Father of IBM personal computer: William C Lowe dead

William C Lowe (72), who pioneered the conception and manufacturing of IBM’s first personal computer, passed away in Lake Forest, Illinois.

William C Lowe:

Lowe joined IBM in 1962, when he finished college with a physics degree. In 1980, William C Lowe, who was a lab director at that time, proposed the idea that IBM should develop a personal computer that could be mass marketed. He persuaded his bosses that he could set up a team to build a personal computer in a year. Lowe and his team developed the IBM PC by adopting open architecture, using parts and software from outside vendors, including Microsoft. In 1981, the IBM 5150 personal computer was launched, several years after Apple had brought its first computer to market.

Lowe went on to serve as an IBM vice president and president of its entry systems division, which oversaw the development and manufacturing of IBM’s personal computers and other businesses. He left the company in 1988 to work for Xerox, and later became president of Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.