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The advent of home computers in 1977 was characterized by their affordability and accessibility, specifically targeting single, non-technical users.
Answer: True
Explanation: Home computers first entered the market in 1977, distinguished by their affordability and accessibility for individual, non-technical users, differentiating them from more expensive business or scientific machines.
The '1977 Trinity' refers to the Altair 8800, the Apple II, and the TRS-80 Model I.
Answer: False
Explanation: The '1977 Trinity' comprises the Commodore PET 2001-8, the Apple II, and the TRS-80 Model I, marking the beginning of the home computer era. The Altair 8800 predates this and was more of a hobbyist kit.
The mass production of microprocessors, commencing in 1971, was a pivotal factor enabling the affordability of computers for the general public.
Answer: True
Explanation: The widespread production of microprocessors starting in 1971 significantly reduced manufacturing costs, making computers accessible to a broader consumer base and paving the way for home computers.
Early microcomputers, such as the Altair 8800, utilized keyboards and monitors for user interaction, mirroring later home computer designs.
Answer: False
Explanation: Early microcomputers like the Altair 8800 often featured front-mounted switches and diagnostic lights ('blinkenlights') for control and status, differing from the keyboard and monitor interfaces common in later home computers.
The Atari 8-bit computers, introduced in 1979, were notable for being among the first computers to feature a custom chipset and built-in audio output.
Answer: True
Explanation: Introduced in 1979, Atari's 8-bit computers were pioneering in their use of a custom chipset and integrated audio capabilities, enhancing their multimedia performance.
The '1977 Trinity' is significant because these computers marked the beginning of what era?
Answer: The widespread adoption of personal computing in homes.
Explanation: The '1977 Trinity' computers—Commodore PET, Apple II, and TRS-80 Model I—signified the commencement of the era of widespread personal computing adoption in households.
What technological advancement was a key factor in making computers affordable for the general public in the 1970s?
Answer: The mass production of microprocessors.
Explanation: The mass production of microprocessors, beginning in 1971, was instrumental in reducing computer manufacturing costs, thereby making them affordable for the general public.
The Atari 8-bit computers, introduced in 1979, were notable for being among the first computers to feature:
Answer: A custom chipset and built-in audio output.
Explanation: The Atari 8-bit computers, launched in 1979, were among the earliest to incorporate a custom chipset and integrated audio output, enhancing their multimedia capabilities.
All home computers were exclusively sold as fully assembled units, with no kit alternatives available.
Answer: False
Explanation: While most home computers were sold pre-assembled, some were also offered as commercial electronic kits, allowing users to build the units themselves.
To reduce costs, many home computers utilized dedicated, high-resolution monitors as their primary display solution.
Answer: False
Explanation: To minimize costs, many home computers connected to the family television set via an RF modulator, using it as their primary display, rather than relying on dedicated monitors.
Many home computers featured integrated keyboards and limited expansion options, often connecting to televisions via RF modulators.
Answer: True
Explanation: A common design for home computers included an integrated keyboard and restricted expansion capabilities, frequently utilizing RF modulators to connect to standard television sets for display.
Compact audio cassettes were the primary storage medium for many early home computers, offering fast and reliable data access.
Answer: False
Explanation: While compact audio cassettes were a common storage medium for early home computers, they were often slow and unreliable, contrasting with the faster and more dependable access provided by floppy disk drives.
The mass production of 5.25-inch floppy disk drives led to their eventual replacement of cassette drives in the US home computer market after 1984.
Answer: True
Explanation: The increasing availability and decreasing cost of 5.25-inch floppy disk drives led to their widespread adoption, effectively supplanting cassette drives as the primary storage medium in the US home computer market from 1984 onwards.
Cartridge interfaces on home computers were primarily used for games, with few other expansion or upgrade options available.
Answer: False
Explanation: Cartridge interfaces on home computers were utilized for various purposes, including software distribution, hardware expansion, and system upgrades, although games were a predominant application.
