The IBM PC Jr. was considered a flop because it was more focused on being a business computer instead of helping people with their personal tasks at home. Although it had good technical capabilities, there weren't enough applications available to assist users in getting their jobs done. This lack of practicality and relevance to users outside of the office contributed to its failure. The New York Times writers and intended users realized this when they interacted with the PC Jr. and found that it didn't address their real-life problems. They already had more powerful computers at work, so there was no need for a similar device at home.