Legacy-free PC
Encyclopedia
A legacy-free PC is a type of personal computer
that lacks a floppy drive, legacy ports, an ISA
bus (or sometimes, any internal expansion bus at all). According to Microsoft, "The basic goal for these requirements is that the operating system, devices, and end users cannot detect the presence of the following: ISA slots or devices; legacy floppy disk controller (FDC); and PS/2, serial, parallel, and game ports." A USB adaptor may be used if an older device must be connected to a PC lacking these ports. According to the 2001 edition of Microsoft's PC System Design Guide
, a legacy-free PC must be able to boot from a USB device.
These computers were introduced around 2000 after the prevalence of USB and the internet
made many of the older ports and devices obsolete. They largely took the form of low-end, consumer systems with the motivation of making computers less expensive, easier to use, and more stable and manageable. Apple's iMac
was the first example, drawing much criticism for its lack of a floppy drive and popularizing USB itself. Dell's WebPC
was an early less-successful Wintel
legacy-free PC. Today the Dell Studio
Hybrid, Asus Eee Box
and MSI Wind PC
are successful Intel-based legacy-free PCs.
Doing away with older, usually more bulky ports and devices allows a legacy-free PC to be much more compact than earlier systems and many fall into the nettop
form factor. Netbooks could also be considered a portable form of a legacy-free PC. Upgradability of legacy-free PCs is less than traditional beige box
PCs; when a legacy-free PC is obsolete, a new PC is purchased rather than the existing one upgraded. Many legacy-free PCs include modern devices that may be used to replace ones omitted, such as a memory card reader
replacing the floppy drive.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
that lacks a floppy drive, legacy ports, an ISA
Industry Standard Architecture
Industry Standard Architecture is a computer bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers introduced with the IBM Personal Computer to support its Intel 8088 microprocessor's 8-bit external data bus and extended to 16 bits for the IBM Personal Computer/AT's Intel 80286 processor...
bus (or sometimes, any internal expansion bus at all). According to Microsoft, "The basic goal for these requirements is that the operating system, devices, and end users cannot detect the presence of the following: ISA slots or devices; legacy floppy disk controller (FDC); and PS/2, serial, parallel, and game ports." A USB adaptor may be used if an older device must be connected to a PC lacking these ports. According to the 2001 edition of Microsoft's PC System Design Guide
PC System Design Guide
The PC System Design Guide is a series of hardware design requirements and recommendations for IBM PC compatible personal computers, compiled by Microsoft and Intel Corporation during 1997–2001...
, a legacy-free PC must be able to boot from a USB device.
These computers were introduced around 2000 after the prevalence of USB and the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
made many of the older ports and devices obsolete. They largely took the form of low-end, consumer systems with the motivation of making computers less expensive, easier to use, and more stable and manageable. Apple's iMac
IMac
The iMac is a range of all-in-one Macintosh desktop computers built by Apple. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through five distinct forms....
was the first example, drawing much criticism for its lack of a floppy drive and popularizing USB itself. Dell's WebPC
WebPC
The WebPC was a short-lived personal computer designed by Dell Computer for the consumer market. The computer was designed to make it easy for home users to connect to the Internet. A small form factor machine, the WebPC was an early system in a class known as legacy-free PCs.- Specifications and...
was an early less-successful Wintel
Wintel
Wintel is a portmanteau of Windows and Intel, referring to personal computers using Intel x86 compatible processors running Microsoft Windows...
legacy-free PC. Today the Dell Studio
Dell Studio
Dell's Studio brand is a range of laptops and desktops targeted at the mainstream consumer market. The computers sit above Dell's Inspiron and below the XPS consumer lines in price and specifications...
Hybrid, Asus Eee Box
ASUS Eee Box
Asus EeeBox PC is a nettop computer line from ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated, and a part of the Asus Eee product family. First released on August 11, 2008 , the Asus EeeBox PC series is marketed as a small, light, inexpensive and energy-efficient counterpart to the Asus Eee PC netbook / subnotebook...
and MSI Wind PC
MSI Wind PC
The MSI Wind Notebook is a family of subnotebooks / netbooks designed by Micro-Star International . Wind stands for "Wi-Fi Network Device". The first model was announced at CeBIT 2008, and first listed for pre-orders on May 9, 2008. While initially 8.9- and 10.1-inch screen versions existed, as...
are successful Intel-based legacy-free PCs.
Doing away with older, usually more bulky ports and devices allows a legacy-free PC to be much more compact than earlier systems and many fall into the nettop
Nettop
Nettop may refer to:*Nettop, a type of computer*NetTop, a NSA project...
form factor. Netbooks could also be considered a portable form of a legacy-free PC. Upgradability of legacy-free PCs is less than traditional beige box
Beige box
In consumer computer products, a beige box is a standard personal computer . It has come to be used as a term of derision implying conservative or dated aesthetics and unremarkable specifications....
PCs; when a legacy-free PC is obsolete, a new PC is purchased rather than the existing one upgraded. Many legacy-free PCs include modern devices that may be used to replace ones omitted, such as a memory card reader
Memory card reader
A memory card reader is a device, typically having a USB interface, for accessing the data on a memory card such as a CompactFlash , Secure Digital or MultiMediaCard...
replacing the floppy drive.
See also
- NettopNettopNettop may refer to:*Nettop, a type of computer*NetTop, a NSA project...
- NetbookNetbookNetbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
- PC 2001
- WebPCWebPCThe WebPC was a short-lived personal computer designed by Dell Computer for the consumer market. The computer was designed to make it easy for home users to connect to the Internet. A small form factor machine, the WebPC was an early system in a class known as legacy-free PCs.- Specifications and...
- iPAQ (desktop computer)IPAQ (desktop computer)The iPAQ Desktop Personal Computer in its various incarnations was a Legacy-free PC produced by the Compaq Computer Corporation around the year 2000....
- Network computerNetwork computerNetwork Computer is a trademark of Oracle Corporation that was used, from approximately 1996 to 2000, to market a range of diskless desktop computer devices. The devices were designed and manufactured by an alliance, which included Sun Microsystems, IBM, and others...
- Thin clientThin clientA thin client is a computer or a computer program which depends heavily on some other computer to fulfill its traditional computational roles. This stands in contrast to the traditional fat client, a computer designed to take on these roles by itself...