Computers and shareware / trialware
Before software matters, there must be computers.
HARDWARE:
Early 1970s, several hobbyist computers were available as kits, and really were not capable of much.
1975 The IBM General Systems Division announced the IBM 5100 Portable Computer in September 1975. It was a desktop machine of about 50 pounds, could be programmed in APL and BASIC. Definitely not in [...]