The Rise and Fall of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)
2025-02-10
This article chronicles the remarkable history of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Starting with Ken Olsen's post-WWII creation of the TX-0 in a MIT basement, DEC revolutionized the computing industry with its PDP series of minicomputers, emphasizing low cost, ease of use, and user interaction. The PDP-1 heralded the dawn of the personal computing era. However, facing the onslaught of the IBM PC and strategic missteps, DEC was ultimately acquired by Compaq in 1998. This history showcases the power of technological innovation and the ruthlessness of market competition, offering valuable insights into management decisions and technological direction.
Tech
Computer History