The MOS Technology 6502 and Zilog Z80 were the dominant microprocessors in early 1980s home computers.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 8-bit MOS Technology 6502 and Zilog Z80 microprocessors were foundational components in a vast majority of home computers during the early 1980s.
Early home computer CPUs typically operated at clock rates of 10-20 MHz, which was a primary factor in their performance.
Answer: False
Explanation: Early home computer CPUs generally operated at much lower clock rates, typically between 1-4 MHz. System performance was more significantly impacted by factors like RAM, graphics, and storage limitations than CPU speed.
Early home computers generally possessed sufficient memory and fast storage to effectively handle large databases and multimedia applications.
Answer: False
Explanation: Early home computers were typically constrained by insufficient memory and slow storage solutions, limiting their capacity for complex tasks such as managing large databases or running multimedia applications.
How did many early home computers display output to save costs?
Answer: By connecting to the family television set via an RF modulator.
Explanation: To reduce costs, many early home computers utilized the family television set as their display, connecting via an RF modulator.
What was a common drawback of using compact audio cassettes for storage on early home computers?
Answer: They were often slow and unreliable.
Explanation: Compact audio cassettes, while affordable, were frequently characterized by slow data access speeds and a lack of reliability, posing a significant drawback for storage on early home computers.
The mass production of 5.25-inch floppy disk drives led to their dominance over cassette drives in the US market after which year?
Answer: 1984
Explanation: Following the mass production and subsequent price reduction of 5.25-inch floppy disk drives, they became dominant over cassette drives in the US home computer market starting in 1984.
What was the significance of cartridge interfaces on many home computers?
Answer: They were used for software, expansion, and upgrades, often for games.
Explanation: Cartridge interfaces on home computers served multiple functions, including the distribution of software (predominantly games), hardware expansion, and system upgrades.
Which of the following was a dominant 8-bit microprocessor used in many early 1980s home computers?
Answer: MOS Technology 6502.
Explanation: The MOS Technology 6502 was one of the most prevalent 8-bit microprocessors powering numerous home computers in the early 1980s, alongside the Zilog Z80.
What was a significant technical limitation of early 1980s home computers that hindered their use for complex tasks like online encyclopedias?
Answer: Insufficient memory and slow storage.
Explanation: Early home computers were often hampered by insufficient memory and slow storage mechanisms, which limited their utility for demanding applications such as accessing online encyclopedias.
What was a key limitation of early home computers that made them less practical for envisioned home tasks like using online encyclopedias?
Answer: Insufficient memory and slow storage.
Explanation: Early home computers were often limited by insufficient memory and slow storage solutions, which impeded their practicality for tasks like accessing extensive online encyclopedias.
The primary applications for home computers during their peak popularity included word processing, video game entertainment, and personal recipe cataloging.
Answer: True
Explanation: Key uses for home computers during their peak popularity encompassed word processing, playing video games, and managing personal data such as recipes, alongside computer programming.
The BASIC programming language was typically stored on floppy disks and loaded by the user upon startup.
Answer: False
Explanation: The BASIC interpreter was almost universally stored in ROM chips on home computers, allowing for immediate access and use as a primary user interface without needing to load from disk.
In many home computers, the BASIC interpreter served as the primary user interface, facilitating file management commands.
Answer: True
Explanation: The BASIC interpreter often functioned as the main user interface on home computers, enabling users to issue commands for file operations and program execution directly.
Home computer operating systems were typically stored on floppy disks, making OS upgrades straightforward.
Answer: False
Explanation: Operating systems for home computers were predominantly stored in ROM chips for rapid startup, which conversely made upgrades difficult or impossible without hardware replacement.
Professionally written software for home computers often bypassed the ROM-based OS to optimize performance and gain direct hardware control.
Answer: True
Explanation: To maximize available memory and achieve better performance, professional software developers frequently bypassed the standard ROM-based operating system to interact directly with the hardware.
The Amiga 1000's operating system was a single-tasking system, limiting its ability to run multiple applications simultaneously.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Amiga 1000 featured AmigaOS, a true multitasking operating system that allowed multiple applications to run concurrently, a significant advancement for its time.
