Over the past thirty years, as the personal computer has gone from technical marvel to part of our everyday
lives, it has also become a commodity. The PC has become a commodity in the sense that there is very little
differentiation between computers, and the primary factor that controls their sale is their price. Hundreds of
manufacturers all over the world now create parts for personal computers. Dozens of companies buy these
parts and assemble the computers. As commodities, there are essentially no differences between computers
made by these different companies. Profit margins for personal computers are razor-thin, leading hardware
developers to find the lowest-cost manufacturing