The IBM 5120 Computing System (sometimes referred to as the IBM 5110 Model 3) is a

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microcomputer A microcomputer is a small, relatively inexpensive computer having a central processing unit (CPU) made out of a microprocessor. The computer also includes memory and input/output (I/O) circuitry together mounted on a printed circuit board (P ...

developed by

IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...

and released in February 1980. Marketed as the desktop follow-on to the portable IBM 5110 Computing System, it featured two built-in 8-inch 1.2 MB floppy disk drives, an integrated 9-inch

monochrome monitor A monochrome monitor is a type of computer monitor in which computer text and images are displayed in varying tones of only one color, as opposed to a color monitor that can display text and images in multiple colors. They were very common in t ...

, 32 KB RAM, plus an optional IBM 5114 stand-alone diskette unit with two additional 8-inch 1.2 MB floppy disk drives. The system was sold with both APL and BASIC languages in ROM, and provided a toggle switch on the front panel to select the language. APL allowed numerous business software written on IBM

minicomputer A minicomputer, or colloquially mini, is a type of general-purpose computer mostly developed from the mid-1960s, built significantly smaller and sold at a much lower price than mainframe computers . By 21st century-standards however, a mini is ...

s to run on the 5120.

Description

It was launched in 1980 as the lowest-priced IBM business computer to date. Depending on the options the overall system prices ranged from $9,340 to $23,990. To emphasize its office image IBM released in that same year 6 new programs: task inventory, billing, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and general ledger accounting. Aside from larger screen size and performance benefits over its predecessor, the IBM 5120 design incorporated several

usability Usability can be described as the capacity of a system to provide a condition for its users to perform the tasks safely, effectively, and efficiently while enjoying the experience. In software engineering, usability is the degree to which a softw ...

advantages: * Reduced 'footprint' requiring less desktop space * Reduced glare on monitor, keytop and product surfaces * Ease of handling/lifting based on bottom form treatment * Reduced static loading in arms and shoulders due to keyboard palm rest For its usability features and appearance, the IBM 5120 was recognized with two major industrial design awards and described with terms such as "clean, well thought out"; "subtle detailing shows great care in execution"; and "looks like quality. IBM did not offer a

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for these systems. However, in 1981, Hal Prewitt, founder of Core International, Inc, invented and marketed the world's first and only hard disk subsystems and "CoreNet", a LAN used to share programs and data for the IBM 5110 and 5120 systems. In 1984, Core introduced PC51, software that allowed 5100 Series computer programs written in BASIC to run unmodified on the

IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...

and compatibles under

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and share programs and data on CoreNet, the LAN for all these models.

Timeline

References

* * * {{IBM personal computers 5120 Computer-related introductions in 1980