While a freshman pre-med student at the University of Texas, Michael Dell started an informal business putting together and selling upgrade kits for personal computers in Room 2713 of the Dobie Center residential building.[15][16] He then applied for a vendor license to bid on contracts for the State of Texas, winning bids by not having the overhead of a computer store.[17][18][19]

In January 1984, Dell believed that the potential cost savings of a manufacturer selling PCs directly had enormous advantages over the conventional indirect retail channel.[20] In January 1984, Dell registered his company as "PC's Limited". Dell’s strategy was to sell directly to customers by manufacturing computers only after they were ordered. This is an original keyboard purchased from PC'S LIMITED TURBO PC.