Personal computers based on Intel microprocessors and running some form of Microsoft Windows as the operating system - 'Wintel' machines - are the dominant platform for what is called 'personal productivity', or PCs used in the office.
Large networked systems are still on either proprietary systems or Unix and the world of design and desktop printing is dominated by Apple.
The main problem with personal productivity is that it is often far too personal and not all that productive. The PC came into being as a stand-alone device that one could use for processing words, manipulating a spreadsheet and accessing a small database.
The intention was never to connect to the outside world. This personal productivity in isolation is rapidly coming to an end.
Despite the success of Wintel machines on the desktop, they are surprisingly ill-prepared for networking.
Most PCs require the addition of cards and software to make them able to be networked and, even then, it often takes someone who really knows what he is doing to set it up.
