In this day and age, a single home might have two, three, or
maybe even four computers in use. This raises the question, is the
all-purpose "home computer" dead?
In 1996, the two most notable companies that sold these types of
computers were probably Apple and Compaq.
What was available in 1996?
Apple had its Performa line, which
it had launched 1992. In 1996, one could buy a Performa 5200, 6200, or 6400
model with 16 MB of RAM and a 1, 1.3, or 2 GB hard drive. Each
one came with stereo speakers (often built into the monitor), a
CD-ROM drive, a built in modem, and a software bundle.
Compaq had its Presario, which it had been making since about
1993. You could buy a desktop or tower Compaq with a 14" monitor,
stereo speakers, a modem, and a CD-ROM drive. These models
typically shipped with 8 or 16 MB of RAM, and 1-2 GB hard
drives.
Were they any good?
Apple's Performa 5200 and 6200 series contained loads of bugs,
were slow on the Internet, shipped with slow modems, and didn't
come with enough memory to even run some of the applications that
came with the computer!
Compaq's Presario line wasn't any better. 16 MB of RAM was
barely enough for Windows 95 alone, never mind the many add-ons
Compaq installed with the system. Your computer was pretty much
unusable until you upgraded the memory. Also keep in mind that the
hardware that Compaq was making then wasn't extremely upgradeable
either (much like Apple's Performa 52/6200s), and was relatively
poorly made, also like Apple's offerings of the time.
If multimedia was the thing then, what are people buying
now?
Today the digital hub and home entertainment are all the rage.
People want computers that let them watch TV, download music from
the Internet and burn it to CD, watch DVDs, and, of course, chat
with their friends online. They also want quality, and standards
for both Apple and Compaq have improved since 1996. As I'm sure you
know, Apple computers are now incredibly well designed and very
solid machines. Compaqs aren't great in terms of case quality and
upgradeability, but they are much better than they were in
1996.
Who's buying these computers?
Yeah, okay, it's usually the head of the household paying for
it, but the age of the single "family computer" is gone. Multiple
users are a thing of the past; now each member of the family often
has his or her own computer. The ten-year-old has his own iMac so
he can chat with his friends online and do school reports. His
older sister has a G4 so she can learn Web design at school. Their
mother has an iMac so she can store recipes, send emails, and
research things online. Their father has a PowerBook so he can do
his work while he is away on business. He's also got an IBM as a
company computer.
Today's family is a computer family. The age of the multimedia
"family PC" has come and gone. Now each member has a computer to
store personal applications, documents, and music. The personal
computer has once again become personal.