Which of the following was NOT a primary use for home computers during their peak popularity?
Answer: Managing large-scale industrial automation.
Explanation: Primary uses for home computers included video games, programming, and word processing. Managing large-scale industrial automation was typically the domain of specialized industrial control systems.
What was the typical role of the BASIC interpreter in early home computers?
Answer: It served as the primary user interface and file manager.
Explanation: The BASIC interpreter commonly functioned as the primary user interface on home computers, enabling direct command entry for file management and system operations.
Most home computer operating systems were stored in ROM chips primarily to:
Answer: Ensure very fast startup times.
Explanation: Storing operating systems in ROM chips was primarily done to guarantee rapid system startup, although this method inherently limited the ease of software updates.
The Amiga 1000's operating system, AmigaOS, was significant because it offered:
Answer: True multitasking and simultaneous application execution.
Explanation: AmigaOS, the operating system for the Amiga 1000, provided true multitasking capabilities, allowing multiple applications to run concurrently, a notable feature for its time.
Typically, home computers provided superior expandability and memory capacity when contrasted with contemporary business-oriented computers.
Answer: False
Explanation: Home computers generally offered less expandability and memory capacity compared to contemporary business computers; however, they often excelled in graphics and sound capabilities.
Home computers were marketed as less versatile than game consoles because they lacked gaming capabilities.
Answer: False
Explanation: Home computers were generally marketed as more versatile than game consoles, positioned as higher-end purchases that offered gaming alongside productivity and programming capabilities.
Wayne Green advised using the term 'home computer' in advertising to maximize sales potential.
Answer: False
Explanation: Wayne Green, a publisher, recommended against the term 'home computer,' believing it to be self-limiting for sales and not reflective of the equipment's full potential.
Apple consistently marketed its products as 'home computers' to appeal to a broad consumer base.
Answer: False
Explanation: Apple strategically marketed its products as 'computers for use in the home,' differentiating them from the perceived lower-end 'home computers' and avoiding direct association with that segment.
A defining characteristic of the home computer era was the 'peripherals sold separately' model, requiring additional purchases for basic functionality.
Answer: True
Explanation: The practice of selling essential peripherals separately was a common characteristic of the home computer market, necessitating further investment beyond the base unit for full functionality.
What was a defining characteristic of home computers in the late 1970s and 1980s, distinguishing them from business machines?
Answer: Lower cost and marketing towards single, non-technical users.
Explanation: Home computers were distinguished by their lower cost and marketing focus on individual, non-technical users, contrasting with the higher price points and specialized applications of business machines.
How did home computers typically differ from contemporary business computers in terms of graphics and sound?
Answer: They featured superior graphics and sound capabilities.
Explanation: While generally less powerful in terms of memory and expandability, home computers often offered superior graphics and sound capabilities compared to contemporary business computers.
How did home computers often position themselves against contemporary video game consoles?
Answer: As more versatile, higher-end purchases offering gaming and productivity.
Explanation: Home computers were marketed as more versatile and advanced than game consoles, presenting them as higher-value purchases capable of both entertainment and productivity tasks.
Wayne Green advised against using the term 'home computer' in advertising because he believed it:
Answer: Was self-limiting for sales and didn't capture full potential.
Explanation: Wayne Green suggested avoiding the term 'home computer' in advertising, positing that it restricted sales potential and did not fully represent the capabilities of the machines.
Apple's marketing approach, as described by John Sculley, was to sell:
Answer: ‘Computers for use in the home’ to differentiate from basic ‘home computers.’
Explanation: John Sculley articulated Apple's strategy as selling 'computers for use in the home,' a distinction intended to differentiate their products from the lower-tier 'home computers' prevalent at the time.
What was a defining characteristic of the home computer era regarding the purchase of essential components?
Answer: The 'peripherals sold separately' model was common.
Explanation: A common characteristic of the home computer era was the 'peripherals sold separately' model, requiring consumers to purchase items like disk drives or cassette recorders in addition to the main unit.
