The Personal System/2 or PS/2 was IBM's second generation of personal computers. The PS/2 line, released to the public in 1987, was created by IBM in an attempt to recapture control of the PC market by introducing an advanced proprietary architecture. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM, or colloquially, Big Blue) (NYSE: IBM) (incorporated June 15, 1911, in operation since 1888) is headquartered in Armonk, NY, USA. The company manufactures and sells computer hardware, software, and services. ... In economics, vendor lock-in, also known as proprietary lock-in, or more simply, lock-in, is a situation in which a customer is dependent on a vendor for products and services and cannot move to another vendor without substantial switching costs, real and/or perceived. ...

Technology

IBM's PS/2 was designed to remain software compatible with their PC/AT/XT line of computers upon which the booming PC clone market was built, but the hardware was quite different.

Micro Channel Architecture

The IBM Personal System/2 line introduced the Micro Channel Architecture (MCA for short) which was technically superior to the ISA bus and allowed for higher speed communications within the system. Micro Channel architecture (in practice almost always shortened to MCA) was a proprietary 16 or 32-bit parallel computer bus created by IBM in the 1980s for use on their new PS/2 computers. ... It has been suggested that XT bus architecture be merged into this article or section. ...

The MCA bus featured many advances that would not be seen in other interface standards until several years later. Transfer speeds were on par with the much later introduced PCI bus standard. MCA allowed one-to-one card to card and multi-card to processor simultaneous transaction management which is a feature of the PCI-X bus format. Busmastering capability, bus arbitration, and true plug-and-play BIOS management of hardware were all benefits to the MCA bus. The MCA bus was also a 32-bit based architecture, as opposed to ISA which was only 8-bit. 32-bit PCI expansion slots on a motherboard The Peripheral Component Interconnect standard (in practice almost always shortened to PCI) specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. ... Plug and Play is a term used in the computer field to describe a computers ability to have new devices, normally peripherals, added to it without having to restart the computer. ... BIOS, in computing, stands for basic input/output system. ...

In spite of these technical advantages, the Micro Channel Architecture never gained wide acceptance outside of the PS/2 line due to IBM's anti-clone practices. IBM offered to sell a Micro Channel licence to anyone who could afford the royalty, but they would not only require a royalty for every MCA-compatible machine sold, but also a payment for every IBM-compatible machine the particular maker had ever made in the past.

Peripheral interface

Color-coded PS/2 connection ports: purple for keyboards and green for mice.

PS/2 systems introduced a new specification for the keyboard and mouse interfaces, which are still in use today and is also called "PS/2". The PS/2 keyboard interface was electronically identical to the long-established AT interface, but the cable connector was changed to a 6-pin mini-DIN interface, as was (for reasons still unexplained) the PS/2 mouse interface. The design decision for identical but incompatible connectors would prove aggravating to consumers until the introduction of the USB protocol in 1996. To help alleviate this, PS/2 keyboard and mouse connectors were later color-coded: purple for keyboards and green for mice as defined by the Microsoft PC 97 standard. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Look up Keyboard in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A keyboard can refer to a: Alphanumeric keyboard, any keyboard that has both letter and numbers on it Typewriter keyboard Computer keyboard IBM PC keyboard Musical keyboard, a keyboard on a musical instrument Keyboard instrument, such as the piano Keyboard synthesizer, a... Operating a mechanical 1: Pulling the mouse turns the ball. ... The Baby AT is a computer motherboard form factor that is smaller than the older AT form factor. ... 5 pin 180° DIN connector 4 pin Mini-DIN S-Video connector Speaker DIN line socket (left) and plug DIN connectors are multi-pin electrical connectors based on a DIN standard. ... Type A USB connector Dual images of the two Type B USB connectors, mini and full size, side and front view, compared with a U.S. 5¢ piece (nickel) in both images for scale. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is the worlds largest software company, with over 50,000 employees in various countries as of May 2004. ... The PC 97 standard is a set of design requirements developed by Microsoft and aimed at making PCs easier to use by maximizing cooperation between the operating system and hardware. ...

