The decade of the personel computer.  Commpdore PET, Radioshack TRS 80 and Apple II  all have competing PCs started in the late 70s but Apple wins out with a 'cooler look' and easier to us system. PS You can still find some of these in classrooms!  Microsoft in a deal with IBM (with a MS-DOS a system modified  from QDOS a system bought for $50,000  and Intel  develops the IBM PC. Apple develops a WIndows system (mouse, icons, pull down menus based on the Zerox PARC Alto [first Windows computer]) the Lisa and then follows up with the Macintosh(1984).   Bill Gates was on the Mac development group, MacWrite, and went home and started developing a Windows system for the IBM PC wich was reportedly workable in the early 90s.

Me: I teach BASIC for CS and Business, change "Computer Gamess" class to "Byte of The Apple", with Larry Taylor develop a "Computer Camp" for 8-16 year olds  [we teach this for 10 summers at CSUB extended studies], change "Byte of the Apple" class changed to GS390 "Introduction to Computers" as it becomes a requirement for  Sociology, Psychogy, Education, etc.

Technology: People are becoming aware of PCs. Each school classroom in California is given an Apple IIe creating lots of subsequent orders.