Three interesting examples of IT Solutions from three Different Decades (Week 1)

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 Three Interesting examples of IT Solutions from Three Different Decades


1. IBM PC (1980s)

 Today we can’t do without a personal computer (PC) for a day, but have you ever thought about the first mass computer for a user? The IBM PC 5150 is the first mass-produced personal computer manufactured by IBM, released in 1981. The IBM 5150 includes an Intel 8088 processor. The RAM could be up to 256 kilobytes. At the same time, the cheapest version of the computer had a memory capacity of only 16 kb, expandable up to 64 kb. [1] 

The IBM PC could use either a monochrome MDA video adapter (text 80x25, character size 9x14), or a color CGA video adapter (text 80x25 or 40x25, character size 8x8, or graphics 320x200/4 colors or 640×200/2 colors). Moreover, it was even possible to insert both adapters and connect two monitors at once, monochrome and color. [2]

Photo 1: IBM 5150 [1]

                      Photo 1: IBM 5150 [1]


Factors that have contributed to the longevity of the 5150 PC are its flexible, modular design, an open technical standard that ensures that the information needed to customize, modify, and repair it is readily available, the use of several special non-standard parts, and high-standard, reliable IBM manufacturing, the latter of which has provided exceptional long-term reliability and durability. [1]



             

 

2. WINDOWS 95 (1990s) 

 Windows 95 is a 32-bit operating system that enables multitasking and multithreading of applications (programs). It retains compatibility with DOS applications, a convenient graphical user interface, secure mode capability, real mode compatibility, and networking capabilities. The file system type used in Windows 95 is the same as in previous versions of Windows. Windows 95 introduces plug and play hardware support, allows long file names up to 255 characters, and provides improved resiliency. [3]

Photo 2: Windows 95 [4]
Photo 2: Windows 95  logo [4]
One of the most important features of Windows 95 was that the operating system allowed you to use your computer without having to interact with the command line. Unlike its predecessor, Windows 3.11, the new OS was loaded directly into the graphical interface, despite the fact that the same DOS kernel was hiding under the hood, albeit significantly improved.

Among other things, Windows 95 first introduced elements such as the Start menu and the taskbar, which are now hard to imagine working without. Microsoft positioned Start as a key element of the system, an easy way to get started with a PC even for an unprepared user. And the taskbar, for the first time, gave users a convenient way to manage programs that are open in several different windows.

The effect was impressive. Microsoft sold one million copies of Windows 95 in its first week. The total number of sold copies of the system was about 40 million in the first year. Windows 95 has become a truly outstanding product in the operating system market.


3. SLACK (2010s) 

 Slack is the perfect way to bring the whole team together. Here you can discuss everything: advertising briefs, the publication of a new version of the application, the latest news, or a joint corporate event on Friday. Everything is structured by channels, for direct communication there is personal correspondence. Slack is a corporate messenger, which launched in test mode in August 2013, the public version was published on February 12, 2014. As of June 2015, Slack has 1.1 million daily users. Slack has become the fastest growing business application in history. [5]

Due to numerous advantages, this platform remains popular among companies:

  • ease of use;
    Photo 3: Slack logo [5]   
  • support for devices based on iOS, Windows, Windows Phone, Android, Mac OS, Linux;
  • many useful features: different search options, drug-and-drop (downloading and moving files in channels), @mentions, etc.;
  • easy editing of messages;
  • shows local time for each team member;
  • integration with external resources: Trello, Dropbox, GitHub, Mailchimp, etc.; [6]                                                                                        
Integration with other services gives Slack the opportunity to significantly increase its functionality. If the platform continues to develop so rapidly and introduce more and more technologies, then it will remain a leader in bussiness messenger area.

References:

1. https://history-computer.com/ibm-pc-5150/ [1]  
2. https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history [2]
3. https://www.theverge.com/21398999/windows-95-anniversary-release-date-history [3]
4. https://networkencyclopedia.com/windows-95/ [4]
5. https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/features [5]
6. https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-slack [6]


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