Chapitre 1 - Information systems II Personal computers From the 1970s to the 1990s computer machines became smaller, faster, and more affordable. Personal computers (PC) or microcomputers replaced the old user terminals. Information systems started to be based on a client- server architecture in which one machine was dedicated to being the server providing functionality to other machines acting as clients. That type of architecture can also be named a masterslave configuration. Laptop or portable computers which could rest on someone's lap emerged in the early 1980s. Apple introduced the first tablet computer, the iPad, with a touchscreen and no visible keyboard in 2010. Next came the smartphone which performs many computer functions and is considered a disruptive innovation or a game changer. Steve Jobs (1955-2011), the co- founder of Apple Computers, launched the iPhone in 2007. & TECHNICAL TERMS A user terminal A client- server architecture A server Functionality A master- slave configuration A disruptive innovation A game changer & COMMON TERMS * Common nouns A computer machine A personal computer (PC) A microcomputer A laptop or portable computer A lap A tablet computer A touchscreen A smartphone Un terminal utilisateur Une architecture client- serveur Un serveur (informatique) Des fonctionnalités Une configuration maître- esclave Une innovation de rupture Un outil qui change la donne Un ordinateur informatique Un ordinateur individuel Un micro- ordinateur Un ordinateur portable Les genoux (le tour de piste, la longueur) Une tablette informatique Un écran tactile Un smartphone 203