I am old enough to remember IBM dominating the mainframe market in the 1970s. Honeywell, ICL, Burroughs et al were still trying to bash down our door but IBM’s selling technique won the day.

It seemed no sooner had we installed the thing than someone walked in and said, guess what? Yes, you guessed it; mainframes are on their way out.

They are dead. Why? The mini is going to take over. There is this company called DEC that has this mini computer that takes up less space etc, etc.

We now know that DEC did a great job with the mini. Along came the competition, Stratus, HP and so on but the mainframe lived on.

Next it was the Desktop Computer, Personal Computer or PC. Even when the PC was a slow and cumbersome beast I remember the paranoia of the people who relied on mainframes for their jobs. Mainframes are dead, yet again.

That IBM mainframe in the 70s was a joy to work with after the limited “old lady” we had been working with but it did have its limitations and frustrations. The manuals and IBM programming courses taught you techniques to use with this new wonder beast.

Trouble was, when you tried some of these techniques everything else running in the mainframe ground to a halt! Try the same thing using a modern Desktop Computer and you have no problem.

Using a graphics application on your home PC used to be a challenge. Just look what you can do now. Go onto the website of a company, Dell just to name one, and you can configure your Desktop Computer to suit your needs, press a button to buy it. Configure it for business, home, entertainment, whatever your requirements.

Of course the main part of your “desktop computer” now sits on the floor. No longer do you have to have two desks, one to work on and one for your PC. Unless you are a status junky of course! Slimline monitors, wireless keyboard and mouse have all made such a difference to the way we work with our essential piece of equipment.

Buying Desktop Computers on the Internet has opened up choice and brought prices down. Specifications, prices and deals are so much more visible to the marketplace than they once were. For many that is great, for many others it is one big headache.

How do you choose which manufacturer, hardware configuration or operating system? Which software do I really need? And what about a printer, several choices there as well.

They always say you get what you pay for. I still think this is true when you buy your computer. Read the reviews, see what other people say. Do you get free support or do you have to pay from the moment you sign the deal. Before you start, decide upon your budget and keep to it. You set your budget for a reason – it is what you can afford to spend.

Whether buying on a website or telephoning a salesperson, you will get extras dangled in front of your nose. “Never be offered at this low price again”. “Say no now and it is gone for ever”. “You should really extend your warranty and it will only cost you”.

You have heard it all before. Stick to what you can afford. Get the best that you can for the money you have in your pocket or purse and enjoy working and playing with your new Desktop Computer.

Oh by the way, something tells me that Desktop Computer Systems and Desktop Home Computers are going to be with us for just a little bit longer!