In 1981 the first IBM personal computer was introduced to the public for mass consumption. Now almost 40 years later, the biggest technological jump for the personal computer since its rise to popularity has been largely making it more affordable, more portable, and increasing performance. While people may debate While people may debate the order or merits of the computer industries' growth as a whole, one thing that is certain is that people have been using a computer for a long time, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.