This Day in US Military History: PC DAY EXTRA

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:48:23 -0400

1981 – IBM introduces the PC and PC-DOS version 1.0.

The computer had shrunk from being a room-clogging behemoth to a relatively dainty machine that could fit on desks in homes and schools. So, IBM’s introduction of its Personal Computer (PC) on August 12, 1981, didn’t exactly signal a technical revolution. But that didn't stop Big Blue’s PC from bursting onto the scene.
Their new product sold 136,000 units in its first year and a half of release, propelling the company’s stock on an upward climb that peaked later in the decade. IBM had seemingly served notice to the computer industry: the granddaddy of business computing was making a break from the boardroom and looking to conquer America’s homes. Not as widely noticed was the fact that IBM’s new machine was a pastiche of other company’s components, including a processing chip courtesy of Intel and an operating system developed by a thirty-two person concern called Microsoft.

http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/pc25/pc25_birth.html

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 8:50 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:50:10 -0400

Haha ... Great.
My first oops command was "del tree"
Whoops!!!

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 12 at 2015 8:51 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 08:51:08 -0400

And the beginning of all our computer security problems :)

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 9:36 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:36:29 -0400

Great byte of history, thanks for sharing.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:50 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:50:26 -0400

This invention is one of the reasons Hilary is having problems right now.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:51 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:51:12 -0400

I have had CQ duty on the time change several times. What a pain!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:52 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:52:02 -0400

Thanks for sharing. As much as I know about history I still need a refresher

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:55 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:55:50 -0400

There must be a better way to secure this type of data. Cmon we deserve better!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 12 at 2015 9:57 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:57:03 -0400

I Know there is a better way to secure this type of data. Our country deserves better!

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Aug 12 at 2015 9:57 AM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 09:57:34 -0400

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 7:12 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 07:12:58 -0400

I wouldn't say Microsoft "developed" MS-DOS! :)

Response by SSG John Erny made Aug 13 at 2015 3:10 PM

SSG John Erny — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 15:10:32 -0400

I have an IBM 5150 I just found in the storage closet exactly like the one in the picture above! It has the printer also. It belongs to the gov. entity I work for so it must be sold at auction. It looks very clean, I bet it still works.