(microcomputer). A microcomputer is a type of computer that uses a microprocessor as its central processing unit (CPU). They are generally computers that occupy small physical spaces, compared to their historical predecessors, mainframes and minicomputers.
In general, the word microcomputer is usually associated with old computers, especially small 8-bit computers like the Apple II, the Commodore 64, the BBC Micro, and the TRS 80.
In any case, within the term microcomputer, computers of different types and uses can be grouped, such as video game consoles, notebooks, tablet PCs, handheld devices, cell phones and personal computers (PC).
Currently the term microcomputer is not widely used, probably because of the great diversity of computers based on a microprocessor.
Brief history of microcomputers
The term microcomputer came into popular use after the introduction of minicomputers. The main difference from its predecessor is that microcomputers replaced multiple separate components, which were integrated into a single chip, the microprocessor.
Early microcomputers had no input/output devices, came with minimal amounts of memory (for example, 256 bytes of RAM), and were even sold in parts that had to be assembled by the user. They even only had indicator lights and switches.
In the 1970s, microcomputers became faster and cheaper, and their popularity was on the rise. They were widely used for accounting, database administration, and word processing. A typical microcomputer of the day used an S100 bus, an 8-bit processor such as a Z80, and an operating system such as CP/M or MP/M.
Some types of microcomputers began to be used by ordinary users around the 1980s, a time when the IBM compatible PC was standardized, with the operating system MS-DOS, and then later Windows. These computers began to be called PCs or personal computers, a name promoted by IBM to differentiate themselves from the rest.
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