Complex sentence: Econet was developed in a time (late 1970's to early 1980's) when standalone computers were common both domestically as well as in business environments: and networks were beginning to slowly spread, often seen as exotic large campus or institution wide projects.
Split into simpler sentences: Econet was developed in a time (late 1970s to early 1980s) when standalone computers were common both domestically as well as in business environments. Networks were beginning to slowly spread, often seen as exotic campus or institution-wide projects.