The proliferation of home computers led to the decline of specialized retail stores focused exclusively on computer hardware.
Answer: False
Explanation: The rise of home computers spurred the emergence and growth of specialized retail stores dedicated to computer hardware and software, rather than causing their decline.
By 1982, the average sales price of a home computer in the United States was approximately $530.
Answer: True
Explanation: In 1982, the average sales price for a home computer in American households was approximately $530, reflecting the growing market penetration of these devices.
Companies like Mattel and Texas Instruments, already established in the consumer electronics industry, were among the first to introduce home computer lines.
Answer: False
Explanation: Companies such as Mattel and Texas Instruments, while established in consumer electronics, were new entrants to the computer industry when they launched their home computer lines in the early 1980s.
Most home computers produced during their peak years were designed with a high degree of compatibility across different manufacturers.
Answer: False
Explanation: Compatibility between different home computer manufacturers was often limited during the peak years of the market, with few exceptions like the MSX standard.
The IBM PC's dominance in the business sector had no significant impact on the home computer market.
Answer: False
Explanation: The IBM PC's success in business influenced the home market by spurring the development of more affordable PC-style machines that competed directly with existing home computers.
The MSX standard was developed by Apple to create a universally compatible home computing platform.
Answer: False
Explanation: The MSX standard was conceived and marketed by Microsoft Japan and ASCII Corporation, aiming to establish a universal platform for home computing across various manufacturers.
In the British home computer market of the early 1980s, what was a common characteristic compared to the US market?
Answer: False
Explanation: The British home computer market often featured lower price points (under £200) and a greater reliance on cassette tape storage compared to the US market, partly due to economic differences.
The MSX standard aimed to create a universal platform for home computing, allowing compatibility across different manufacturers.
Answer: True
Explanation: The MSX standard was designed as a reference architecture for home computing with the objective of fostering universal compatibility among machines produced by various manufacturers.
What was the average sales price of a home computer in American households by 1982?
Answer: Approximately $530.
Explanation: By 1982, the average sales price for a home computer in the United States was approximately $530.
Which of the following companies, new to the computer industry, launched home computer lines in the early 1980s?
Answer: Mattel and Texas Instruments.
Explanation: Companies like Mattel and Texas Instruments, which were not previously involved in the computer industry, entered the home computer market during the early 1980s.
What was a common issue regarding compatibility among home computer models during their peak years?
Answer: Compatibility was often limited, with few exceptions like MSX.
Explanation: A frequent challenge in the home computer market was the limited compatibility between models from different manufacturers, with standards like MSX being notable exceptions.
How did the IBM PC's success in the business sector eventually influence the home computer market?
Answer: It spurred the development of affordable PC-style machines that competed with home computers.
Explanation: The IBM PC's dominance in business prompted the creation of more accessible PC-compatible machines, which subsequently competed with and influenced the trajectory of the home computer market.
The MSX standard was conceived and marketed by which entities?
Answer: Microsoft Japan and ASCII Corporation.
Explanation: The MSX standard was developed and marketed by Microsoft Japan in collaboration with ASCII Corporation, aiming to create a unified home computing platform.
What was the intended purpose of the MSX standard?
Answer: To establish a universal platform for home computing.
Explanation: The MSX standard was conceived with the goal of creating a universal platform for home computing, promoting compatibility across machines from various manufacturers.
The decline of the distinct home computer market segment by the early 1990s was partly due to the increasing cost of IBM PC compatibles.
Answer: False
Explanation: The decline of the distinct home computer market was primarily influenced by the improved graphics and sound of fourth-generation video game consoles and the increasing affordability and capability of PC-style machines, not the rising cost of PC compatibles.
The IBM PCjr was a successful home computer that significantly boosted IBM's presence in the consumer market.
Answer: False
Explanation: The IBM PCjr was largely unsuccessful in the home market due to its limited capabilities, poor reviews, and high price point, failing to significantly enhance IBM's consumer presence.
