PC-9800 series
From NEC Retro
Revision as of 14:16, 18 September 2015 by Black Squirrel (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{sub-stub}}The '''PC-9800 series''' (PC-9800シリーズ) is a range of computers manufactured between October 1982 and 200x by NEC. Starting with the PC-9801, the...")
This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.
The PC-9800 series (PC-9800シリーズ) is a range of computers manufactured between October 1982 and 200x by NEC.
Starting with the PC-9801, the PC-9800 series became one of the dominant brands of home computers in Japan throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. It was one of the second "big three", competing against the Sharp X68000 and FM Towns.
PC-9800 computers started along the same lines as older machines by NEC, conforming to a bespoke standard which NEC hoped to capitalise on. Under pressure from IBM PC compatibles, particularly in the early 1990s, it was forced to open up to compete, though its proprietary standards ultimately gave way to the cheaper and more versitile nature of what had been set in motion by IBM and Microsoft.
When the series was forced to work with Microsoft to create a PC-9800 compatible version of Windows 95 (then 98, then 2000), it effectively became redundant, and NEC, like its peers in the computing industry began work on PC compatibles instead.