Consolidation of the market

The market for home computers was not to each other compatible systems splintered end of the 1980-he 1980 into many. From beginning to for instance in the middle of the 1990er years followed a consolidation phase, after which except the devices compatible running under of Microsoft Windows operating systems to the IBM-PC no more home computers were strictly speaking offered.

The older systems of the market, which were based still on an 8-bit architecture already, disappeared to end of the 80's and which new 16-Bit processors with their larger address area had been subject.

Clear winners were first the Atari and Amiga systems. However some business errors - among other things by neglect of the professional and the US market and unsuccessful concentration on the European market - occurred to the companies involved, which led it in the long run into the loss zone and prevented an advancement of the technology.

With it the IBM-PC had become generally accepted, that

• from Apple II had taken over the home computer the idea of the open system, i.e. one knew these systems owing to existing free Slots by extension cards (e.g. Diagram maps, sound maps) rig. The competition products set against it usually on complete systems with only few expandabilities.
• owing to open technical specifications by many third manufacturers, like already before with Apple was copied favorably and/or better the II also; contrary to Apple II these reproductions were also legal, which promoted the employment of the reproductions also to enterprises.
• by the market power of IBM fast had obtained a large market share in the Office range of application; thus many software producers were interested to offer professional software in this system. The variety of applications for office and home had been already with Apple II basis of success.

After Microsoft at the beginning of the 1990er could not only up-get the arrears of the Windows surface in relation to the operating systems of the Atari and Amiga systems, but offensively the development of plays for the own operating system forced at the same time and hardware manufacturers with the development of diagram and sound extensions promoted, which made the "“personnel computer"” whom is based on the IBM-PC attractive maintenance devices, became Windows fast the most popular operating system for home computers.

Thus again the market power of Microsoft became strongly enough that also the attempts of IBM and other hardware manufacturers to become more independent by the development of own operating systems failed; OS/2 and other new developments never reached the home computer market, which had become meanwhile just as important for the advancement of the PC range as application as office computer.

Home computer in Eastern Europe

In Eastern Europe a similar development of home computers took place as in Western Europe. Before the turn already desired, still many western home computers found their way to Eastern Europe starting from 1990, since they were substantially lower-priced opposite PCs.

GDR

In the GDR the home computers in small computers were renamed, when it appeared that domestic production could cover only the demand in schools and enterprises. The small computers in the GDR were based all on the U880 as processor, a reproduction of the Z80.

The first computers were the Polycomputer 880 and the LC80 (LC for educational computers). These had a screen connection and were not only suitable to demonstrate the basic functions of a microcomputer.

From the VEB microelectronics "„William Pieck came the HC900. It was sold later than KC85/2. Advancements of this series were the KC85/3 and KC85/4.

Parallel to it in Dresden by the collective combine Robotron of the Z9001 was developed, which were sold later than KC85/1 as well as almost invariably than KC87.

Further there was a set of self-'s building computers, whose structural drawings were partly published in magazines.

• Z1013 von Robotron from Riesa, kit, with which keyboard and power pack had to be only attached
• AC1, amateur radio computer of the amateur radio magazine
• Jute computer of the magazine Jugend+Technik

1989/1990 still the computers KC Compact and BIC 5105, the latters were thought as education computers for schools, presented, achieved however no large spreading more.

Soviet Union

• Elektronika BK-0010

Hungary

By the larger economical opening of Hungary contrary to the remaining countries of the Eastern Bloc there was a larger number of Commodore Plus4, which was used there as school computer in Hungary.

Sources

See also

• List of the home computers

Related links

• Home computer history
• Largest German virtual computer museum
• http://www.homecomputermuseum.de
• Association for the receipt of classical computers registered association.
• 8-Bit-Nirvana 8-Bit-Community with an exhibition of home computers and video games inclusive forum and flea market
• Computer museum Mannheim - virtual computer museum

GDR

• http://www.kc85.de
• http://www.kc85emu.de
• http://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/~kc-club/ club of KC users
• http://www2.hs-harz.de/~u14995/hp.arbeiten/robotron/notizen.txt
• http://www.heise.de/tp/deutsch/inhalt/te/8841/1.html of extensive articles to the topic
• http://www.fh-merseburg.de/Museum/Ubersichten/Ubersichten.pdf pdf! Overview of various GDR computer (not only home computer)
• www.8bit-museum.de - largest German virtual computer museum
• Small computer in the GDR

Literature

• Winnie Forster: Play consoles and home computers 1972-2005, Gameplan 2. Aufl. 2005, ISBN 3-00-015290-3
• N.N.: Loading History. Computer history (n) from Switzerland, Berne: Museum for communication 2001 (=Kommunikation and culture 1-01), ISBN 3-0340-0540-7
• Christian Wurster: Computer. An illustrated history, bag publishing house, ISBN 3-8228-5729-7

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