ABSTRACT
Over the last thirty years, the US computer industry has undergone extremely rapid technological change which has helped it to achieve a position of international leadership. The industry has long been one of the fastest-growing sectors of the US economy. The only decline in the value of US computer shipments was during two recessions in 1971 and 1975. The fourth-generation computer systems introduced in the 1970s featured large-scale integrated circuitry, modular memory components, standardized communications systems, networking, remote diagnostics, mass storage, data base orientation, and distributed processing. These new systems combined reduced cost of calculations with an increase in computing speed. High growth rates in certain sectors of the US computer industry have been highlighted by the emergence of small firms responsible for such technological innovations as minicomputers and microcomputers, and a wide variety of storage and terminal devices. This industry segment has been pioneered by start-ups such as Apple Computer and Commodore International.
