Tuesday, July 28, 2009

What was the first computer that was easy for the average consumer to change hardware themselves?

Now large companies like dell will send parts and let you replace them without voiding the warranty. I want to know the first computer that hardware replacement, (Hard drives,Video cards, Processors, etc.) ,were an easy and even recommended task for the average consumer.

What was the first computer that was easy for the average consumer to change hardware themselves?
The very first IBM computer was upgradeable. It came with no hard drive, no modem, an 086 processor, 256 KB (or was it 512KB?) of RAM, and a 320KB 5¼" floppy drive.
Reply:Actually, computers started out to be a lot more easily customizable than they are today. The original computer componants were a lot simpler than they are now. The Amiga computer of the 1980s was the first to contain multiple co-processors that were upgradable by the end user though. You could replace pretty much everything if you wanted to. It wasn't until later that companies didn't want you to open the case.
Reply:I'd probably say Gateway in the early 90's; they started the direct order business method that Dell eventually perfected and then squeezed Gateway out of the market with.
Reply:The first would probably be the original Apple 1 Personal Computer Kit from the 1976. Kits assembled by the buyer. Kits put together by Woz and Jobs in Woz's garage. The average consumer of a computer back then was a technical type to begin with so kits assembly was no big deal.

sepal

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