The "FIRST PC" and personal timelines (Was: And what were the80s

From: allisonp_at_world.std.com <(allisonp_at_world.std.com)>
Date: Fri Apr 23 07:39:09 1999

> of the "average" American. First of all, it was over a month's pay for the
> average American, it was equivalent to six months' groceries for a family of
> four, and you could get a refrigerator or a washer, neither of which were
> routine discretionary expenditures for the "average" American of that time.
> That was during and immediately after the Korean war, when a 4-bedroom house
> on a 1/4-acre lot cost $4600. That same house, now, in California would
> cost you $4600 a month to rent. People's attitudes about what's important
> enough to spend your money on have changed considerably.

The nubers you quote are not universal or reflected everywhere in the
US.

On LI NY, 1960:

        My father made roughly 100$ take home.
        My mother made 54$ as nurses aid.
        My parent house cost $18,000 in 1957 (1/3 acre)
        Neither car was never than three years old.
        A washer was 110$
        A dryer (electric) was 122$
        Bazooka gum was 1 cent a piece
        Weeks food from the A&P for 5 was ~33$
        The PDP-1 was considered groundbreaking for it's low
        price of $120,000.

By 1964

        a 19 inch portable black and white TV was 120$ and still used
        tubes.

In 1971

        A new chevy pickup was 2700$
        A used 8i system could be had for 2-3000 with peripherals(disks)
        A new Cincinatti Milichron CM2000 basic machine was $2000.

in short use real numbers.

Allison
Received on Fri Apr 23 1999 - 07:39:09 BST