[[ImageFile:Amstrad pc1512-2IBM PC 5150.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The '''Amstrad PC1512''' - The first IBM PC by AmstradModel 5150]]
[[ImageFile:Amstrad pc2086IBM PCjr.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The '''Amstrad PC2086'''IBM PCjr]]
[[ImageFile:Amstrad PC20IBM PS2.jpgjpeg|thumb|right|300px|The '''Amstrad PC20''' - An attempt to market the PC as a home computerIBM PS/2]]
[[Image:Amstrad ppcpc1512-2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The '''Amstrad PPCPC1512''' - An early 'laptop' The first PCby Amstrad]]
[[ImageFile:Amstrad MegaSinclair PC200.jpg|thumb|right|300pxSinclair PC200]] [[File:Schneider EuroPC.jpg|The '''Amstrad Mega thumb|right|Schneider EuroPC]] [[File:Goupil-Golf-Computer-286.jpg|thumb|right|Goupil Golf - A transportable PC''' ]] [[File:Atari Portfolio.jpg|thumb|right|Atari Portfolio - Built in Sega games consoleA palmtop PC]]
PC stands for "Personal Computer". The term was coined in the 70s for machines that are used directly by one person at a time. This was a huge paradigm shift over the big and expensive mainframe computers that were common at the time. Early examples of Personal Computers include the [[Apple II]] and the Commodore PET.
Nowadays the term PC usually refers to IBM compatible PCs. IBM built the original IBM PC in 1981 , later followed by the IBM PC/XT in 1983 and the IBM PC/AT in 1984. Since IBM decided to open up the design other manufacturers started to sell clones of the original IBM PC and it's successors, so called "IBM compatibles". This allowed the IBM PC architecture to quickly become the industry standard for Personal Computers intended for business oriented tasks.
The IBM PC is the ancestor of most modern desktop and laptop computers. In the early 80s, PCs were rather expensive and not really suited for multimedia. They were not often used as home computers. This changed throughout the 90s when better graphics and sound cards appeared, PCs became cheaper and modern operating systems made them easier to use.
== Amstrad and PCs ==
See: [[Amstrad PC]]article
== List of Amstrad PCs ==:
* PC1512 (1985)
* PC1640 (1987)
* PPC1512 PPC512 / PPC1640 PPC640 (1987)
* Amstrad PC20 / Sinclair PC200 (1988)
* PC2000 series (PC2086, PC2286, PC2386) (1989)
* MegaPC (1993)
* And many others.
And many othersGEM, a graphical desktop user interface primarily used on [[Atari ST]], was shipped with some models of Amstrad PCs.
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*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/GG24-3057-00_IBM_PC_Internals_Fundamentals_Course_Notes_198603.pdf IBM PC Internals Fundamentals Course]
*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/pc/6025008_PC_Technical_Reference_Aug81.pdf IBM PC Hardware Technical Reference]*[http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/pc_jr/PCjr_Technical_Reference_Nov83.pdf IBM PCjr Hardware Technical Reference]*[http://www.retroarchive.org/dos/docs/ibm5160techref.pdf IBM PC XT Hardware Technical Reference]*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/at/1502494_PC_AT_Technical_Reference_Mar84.pdf IBM PC AT ] Hardware Technical Reference]*[https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/pc/dos/6172220_DOS_1.0_Jan82.pdf IBM Disk Operating System 1.0 Reference]
