It seems to come down to agreement (or lack thereof) on the definition of "personal computer".
Somehow I feel like this debate has been had before. Probably here. Probably several times. Sellam On Thu, Mar 9, 2023, 9:31 AM Bill Degnan via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > > > > > > > > John, > > > I have the manuals for both systems. I don't get the impression that > the > > > G-15 was sold as a "personal computer" in the same way as the Royal > McBee > > > LGP-23/30 were. The Bendix has an analog computing aspect as well so > > it's > > > a different beast. I am sure people used them for some degree of > > personal > > > computing, but I never read about them that way > > > > There was an add-on analog element, (I've never seen one), > > but the G-15 was definitely a digital machine with drum > > memory and serial arithmetic. It was used a LOT by highway > > departments to plan "cut and fill" highway building > > projects. The difference may have been due to marketing > > people, but my understanding was that the G-15 was often > > used by one operator, and not shared like a corporate mainframe. > > > > Jon > > > > > No doubt it was capable of being operated by a single user, but that to me > does not make it a personal computer. The LGP-30 was used in schools and > offices not targeted for industrial use. There is really no reason why any > computer could not be a personal computer, if you know everything about it > and use independently and operate for personal use. It's really impossible > to claim any computer was the "first personal computer", but I like the > LGP-30 as one of the first. I bet someone used the BENDIX for fun once in > a while, too. > BIll >
