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A personal computer, often referred to as a PC or simply computer, is a computer designed for individual use. [1] It is typically used for tasks such as word processing, internet browsing, email, multimedia playback, and gaming. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or technician.
The history of the personal computer as a mass-market consumer electronic device began with the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s. A personal computer is one intended for interactive individual use, as opposed to a mainframe computer where the end user's requests are filtered through operating staff, or a time-sharing system in which one large processor is shared by many individuals.
While popular usage of the word "computer" is synonymous with a personal electronic computer, [l] a typical modern definition of a computer is: "A device that computes, especially a programmable [usually] electronic machine that performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations or that assembles, stores, correlates, or otherwise processes ...
A desktop computer, often abbreviated as desktop, [1] is a personal computer designed for regular use at a stationary location on or near a desk (as opposed to a portable computer) due to its size and power requirements.
An all-in-one computer (also called an AIO or all-in-one PC) is a type of personal computer that integrates the computer components, such as the CPU, monitor, and speakers, into a single unit. It occupies a smaller footprint than a desktop computer with a tower form factor , and also uses fewer cables.
PC—Personal Computer; PCB—Printed Circuit Board; PCB—Process Control Block; PC DOS—Personal Computer Disc Operating System; PCI—Peripheral Component Interconnect; PCIe—PCI Express; PCI-X—PCI Extended; PCL—Printer Command Language; PCMCIA—Personal Computer Memory Card International Association; PCM—Pulse-Code Modulation
Workstations are computers that are intended to serve one user and may contain special hardware enhancements not found on a personal computer. By the mid-1990s personal computers reached the processing capabilities of mini computers and workstations. Also, with the release of multi-tasking systems such as OS/2, Windows NT and Linux, the ...
Because SCAMP was the first to emulate APL\1130 performance on a portable, single user computer, PC Magazine in 1983 designated SCAMP a "revolutionary concept" and "the world's first personal computer". [8] [9] The engineering prototype is in the Smithsonian Institution. [10]