Compaq's Game-Changing Portable: The Birth of PC Clones
Update: 2025-11-09
Description
On November 9, 1982, Compaq introduced the Compaq Portable, the first true IBM PC clone, boasting near-perfect compatibility with IBM applications. Navigating legal challenges, Compaqs reverse-engineered BIOS avoided copyright disputes, enabling a marketing claim of 100% compatibility. The Portables success, selling 53,000 units in its first year, sparked the PC clone industry, generating $111 million in revenue and inspiring competitors to join the market, leading to hundreds of millions in annual revenue.
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