IBM PC

IBM PC™ (Personal Computer), is a trademark of IBM. The predecessor of the current personal computers and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform, it was introduced in August 1981. The original model was designated the IBM 5150. It was created by a team of 12 engineers and designers under the direction of Don Estridge of the IBM Entry Systems Division. The introduction of the PC changed the world of IBM in 1981.

The IBM PC concept

The original PC was an IBM attempt to get into the home computer market then dominated by the Apple II and a host of CP/M machines.

Related Topics:
IBM - Apple II - CP/M

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Rather than going through the usual IBM design process, which had already failed to design an affordable microcomputer (for example the failed IBM 5100), a special team were assembled to bypass normal company restrictions and get something to market rapidly. The project was given the code name Project Chess.

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The team consisted of just 12 people headed by William Lowe. They succeeded — development of the PC took about a year. To achieve this they first decided to build the machine with "off-the-shelf" parts from a variety of different original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and countries. Previously IBM had developed their own components. Second they decided on an open architecture so that other manufacturers could produce and sell compatible machines — the IBM PC compatibles, so the specification of the ROM BIOS was published. IBM hoped to maintain their position in the market by royalties from licensing the BIOS, and by keeping ahead of the competition.

Related Topics:
William Lowe - Original equipment manufacturer - Architecture - IBM PC compatible - ROM - BIOS

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Unfortunately for IBM, other manufacturers rapidly reverse engineered the BIOS to produce their own royalty-free versions. Compaq Computer Corporation announced the first cloned IBM PC compatible in November 1982 (it did not ship until March 1983) — the Compaq Portable. Not only was it the first IBM-PC compatible computer not manufactured by IBM, it was also the first ever IBM-PC compatible portable computer.

Related Topics:
Reverse engineered - Compaq Computer Corporation - IBM PC compatible - 1982 - 1983 - Compaq Portable - IBM - Portable computer

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Once the IBM PC became a commercial success the PC came back under the usual IBM management control, with the result that competitors had little trouble taking the lead from them. (In this regard, IBM's tradition of "rationalizing" their product lines—deliberately restricting the performance of lower-priced models in order to prevent them from "cannibalizing" profits from higher-priced models—worked against them).

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