COMPUTER INVENTION: THE TOP 25 PC’s OF ALL TIME

PC World has just come out with their pick of the Top 25 All Time examples of computer invention and innovation.

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PC World thought hard about what qualities make a great PC. Part of that was to decide - What Is A PC? They determined that “a PC is anything that's recognizably a desktop or portable computer in design--or, alternatively, anything that runs an operating system originally created for desktops and laptops.”

With that determined PC World then boiled down computer invention into four factors - the Four “I’s:”

  • Innovation: Did the PC do anything that was genuinely new? Did it incorporate the latest technology?

  • Impact: Was it widely imitated? Did it become part of the Cultural zeitgeist?

  • Industrial design: Was it a looker? Did it have clever features that made using it a pleasure?

  • Intangibles: Was there anything else about it that set it apart from the same ol' same ol'?

Without further adieu - I can report that APPLE is represented FIVE times - twice in the top five - three in the top ten - and five times overall. And this from a PC magazine.

Not that I am biased or anything. I just found out why I like Apple and MAC so much - four out of the five Apple developers are left-handed. It’s no wonder I see things their way. Lefties unite!

Enough soap box. the top 25 PC’s of all time in computer invention:

  • 1. 1977 Apple II
  • 2. 1986 Compaq Deskpro 386
  • 3. 1981 Xerox 8010 Information System
  • 4. 1986 Apple Macintosh Plus
  • 5. 1992 IBM ThinkPad 700C
  • 6. 1981 IBM Personal Computer, Model 5150
  • 7. 1985 Commodore Amiga 1000
  • 8. 1983 Tandy TRS-80 Model 100
  • 9. 1982 Columbia Data Products MPC 1600-1
  • 10. 1991 Apple PowerBook 100
  • 11. 1998 Sony VAIO 505GX
  • 12. 1975 MITS Altair 8800
  • 13. 1984 IBM Personal Computer/AT Model 5170
  • 14. 1979 Atari 800
  • 15. 2001 Shuttle SV24 Barebone System
  • 16. 1977 Tandy TRS-80 Model I
  • 17. 1987 Toshiba T1000
  • 18. 1993 Hewlett-Packard OmniBook 300
  • 19. 2002 Apple iMac, second generation
  • 20. 1996 Gateway 2000 Destination
  • 21. 1998 Alienware Area-51
  • 22. 1993 Hewlett-Packard 100LX
  • 23. 1997 Apple eMate 300
  • 24. 2006 Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV650
  • 25. 1982 Non-Linear Systems Kaypro II

This list and information is courtesy of PC World. You can get the whole article at:

TOP ALL TIME 25 EXAMPLES OF COMPUTER INVENTION