Graphics

Other features were introduced by this new generation of IBM computer systems, such as the change over to the VGA graphics output standard over the previous EGA standard. VGA increased graphics memory to 256K and provided for 640x480 resolutions with 16 colors, and in low-res, 320x200 resolution with 256 simultaneous colors from a pallet of 262,144. The 8514 and later XGA were other computer display standards introduced by the PS/2 line. Although the design of these adapters did not become an industry standard as VGA was, their standard resolution (1024 by 768 pixels) and the "XGA" name have been influential on many newer graphics systems. Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a computer display standard first marketed in 1987 by IBM. VGA belongs to a family of earlier IBM video standards and largely remains backward compatible with them. ... The Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) is the IBM PC computer display standard specification located between CGA and VGA in terms of graphics performance (that is, colour and space resolution). ... The 8514 is an IBM graphics computer display standard supporting a display resolution of 1024×768 pixels with 256 colours at 43. ... XGA, the Extended Graphics Array is an IBM display standard introduced in 1990. ... Various computer display standards or display modes have been used in the history of the personal computer. ...

External storage

Although 3.5" 1.44 megabyte floppy disks were becoming common in the industry by 1987, the PS/2s were the first IBM models to use them as standard. While the disk format itself was standard, IBM chose to use a non-standard form for the disk drives, resulting in very high repair costs as a standard drive could not be retrofitted to a PS/2. (The IBM part was functionally identical to but about five times more expensive than a standard 3.5" floppy drive.) Initially starting out with a 1.44MB capacity, by the end of the PS/2 line, these had standardized at 2.88MB capacity. A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a circular piece of thin, flexible (i. ...

Memory

The PS/2 introduced 72-pin RAM SIMMs, which became the de facto standard for RAM modules by the mid-90s in 486 and early Pentium desktop systems. These were 32 or 36 bits wide, and replaced the old 30-pin (8/9 bit) SIMM standard, which was much less convenient as they had to be used 4 or 8 at a time to match the bus width of a given system. 72-pin SIMMs were also capable of larger maximum capacities. This article is about the animal, sheep; for other meanings of Sheep, see Sheep (disambiguation). ... 30- (top) and 72-pin (bottom) SIMMs. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... This article is about the animal, sheep; for other meanings of Sheep, see Sheep (disambiguation). ... An Intel i486 Microprocessor The Intel i486 (also called 486 or 80486) is a range of Intel CISC microprocessors which is part of the Intel x86 family of processors. ... Pentium logo, with MMX enhancement The Pentium is a fifth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor by Intel which first shipped on March 22, 1993. ...

Models

IBM Personal System/2 Model 25

The PS/2 Models 25 and 30 (IBM 8530) were ISA-based (in other words, essentially IBM PC/AT-like systems in a different form factor). The machines had an ESDI hard drive interface and the drives were available as an optional part, however many of these entry-level machines were sold without hard drives due to the high cost. The Model 25 featured an integrated display to compete with the Apple Macintosh as a low-cost computer for educational environments. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x681, 52 KB)IBM Personal System/2 Model 25 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x681, 52 KB)IBM Personal System/2 Model 25 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... It has been suggested that XT bus architecture be merged into this article or section. ... The IBM PC/AT was IBMs third-generation PC, designed around the Intel 80286 microprocessor and released in 1984. ... Form factor refers to the linear dimensions and configuration of a device as distinguished from other measures of size (for example Gigabytes; a measure of storage size): in computing, form factor is used to describe the size and format of PC motherboards (see AT, ATX, BTX), but also of hard... Enhanced Small Disk Interface (ESDI) was a disc interface designed by Maxtor Corporation in the early 1980s to be a follow-on to the ST-506 interface. ... The box for Mac OS X v10. ...

The higher models were equipped with the Microchannel bus and SCSI hard drives. PS/2 models 50 (IBM 8550-021)and 60 (IBM 8560) used the Intel 80286 processor, the PS/2 models 70 (IBM 8570-81) and 80 used the 80386DX, while the medium-performance PS/2 model 55SX (IBM 8555-081) used the 16/32-bit 80386SX processor. SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface, and is a standard interface and command set for transferring data between devices on a computer bus. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... An Intel 80286 Microprocessor The Intel 80286 is an x86-family 16-bit microprocessor that was introduced by Intel on February 1, 1982. ... An Intel 80386 Microprocessor The Intel 80386 is a microprocessor which was used as the central processing unit (CPU) of many personal computers from 1986 until 1994 and later. ...

