4 ms·

It's a horrible title. "PC" means personal computer. It may be a bit pedantic, sure, but if you're going to write an article that talks about technical things,

It's a horrible title. "PC" means personal computer. It may be a bit pedantic, sure, but if you're going to write an article that talks about technical things, it really smarts to read such a glaringly non-technical title.

the_af 3y ago
I don't know. Back in the old days, everyone understood what "[IBM] PC compatible" meant. PC meant something specific, not just a generic "personal computer", see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible.
- actionfromafar 3y ago
  Back in the even older days, PC meant "Personal Computer" but quite soon after that it meant "IBM PC" (or compatible).
  - the_af 3y ago
    To be honest I didn't live through that "even older days" era. I went straight from a Commodore 64 to a PC XT clone, and by then (the 80s) "PC" meant "IBM PC" to everyone I spoke to.
kube-system 3y ago
"PC compatible" was a common shorthand reference to "IBM PC compatible" which was referring to a specific architecture compatible with IBM PC software, and later, that platform's descendants. There were many personal computers at the time but colloquially, the IBM PC was the PC.
kens 3y ago
Prior to the IBM PC, a personal computer was called a "personal computer", not a "PC". I assumed that IBM came up with the "PC" name, but after a few minutes of research, it seems that IBM called their system the "IBM Personal Computer" in the original ads and documentation, rather than the "PC". As far as I can tell, PC Magazine created the name "PC". At first, the magazine referred to the IBM "PC" (with quotation marks around PC), which suggests that this wasn't standard usage. I'm a bit surprised by the idea that the "PC" name was invented by the magazine, and I'm not 100% sure of this, but maybe someone can confirm or deny. It wouldn't be the first time a magazine has created the terminology; "electronics" apparently comes from the magazine, not vice versa.

the_af 3y ago

I don't know. Back in the old days, everyone understood what "[IBM] PC compatible" meant. PC meant something specific, not just a generic "personal computer", see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible.

actionfromafar 3y ago
Back in the even older days, PC meant "Personal Computer" but quite soon after that it meant "IBM PC" (or compatible).
- the_af 3y ago
  To be honest I didn't live through that "even older days" era. I went straight from a Commodore 64 to a PC XT clone, and by then (the 80s) "PC" meant "IBM PC" to everyone I spoke to.

kube-system 3y ago

"PC compatible" was a common shorthand reference to "IBM PC compatible" which was referring to a specific architecture compatible with IBM PC software, and later, that platform's descendants. There were many personal computers at the time but colloquially, the IBM PC was the PC.

kens 3y ago

Prior to the IBM PC, a personal computer was called a "personal computer", not a "PC". I assumed that IBM came up with the "PC" name, but after a few minutes of research, it seems that IBM called their system the "IBM Personal Computer" in the original ads and documentation, rather than the "PC". As far as I can tell, PC Magazine created the name "PC". At first, the magazine referred to the IBM "PC" (with quotation marks around PC), which suggests that this wasn't standard usage. I'm a bit surprised by the idea that the "PC" name was invented by the magazine, and I'm not 100% sure of this, but maybe someone can confirm or deny. It wouldn't be the first time a magazine has created the terminology; "electronics" apparently comes from the magazine, not vice versa.