Final answer:
In the early 1980s, the normalization of hardware and software on PCs occurred due to companies like Apple and IBM offering fully assembled computers with user-friendly interfaces and microprocessors, facilitating widespread use in organizations and homes.
Step-by-step explanation:
By the early 1980s, the landscape of computing had dramatically transformed. Companies such as Apple, Commodore, and Tandy were already offering fully assembled personal computers, initiating a revolution that made computing accessible to businesses and homes alike. This era marked the beginning of a standardized hardware and software ecosystem for personal computers. Notably, in 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh, which significantly altered user interaction with computers through its mouse and graphical user interface. The technology's affordability and user-friendly design propelled PCs into a ubiquitous presence, beyond mere hobbyist appeal to mainstream consumers and organizations.
As the decade progressed, the intense competition between companies like Apple and IBM drove the widespread adoption of PCs, greatly aided by the ground-breaking invention of the microchip. The device's reduced size and cost, alongside enhanced computing power, made personal computers a standard fixture in many sectors. By the end of the 1980s, personal computers were not only omnipresent, but microprocessors had become integral to various gadgets and systems in the developed world. This broad standardization of PCs introduced significant changes in how people interacted with technology, ultimately leading to the computers that we know today.