[kutkloon7]

I think it is also very much a chicken-and-egg problem. Without software for personal computers, there is no need for personal computers. When there are no people with personal computers, it is not interesting to write software for personal computers.

Then again, why would someone want a personal computer in that time? The things computers are used for now are broadly: 1. Multimedia 2. Communication 3. Administration 4. Computing (for example in science or finance)

The only purpose where you actually need a computer is for computing. This is not something that you typically do at home. It was simply not conventional to use a computer for other purposes at the time. There were no fancy HD screens and the like, and no ubiquitous internet access.

[digi_owl]

Supposedly what sold the AppleII was Visicalc. Because now accountants didn't have to argue with the sysadmin about compute time.

Yes it was slower than the beast in the basement. Yes it was more limited. But it allowed accounting to present management as requested without having to stall for time on the beast.