First published in The Sydney Morning Herald on February 10, 1983.

IBM launched its Personal Computer in Sydney yesterday using Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp to spearhead a $1 million advertising campaign.

According to IBM’s managing director, Mr Brian Finn, the advertising outlay for the Personal Computer is greater than the entire IBM advertising budget for last year. The basic processor sells for $3,224, and this includes a keyboard, a 64K memory bank- and a 160KB diskette drive. However, this system cannot be connected yet to television screens in Australia, so a monitor must also be purchased.

The starter system, which includes a display screen, sells for $4,273, the graphics system for $4,843, and the business system for $6,443. IBM will sell its microcomputer through the IBM Shop in the city and a network of 18 dealers which have 41 outlets throughout Australia. According to IBM, between 70 and 85 per cent of Personal Computer sales will be made through ihe authorised dealer network.

IBM is reticent to discuss projected sales and market shares, or even to disclose information about the market performance of its Personal Computer in the United States, where it was launched 16 months ago. However, industry sources believe it will eventually corner the lion’s share of the microcomputer market in Australia.

Even its competitors acknowledge that IBM’s microcomputer will be a big seller. At a press conference earlier this week, the managing director of Olivetti Australia, Mr Ike Honigstock, named IBM as Olivetti’s main rival in the microcomputer market. “Probably we will see a reduction to four or five major suppliers who will dominate 80 per cent of the microcomputer business,” he predicted, hinting that Olivetti and IBM would be two of the chosen few.

However, when it comes to extolling the virtues of its microcomputer, IBM is not so word wary. Guests attending yesterday’s launch were bombarded with superlatives and hyperbole. “This is the computer for just about everyone who has ever wanted a personal system in the office, on the university campus or at home,” Mr Finn said. “We believe its performance reliability and ease of use make it the most advanced affordable personal computer in the market place.

About 70 guests, including dealers and journalists, were greeted by an actor dressed as Charlie Chaplin, who pinned a red rose on each person as they arrived. Dealers and IBM personnel chatted enthusiastically about the machine. One dealer left his red Porsche, parked conspicuously outside the venue, showing off his licence plate — IBM PC.

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Later during lunch the same dealer told everyone who wanted to listen how, in the United States, there is a magazine called PC which is published exclusively for IBM Personal Computer users. “It’s that thick,” he said describing it with his” thumb and forefinger, “and the guy who started it up, sold it six months later for $4 million.”

Unfortunately, not many Australian-made components are used in the fully-assembled Personal Computer. In fact, only the power cord is locally made, by an Adelaide company.