Compaq

Compaq Computer Corporation, commonly known as Compaq, was an American computer company that produced personal computers and related hardware. It was founded in 1982 by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto, three former Texas Instruments engineers, in Houston, Texas. Compaq quickly established itself as a major IBM PC compatible producer and released the Compaq Portable in 1982, the first IBM PC compatible portable computer.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Compaq expanded its product lines to include desktop PCs (Deskpro), portable notebooks (Armada and Evo lines), servers, and workstations. The company grew rapidly and became one of the leading suppliers of IBM PC compatibles, helping to drive the industry toward standardized, affordable personal computers.

In 2002, Hewlett-Packard acquired Compaq for approximately $25 billion in stock and cash, a merger that created one of the world's largest PC manufacturers and broadened HP's presence in enterprise markets. HP integrated Compaq’s offerings into its operations, and the Compaq brand continued to appear on some products for several years before being largely phased out in favor of HP branding, as part of broader corporate restructuring in the 2010s.

Compaq's legacy includes contributing to the widespread adoption of IBM PC compatibility and influencing the design and manufacturing practices that shaped the modern personal computer market.