Don Estridge, a mid-level IBM executive, was instrumental in the creation of the IBM PC, a project that senior management initially dismissed. Tasked with developing a personal computer, Estridge assembled a team of unconventional thinkers who rapidly designed and launched the IBM PC in 1981. This breakthrough product went on to dominate the personal computer market, revolutionizing the industry.

In this essay, published first on Every and now adapted for audio, writer Gareth Edwards explores how Estridge's leadership and innovative team brought about a computing revolution, highlighting his critical yet often overlooked role in shaping the personal computer era.

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