Computers and Software

We remember our first PC. It was a metal body, double floppy drive, IBM/PC 5150. We waited for a shipment to come in. Then instead of the complete system as shown in all the adverts, the retailer handed us the system box and wished us good luck. No, no, the "monitor" was extra.

Aside: This is a pattern that would be attempted many times in the future, but not on us. Not on your life.

In the end a color monitor from Princeton Graphics and a Hercules CGA graphics card soothed the sting and provided a better user experience. At last accounting this machine was sporting two hard drives after a BIOS swap.

As years past and brands came/went/evolved, the temptation to get inside and fiddle with the workings persisted. Our lists reflect that urge by leading with a section we call Components. For the refined user of computers, we present the get-no-hands-dirty list of system Manufacturers. Peripherals were any item not specifically included in the system box. That includes monitors but we have pushed those over to be with their cousins (the televisions) under General Electronics. If you are not a manufacturer or a solo beige box assembler, then we have pushed you into the Retailers stack. We are not yet pleased with the selection offered in Software but will endeavor to spruce it up a bit in the near term.