Today in History

August 12, 1981

The IBM PC Introduced

On August 12, 1981, IBM introduced the IBM 5150.

Designed and created by a team of IBM engineers in Boca Raton Florida, the IBM 5150 quickly became known as the IBM Personal Computer, or, more commonly, as the IBM PC. It had two floppy drives and no hard drive. A decision was made to base the computer around the Intel 8086 chip and an operating system from Microsoft, a start-up in Seattle. The maximum memory was 256 kB and the monitor was a monochrome green screen. This configuration sold for $3,005.

While far from an "instant success" in the home market, IBM's entry into the field ensconced the personal computer on the desktops of businesses everywhere.

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