AI Term of the Moment
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Definition: PC
(1) See printed circuit board and phase change.
(2) (Personal Computer) Any laptop or desktop computer such as a Windows, Mac or Linux machine.
(3) (Personal Computer) In contrast to the generic definition above, a PC is an x86-based desktop or laptop computer. The Windows PC is the world's largest computer base with more than a billion connected to the Internet and a couple hundred million sold each year. PCs are available from large vendors such as HP, Lenovo, Dell, Asus and Acer, as well as countless small dealers who assemble them from standard parts. In addition, many people build their own (see building a PC).
PC Clients and Servers
The term PC typically refers to the user's desktop or laptop computer, which is the "client" machine. However, millions of x86-based machines are used as servers, running under Windows or Linux. Servers can be fully equipped like desktop PCs or mounted in datacenter racks without monitors. See blade server, x86-based system, rack mounted, client and server.
The IBM PC
IBM launched the PC in 1981 and exited the business in 2004, selling its PC division to China-based Lenovo. Immediately after the original launch, competitors began to create clones, and except for Compaq, most attempts failed until the mid-1980s when the PC's startup code (BIOS) was successfully copied. Vendors purchased the BIOS from several companies, and the PC industry began to flourish. See IBM PC and BIOS.
Inside a PC
Not Quite
A Kirby PC
(2) (Personal Computer) Any laptop or desktop computer such as a Windows, Mac or Linux machine.
(3) (Personal Computer) In contrast to the generic definition above, a PC is an x86-based desktop or laptop computer. The Windows PC is the world's largest computer base with more than a billion connected to the Internet and a couple hundred million sold each year. PCs are available from large vendors such as HP, Lenovo, Dell, Asus and Acer, as well as countless small dealers who assemble them from standard parts. In addition, many people build their own (see building a PC).
PC Clients and Servers
The term PC typically refers to the user's desktop or laptop computer, which is the "client" machine. However, millions of x86-based machines are used as servers, running under Windows or Linux. Servers can be fully equipped like desktop PCs or mounted in datacenter racks without monitors. See blade server, x86-based system, rack mounted, client and server.
The IBM PC
IBM launched the PC in 1981 and exited the business in 2004, selling its PC division to China-based Lenovo. Immediately after the original launch, competitors began to create clones, and except for Compaq, most attempts failed until the mid-1980s when the PC's startup code (BIOS) was successfully copied. Vendors purchased the BIOS from several companies, and the PC industry began to flourish. See IBM PC and BIOS.
The original PC (top) had several plug-in cards and floppy disk drives. In modern PCs (bottom), I/O functions reside in chips on the motherboard (see PC chipset). However, for gamers, PCs are often equipped with a stand-alone GPU card for fast graphics. In addition, a solid state drive (SSD) is commonly used rather than a hard drive (HD). See GPU and SSD.
The death knell for PCs was sounded long ago; witness this 1997 magazine cover. However, no mobile device comes close to a large screen and responsive keyboard when hours of work and typing are required.
This Windows PC was designed for enthusiasts of Nintendo's video game. Kirby is the pink hero (upper right) that gains the power of the objects it eats. The small screen inside the case can loop Kirby clips or serve as a readout of the machine's status. (Image courtesy of Micro Center.)