home computing

Personal digital workspace

Home computing refers to the use of personal computers in domestic settings, as distinguished from business or institutional use.

The term emerged in the late 1970s and 1980s when affordable microcomputers first entered households: Home computing opened up new possibilities for education and entertainment.

Though the phrase sounds dated now—computing at home being unremarkable—it persists in discussions of technology history and the digital divide.

mouseSmall gnawing mammal
RAMTemporary data storage hardware
CPUMain computing chip
microcomputerSmall personal computing device
desktop computerFixed-location personal computer

Commodore 64 · laptop · hardware · plug and play · user manual · tech support · Apple II · Wi-Fi · spreadsheet software · dial-up internet · hobbyist · floppy disk · floppy drive · word processor · operating system · boot up · gaming · screen saver

Opposites

scale and context of use

home computingsupercomputing

Ultra-powerful computational processing

cloud computing

technological era

home computingpen and paper

Basic tools for correspondence

timesharing · typewriting · batch processing · filing cabinets · abacus

location of use

home computingmobile computing

Using handheld devices anywhere

Family

home, computing, home computer, home automation

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G