This text serves as a comprehensive technical reference for the state of computational hardware and software standards as they existed in the late 1980s. Leroy E. Doggett compiles data relevant to the professional computing environment of 1989, providing a snapshot of the industry's technical specifications and operational norms. The work functions as a repository of information for researchers and practitioners needing to understand the constraints and capabilities of systems during this specific historical period.

Experts view this almanac as a valuable primary source for historians of technology documenting the transition period of late-twentieth-century computing. Readers frequently note the high density of technical data, which serves as a reliable reference for verifying the capabilities of legacy systems.