IBM_PC.mdwn (1371B)
1 **IBM PC** is a computer released in 1981 by IBM, as well as an entire 2 series of computers compatible with it. It is still the dominant computer 3 platform in desktops, laptops and servers, even though (and maybe because) 4 IBM lost its grip of it by the 1990s. Modern x86 processors remain 5 software-compatible with the Intel 8088 processor of the original IBM PC, 6 even though it is no longer possible to run all the software natively. The 7 operating system of the original IBM PC was Microsoft's [[DOS]] (PC-DOS, 8 MS-DOS) which was surpassed in popularity by Microsoft [[Windows]] in the 9 1990s. 10 11 The ubiquity of IBM PC compatibles as well as the lack of a single 12 corporation that controls the platform makes it a good candidate for a 13 [[bedrock platform]]. 14 15 The **Wintel** platform (consisting of IBM PC compatible hardware and a 16 Windows operating system) represented a technological [[monoculture]] 17 especially in the early 2000s, when non-x86 computers had been marginalized, 18 ARM-based mobile computers were not yet common, and most applications 19 weren't yet being targeted for [[web browser]]s. 20 21 Sometimes, "PC" is used as a shorthand for "IBM PC compatible", while 22 sometimes it refers to a "personal computer" in general. This may lead to 23 misunderstandings and misconceptions, such as regarding the original IBM PC 24 more revolutionary than it actually was in the early years.