II:
(a)
ENIAC
(b)
Harvard Mk I
(c)
IBM System/360
(d)
Colossus
1.7.3
What is ENIAC an acronym for:
(a)
Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer
