What if the transistor had gone differently?

A pea-sized switch replaces the fragile, power-hungry vacuum tube.

If it had gone differently: Computers stay room-sized, rare and institutional; there is no personal, portable, cheap electronics.

The real history on Wikipedia ↗

Later turning points that leaned on the transistor. Change it in the game and the ripples reach all of these.

1. 1958The integrated circuit. Without it, Electronics stay built from discrete parts, wired by hand; the computer never leaves the air-conditioned room.
2. 1977The personal computer. Without it, Computers stay institutional machines; there is no home computing, no software industry, no user base for a web.
3. 1991The World Wide Web. Without it, Networked computers stay the preserve of universities and corporations; there is no open web for anyone to publish to.