The PS/2 models 90 (IBM 8590/9590) and 95 (IBM 8595/9595/9595A) used Processor Complex daughterboards holding the CPU, memory controller, Microchannel bus interface, and other system components. The available Processor Complex options ranged from the 20 MHz Intel 80386 to the 90 MHz Pentium and were fully interchangeable. The IBM PC Server 500, which has a motherboard identical to the 9595A, also uses Processor Complexes. A daughterboard or daughtercard is a circuit board meant to be an extension or daughter of a motherboard (or mainboard), or occasionally another card. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Micro Channel architecture (in practice almost always shortened to MCA) was a proprietary 16 or 32-bit parallel computer bus created by IBM in the 1980s for use on their new PS/2 computers. ... An Intel 80386 Microprocessor The Intel 80386 is a microprocessor which was used as the central processing unit (CPU) of many personal computers from 1986 until 1994 and later. ... Pentium logo, with MMX enhancement The Pentium is a fifth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor by Intel which first shipped on March 22, 1993. ...

The IBM PS/2E (IBM 9533) was the first Energy Star compliant personal computer. It had a 50 MHz 486SLC processor, an ISA bus, four PCMCIA slots, and an IDE hard drive interface. The environmentally-friendly PC borrowed many components from the ThinkPad line and was composed of recycled plastics, designed to be easily recycled at the end of its life, and used very little power. The Energy Star logo is placed on energy-efficient products Energy Star is a United States government program to promote energy efficient consumer products. ... The Intel 80486SL is the power-saving variant of the Intel 80486DX microprocessor. ... It has been suggested that XT bus architecture be merged into this article or section. ... The PCMCIA is the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, an industry trade association that creates standards for notebook computer peripheral devices. ... ATA cables: 40 wire ribbon cable top, 80 wire ribbon cable bottom Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) is a standard interface for connecting storage devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside personal computers. ... IBM ThinkPad R51 The Japanese lunchbox that inspired the ThinkPad design ThinkPad is the brand name for a highly successful range of portable laptop and notebook computers currently manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the IBM PC division in early 2005. ...

Marketing

The PS/2's controversial hardware design was tied to a marketing strategy that was similarly unsuccessful. During the 1980s, IBM's advertising of the original PC and its other product lines had frequently used the likeness of Charlie Chaplin. For the PS/2, however, IBM augmented this character with a notorious jingle that seemed more suitable for a low-end consumer product than a business-class computing platform: Traditionally, Marketing is the process or act of bringing together buyers and sellers. ... // Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 60s and 70s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ... Chaplin in his costume as The Tramp Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was the most famous actor in early to mid Hollywood cinema, and later also a notable director. ...

 "How ya' gonna' do it? PS/2 It! It's as easy as I.B.M." 

Another campaign featured the actors from the television show, M*A*S*H playing updated versions of their characters from the series. [1][2] M*A*S*H at the Internet Movie Database Finest Kind - Fan Site w/ News, Episode Guides, Video Clips U.K. Fan Site w/ Interviews, Episode Guides Best Care Anywhere - Fan Site w/ Episode Guides, Memorable Moments TV Tome Yahoo Groups M*A*S*H email discussion group Categories: Comedy...

The profound lack of success of these advertising campaigns led, in part, to IBM's termination of its relationships with its global advertising agencies; these accounts were reported by Wired Magazine (Issue 3.08, August 1995) to have been worth over $500 Million a year, and the largest such account review in the history of business. An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising (and sometimes other forms of promotion) for their clients. ... Wired magazine is a full-color monthly magazine and on-line periodical published in San Francisco, California since March 1993. ... Note: as an adjective (stressed on the second syllable instead of the first), august means honorable. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Overall, the PS/2 experiment was a commercial disaster. With what was widely seen as a technically competent but cynical attempt to gain undisputed control of the market, IBM unleashed an industry and consumer backlash. The firm suffered massive financial losses for the remainder of the decade, forfeited its previously unquestioned position as the industry leader, and eventually lost its status as the largest single manufacturer of personal computers, first to Compaq and then to Dell. Compaq Computer Corporation was a company producing a wide range of computer products that was formed in 1982 and existed as a standalone entity until 2002 when it was merged with Hewlett-Packard. ... Dell, Inc. ...

For IBM, while the PS/2 experiment was a commercial disaster from a consumer perspective, the platform experienced exceptional success in the business sector where many people still lived with the motto "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM". Many models of PS/2 systems saw a production life span that took them well into the late 1990s. // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ...