Because back then, having such power would entail a computer half the size of your room!
Yup, power equaled big and expensive back theni xD
I just miss that time when I used to go to Radio Shack and bought diodes, LEDs, resistors, PCB boards, threw them in my backpack and rode my bike to my bro so we could make alarms, radios, amplifiers and other fun electronic things (big time nostalgic with a lump in my throat).
If I were the same age now and I had a Raspberry Pi I think I would go nuts. xD