On August 12, 1981, IBM announced its first mass-market personal computer, the IBM PC. The machine used off-the-shelf components and an operating system from Microsoft. It quickly became a standard for business and home computing in the United States. The success of the IBM PC encouraged a wave of compatible systems from other manufacturers. This platform helped shape the early software industry and made personal computing a mainstream part of American life. The launch is often cited as a key moment in the growth of the digital economy.
