After thirty years as the primary computing device used in most businesses, sales of the PC are now beginning to decline as sales of tablets and smartphones are taking off. Just as the mainframe before it, the PC will continue to play a key role in business, but will no longer be the primary way that people interact and do business. The limited storage and processing power of these devices is being offset by a move to “cloud” computing, which allows for storage, sharing, and backup of information on a massive scale. This will require new rounds of thinking and innovation on the part of businesses as technology continues to advance.
The Eras of Business Computing
|
Era |
Hardware |
Operating System |
Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mainframe (1970s) |
Terminals connected to mainframe computer. |
Time-sharing (TSO) on MVS |
Custom-written MRP software |
|
PC (mid-1980s) |
IBM PC or compatible. Sometimes connected to mainframe computer via expansion card. |
MS-DOS |
WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3 |
|
Client-Server (late 80s to early 90s) |
IBM PC “clone” on a Novell Network. |
Windows for Workgroups |
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel |
|
World Wide Web (mid-90s to early 2000s) |
IBM PC “clone” connected to company intranet. |
Windows XP |
Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer |
|
Web 2.0 (mid-2000s to present) |
Laptop connected to company Wi-Fi. |
Windows 7 |
Microsoft Office, Firefox |
|
Post-PC (today and beyond) |
Apple iPad |
iOS |
Mobile-friendly websites, mobile apps |
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