PC

1. Also known as a Desktop and single-user computer, PC is short for Personal Computer and is a term coined by Ed Roberts when he introduced the MITS Altair 8800. This term is commonly used in the computer industry to describe an IBM or IBM compatible computer even though the term PC can refer to any personal computer including an Apple Macintosh computer. To the right is a picture of the Dell Precision 390 computer courtesy of Dell Inc and an example of a Desktop PC.

• See our computer definition for more detailed information about computers.

2. An abbreviation used for percent, per cent, or percentage.

Also see: Computer, Desktop, IBM compatible, Macintosh, Platform