Happy Birthday Business Computing, You're 28 Today

Written by Steven Walling / August 12, 2009 6:37 PM / 12 Comments

The IBM PC, the machine that helped launch the original revolution in business computing, burst onto the scene 28 years ago today.

Though it was far from the first personal computer available for purchase, IBM's original 5150 model quickly became the gold standard for business computing, and helped to transform our notions of communication and collaboration forever.

The year was 1981. While Apple and other companies had been selling to hobbyists and select geeks, there was by no means any guarantee that personal computers would be as influential as they are today.

But just a year later, Time had named the computer "Man of the Year," and 80 percent of Americans predicted that home computers would be "as common as television sets or dishwashers." The millions of IBM PCs sold and the army of clones it inspired are what jump-started that shift.

The IBM PC was a driving force behind getting people to see computing as a personalized activity at work and at home. By cementing the idea of computing as a personal activity in our culture, the IBM PC set the stage for the Web as we now know it, a phenomenon that would eventually circle back to influence the enterprise enormously.

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

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Good Day!

Since I was in grade school, I've aready heard this company. Until today that I already have a job as being a Police Officer, still this company soars higher. Keep it up.

Posted by: watzabatza | August 12, 2009 7:52 PM

That was my second computer (after a TI 99 4A). Thanks for reminding.
Everything was so much simpler with just 25x80 characters in 16 colors.

Posted by: oliver | August 12, 2009 8:13 PM

Yay! Happy Birthday ! I love computers!
http://www.twolia.com/talent-contest

Posted by: roxy | August 12, 2009 8:15 PM

And they were only $6 grand with a "green screen" weighed 75lbs, and you could get a 10 pack of "low density" 5.25" Floppy discs for only $20. Remember Lotus 1-2-3 and WordPerfect? That's the real reason the IBM PC took off. But where is WordPerfect, Lotus or even IBM in the world of Home Computes/Personal Computers today? I did enjoy the feel of that gigantic keyboard though!

Posted by: vans | August 12, 2009 8:24 PM

Coincidental or not, it just so happens that I was born in 1981 as well. This means I was brought into this world just a few months after the IBM 5150 was released onto the marketplace. Maybe I was destined to be a computer geek! Who knows? But good on IBM, still thriving in the IT/Telecommunications industry even today. Bring on 2011!

Posted by: Benjamin Hay | August 12, 2009 8:28 PM

Your perspective is totally distorted! I started with REAL computers in business in 1969 (IBM 360/30). That was a graduation from EAM starting in 1967. To call the PC as the first business computer is totally false.

Posted by: Chris Byrnes | August 12, 2009 8:40 PM

I guess your generation discovered sex, too?
Get a little perspective

Posted by: Kay Byrnes | August 12, 2009 8:46 PM

Happy Birthday,i used IBM's notebook,but i have no see IBM's DB Database ,hope it better than ever.

Posted by: chanel | August 12, 2009 9:22 PM

Happy Birthday ! I love IBM!

Posted by: Qwertys | August 13, 2009 12:21 AM

quote: "The British LEO I (Lyons Electronic Office I) computer ran its first business application in 1951. The computer, modelled closely on the Cambridge EDSAC, was the first computer used for commercial business applications."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEO_(computer)

By my calculations, that makes business computing 58 years old, not 28...

Posted by: Patermann | August 13, 2009 2:00 AM

Visicalc running on AppleII made the business people aware of new possibilities, but the brand name IBM just made it happen (together with Lotus 1-2-3).

Posted by: LEADSExplorer.com | August 13, 2009 2:26 AM

As other commenters have noted not only was the IBM PC not the first business computer, (long before 1981 IBM had already become a business computing giant by selling mainframes), but VisiCalc was released to businesses in 1979 -- which computer do you think that ran on? Not the IBM PC.

Basically the IBM PC was the first PERSONAL computer specifically MARKETED at businesses. And that's not much of a first at all.

ReadWriteWeb publishes a whole lot of meaningless fluff that they don't even seem to understand themselves. I've been thinking about do it for a while, (this error is by no means THAT huge), but witnessing RWR get something so simple so very wrong has finally convinced me to unsubscribe and take the trouble to write this post.

Posted by: DBL | August 13, 2009 5:35 AM