Tandy's Tandy 1000 offered improved sound and graphics and was bundled with the Deskmate suite, capitalizing on the failure of the IBM PCjr.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Tandy 1000, released after the IBM PCjr's market struggles, provided enhanced audio and visual capabilities and included the Deskmate productivity suite, positioning it favorably for home users.
'Next-generation' home computers, emerging around 1985, featured 16-bit processors like the Motorola 68000, offering enhanced graphics and stereo sound.
Answer: True
Explanation: Starting around 1985, advanced home computers began incorporating 16-bit processors such as the Motorola 68000, leading to significant improvements in graphics resolution, color depth, and audio fidelity, including stereo sound.
By 1987, Dan Gutman observed that the predicted computer revolution in homes had fully materialized, with most American homes owning a computer.
Answer: False
Explanation: In 1987, Dan Gutman characterized the predicted home computer revolution as 'in shambles,' noting that only about 15% of American homes possessed a computer, contrary to earlier optimistic forecasts.
Retrocomputing enables vintage hardware to perform modern tasks, such as internet surfing, on early home computers.
Answer: True
Explanation: Retrocomputing involves repurposing vintage computer hardware to execute contemporary functions, including internet connectivity, thereby extending the utility of early home computers.
The Commodore 64 was the first computer to sell over a million units, surpassing the VIC-20.
Answer: False
Explanation: The VIC-20 was the first computer model to achieve sales exceeding one million units; the Commodore 64 later became the best-selling computer model of all time.
The Commodore 64 is recognized as the best-selling computer model of all time, with approximately 17 million units sold.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Commodore 64 holds the record as the best-selling single computer model in history, with estimated sales reaching around 17 million units.
The Macintosh computer introduced a command-line interface that became the standard for home computing.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Macintosh popularized the graphical user interface (GUI), which eventually replaced the command-line interface as the standard for home computing, rather than establishing the command-line itself.
Which factor contributed to the decline of the distinct home computer market segment by the early 1990s in the US?
Answer: The superior graphics and sound of fourth-generation video game consoles.
Explanation: The market segment for home computers diminished by the early 1990s, partly due to the enhanced graphics and sound capabilities of fourth-generation video game consoles, which offered compelling entertainment alternatives.
The IBM PCjr failed in the home market primarily because:
Answer: IBM limited its capabilities and expansion options to avoid cannibalizing PC sales.
Explanation: The IBM PCjr's market failure was largely attributed to IBM's strategic decision to limit its capabilities and expansion options, thereby preventing it from undermining sales of the more expensive IBM PC.
What key technological advancements characterized 'next-generation' home computers starting around 1985?
Answer: Use of 16-bit Motorola 68000 chips, enhanced graphics, and stereo sound.
Explanation: Home computers from approximately 1985 onwards featured advancements such as 16-bit processors (e.g., Motorola 68000), improved graphics capabilities, and stereo sound output.
By 1987, Dan Gutman observed that the predicted 'computer revolution' in homes was:
Answer: In shambles, with only 15% of American homes owning a computer.
Explanation: Dan Gutman's 1987 assessment indicated that the anticipated home computer revolution had faltered, with only a small fraction of American households owning a computer at that time.
Retrocomputing involves using vintage hardware to perform modern tasks, such as:
Answer: Surfing the web or sending emails.
Explanation: Retrocomputing encompasses the practice of utilizing vintage computer hardware to execute contemporary functions, including browsing the internet or sending electronic mail.
Which of the following was the first computer to sell over a million units?
Answer: VIC-20.
Explanation: The VIC-20 holds the distinction of being the first computer model to achieve sales exceeding one million units.
FCC regulations introduced between 1980 and 1982 were enacted to address interference issues caused by home computers emitting excessive radio frequency noise.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented regulations between 1980 and 1982 to mitigate radio frequency interference generated by home computers, which often disrupted television reception.
What did FCC regulations introduced between 1980 and 1982 aim to suppress regarding home computers?
Answer: Radio frequency interference with television reception.
Explanation: FCC regulations implemented between 1980 and 1982 were designed to curb the radio frequency interference emitted by home computers, which often disrupted television reception.