<P> Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977 , and becoming common during the 1980s . They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that , for the first time , were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user . These computers were a distinct market segment that typically cost much less than business , scientific or engineering - oriented computers of the time such as the IBM PC , and were generally less powerful in terms of memory and expandability . However , a home computer often had better graphics and sound than contemporary business computers . Their most common uses were playing video games , but they were also regularly used for word processing , doing homework , and programming . </P>
when did computer become widespread in homes and schools
1980s