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== Links ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible IBM_Personal_Computer IBM PC compatiblePersonal Computer] Wikipedia article*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer IBM_PC_compatible IBM Personal ComputerPC compatible] Wikipedia articlearticles*[https://www.seasip.info/AmstradXTVintagePC/index.html Various infos about Amstrad Vintage PCs] [https://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/cga.html Color Graphics Adapter: Notes]*[httphttps://enyoutu.wikipediabe/xNsK_F4JlG4 Meet the "Super CGA" Cards] by [[The 8-Bit Guy]]*[https://youtu.be/niKblgZupOc CGA Graphics - Not as bad as you thought] by [[The 8-Bit Guy]]*[https://int10h.org/wikiblog/PC1512 Amstrad PC15122015/04/cga-in-1024-colors-new-mode-illustrated/ CGA in 1024 colors: the illustrated guide] Wikipedia article*[httphttps://en.wikipediaint10h.org/wikiblog/Amstrad_Mega_PC Amstrad Mega 2023/07/martypc-pc-xt-emulator-raising-the-bar/ Raising the bar for IBM PC/XT emulation: MartyPC] [https://martypc.blogspot.com/ Blog] Wikipedia article*[https://userpagesdevtidbits.umbccom/2008/03/16/dosbox-graphic-and-machine-emulation-cga-vga-tandy-pcjr-hercules/ Graphics cards] [https://devtidbits.educom/~squire2008/intel_book04/26/dosbox-sound-emulation/ Sound cards] in DOSBox*[https://youtu.pdf be/BMmFcs-_4x4 The Best Sound for MS-DOS Games - Roland MT-32] by [[8-Bit Keys]]*[https://youtu.be/Vmf2oRKiR2A La PicoGUS et la Gravis Ultrasound] [https://youtu.be/urBkxpwz69Q The PicoMEM, one card to rule them all] by [[Rodrik Studio]]*[https://youtu.be/kPtytEHOZlg What were XMS, EMS and Conventional memory and why did the PC have them?] by [[TimberwolfK]]*[https://www.tutorialspoint.com/microprocessor/index.htm Microprocessor tutorial]*[https://wiki.osdev.org/Expanded_Main_Page OSDev Wiki] [https://www.seasip.info/Gem/ Intel Microprocessors Practical ReferenceGEM]*Evolution of PC graphics and sound as told by [https://youtu.be/xo2_ksqxbiQ The Secret of Monkey Island]*[https://youtu.be/kn06jcwRAs4 All 1980'S s] [https://youtu.be/mcIe6gSv5bM All 1990-1992] [https://youtu.be/2dXNTb2OsIo All 1993-1995] DOS games in one video*[https://youtu.be/js0bvdvVDiQ 1982] [https://youtu.be/O5hLisvOvxA 1983] [https://youtu.be/q-s4Tvf_sCQ 1984] [https://youtu.be/kpgwq_rYgDE 1985] [https://youtu.be/rWhpLJdIsD0 1986] [https://youtu.be/nq9qDHmRkfs 1987] [https://youtu.be/voQtOQTJGdQ 1988] [https://youtu.be/2NbvRZokV2g 1989] [https://youtu.be/TbTS4JW0th8 1990] [https://youtu.be/Lbk5Tg82A7o 1991] [https://youtu.be/5n7dyvSQJno 1992] [https://youtu.be/WeQAZbMwlHc 1993] Top MS-DOS games*[https://www.retro-exo.com/ Retro eXo] Home of eXoDOS, eXoWin3x, eXoScummVM game archives*[https://www.dosdays.co.uk/ DOS Days] History and technical details of the hardware of DOS-era PCs*[https://lennartb.home.xs4all.nl/coreboot/col2.html A brief history of the PC platform from 1981 to 2011]*[https://www.nand2tetris.org/ From Nand to Tetris] [https://github.com/jherskow/nand2tetris/blob/master/nand2tetris%20BOOK.pdf The elements of computing systems ebook]*[https://classic.copetti.org/writings/consoles/ Architecture of Consoles]*[https://youtu.be/nw2QfPREu-Q Sharp pixels vs CRT pixels]*[http://homecomputer.de/pages/f_gallery.html Home Computer Museum] 797 home computer models of the 1980s with photo*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdUa20kUXM8&list=PLIX9fyYxV0k_NtBiHZtXs_UIccGTbnAjz PC vs Amiga]
[[Category:Non CPC Computers]]