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From: boykin@custom.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: What's a PC?
Message-ID: <655@custom.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-May-87 18:17:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: custom.655
Posted: Wed May 27 18:17:31 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 29-May-87 04:42:54 EDT
References: <852@vu-vlsi.UUCP> <587@ll1.UUCP> <474@houxa.UUCP>
Organization: Custom Software Systems; Natick, MA
Lines: 25
Summary: "PC" does *NOT* belong to IBM (with or without gratitude!)

In article <474@houxa.UUCP>, mel1@houxa.UUCP (M.HAAS) writes:
> I think we all owe IBM one on the name "Personal Computer".
...
> 
> IBM's choice of the name "Personal Computer" was a genius at work.
> It exactly expresses the concept and coming from IBM, legitimized it.
> 
> I'll leave the legalities to the lawyers, and the functional arguments
> to the academics.    But, PC belongs to IBM by right.
> 
>     Mel Haas  ,  odyssey!mel

IBM did ***NOT*** invent the phrase "Personal Computer".
As a user of one of the original "Personal computers" (a MITS ALTAIR
system) I can tell you that the phrase has been around for alot longer
than IBM even knew what it meant!  Let's not give credit to
IBM for yet another "non-invention" (my favorite is that most
credit IBM for virtual memory, which they didn't invent either).

Whether or not IBM has 'legitimized' the PC market place or not
is another story.  I apologize, but I've gotten sensitive to
everyone giving credit for IBM "inventing" personal computers!

Joe Boykin
Custom Software Systems
...{necntc, frog}!custom!boykin