I would certainly agree that these two were influential powerhouses, but supplemented rather than pushed the home---small business acceptance of the computer. (my reasoning/recollection is that the mainly those that bought a home computer for using spreadsheets and word processors were using them to supplement their work from the office rather than starting new businesses. I remember quite a few of the Apple II and IBM PC fans were clamoring to get computers, but it was not until the Mac came along that computer users shed the "hobbyist/tinkerer" label.
On the other hand, I also know that you are in a position to comment some of that ... I seem to recall you being involved with PC of several types then (grin). On Jan 05, 2004, at 6:58 PM, Lee Larson wrote: > On Jan 5, 2004, at 5:46 PM, Jerry Yeager wrote: > >> For those you that are new to the computing world, PageMaker probably >> is the "one" application that really pushed the desktop computer >> revolution. Without it, desktop computers eventually would have taken >> off in the business and home worlds, I think, but it would have >> surely taken a lot longer. Many cottage industries sprang up because >> they could afford to get a Mac and this program, and then the support >> industries came to make those Macs running PageMaker run better. > > Jerry, how about VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3? They were around before > PageMaker and it seems to me they were just as influential in starting > the industry. > > I will agree that PageMaker along with the Apple LaserWriter are what > started the Mac and the whole desktop publishing industry. > > > > > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will > | be January 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. > | This list's page is <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>. > | The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will | be January 27. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>. | This list's page is <http://erdos.math.louisville.edu/macgroup>.
