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Technical Help & Discussion => General Tech Discussion, News & Q&A => Topic started by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 12:59

Title: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 12:59

An executive that worked on the first IBM PC has claimed the format is heading the same way as the typewriter.

Speaking 30 years to the day after launching the first IBM PC, Mark Dean, chief technology officer at IBM for Middle East and Asia said IBM was right to leave the PC industry in 2005, when it sold out to Lenovo, and said the world was heading into a post-PC era.

“It’s amazing to me to think that 12 August marks the 30th anniversary of the IBM Personal Computer,” Dean said on IBM's Smarter Planet blog. “The announcement helped launch a phenomenon that changed the way we work, play and communicate. Little did we expect to create an industry that ultimately peaked at more than 300 million unit sales per year.”

But according to Dean, the arrival of tablets, smartphones and cloud computing means the writing is on the wall for the PC, although he admitted they would still hold strong in many industries – for now.

Read more: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/369274/ibm-exec-pcs-going-the-way-of-typewriters

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 13:00

Stuff clouds, I don't trust them one bit - they keep raining on me. ;D

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 13:06

Yes, it doesn't give the same sense of security as having stuff on your own machine, does it?

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 13:14

No, and it also means that you can't do anything if the net is down.

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 13:16

Indeed.

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: GillE on August 12, 2011, 13:29

Didn't some bright spark in 1960 say we'd all be flying around in personal rockets by the years 2000?

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 13:29

You mean, you haven't got yours yet?  ;)

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 16:23

It needed a software mod and is now being re-coded from scratch. ;D

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Clive on August 12, 2011, 17:10

Quote from: GillE on August 12, 2011, 13:29

Didn't some bright spark in 1960 say we'd all be flying around in personal rockets by the years 2000?

The famous jet packs.   ;D

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Simon on August 12, 2011, 17:19

Quote from: Rik on August 12, 2011, 16:23

It needed a software mod and is now being re-coded from scratch. ;D

That sounds unnervingly familiar.   ;)

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 17:23

I thought you'd feel that way. ;D

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: GillE on August 12, 2011, 17:30

Quote from: Simon on August 12, 2011, 13:29

You mean, you haven't got yours yet?  ;)

The nearest we ever got to that state of affairs was the Sinclair C5.  I never had one of those, either.

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 17:39

Clive's still using his. ;D

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Clive on August 12, 2011, 18:27

I've only changed the washing machine motor once and had a new door seal. 

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 18:34

Was it a Navy one, Clive?

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Clive on August 12, 2011, 18:51

They've all been exported to Afghanistan Rik.  :)

Title: Re: IBM exec: PCs going the way of typewriters
Post by: Rik on August 12, 2011, 18:55

 ;D