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1517

Coffee, without which little progress would have been made in the computer sciences, is introduced in Europe

1853

To Babbage's delight, the Scheutzes complete the first full-scale difference engine, which they call a Tabul- ating Machine. It operates on 15-digit numbers and 4th-order differences, and produces printed output as Babbage's would have. A second machine is later built to the same design by the firm of Brian Donkin of London.

1886

Dorr E. Felt (1862-1930), of Chicago, makes his "Comptometer". This is the first calculator where the operands are entered merely by pressing keys rather than having to be, for example, dialed in. It is feasible because of Felt's invention of a carry mechanism fast enough to act while the keys return from being pressed.

1889

Felt invents the first printing desk calculator.

1890

US Census results are tabulated for the first time with sig- nificant mechanical aid: the punch card tabulators of Herman Hollerith (1860-1929) of MIT, Cambridge, Mass. This is the start of the punch card industry. The cost of the census tabulation is 98% *higher* than the previous one, in part because of the temptation to use the machines to the fullest and tabulate more data than formerly possible, but the tabulation is completed in a much shorter time. Another precedent is that the cards are read electrically.

(Contrary to popular impression and to earlier versions of this chronology, Hollerith's cards of 1890 are not the same size as US paper money of the time; they are much smaller. Other sizes of punch cards will also appear within a few years.)

1935

International Business Machines introduces the "IBM 601", a punch card machine with an arithmetic unit based on relays and capable of doing a multiplication in 1 second. The machine becomes important both in scientific and commercial computation, and about 1500 of them are eventually made.

Nov 1939

John V. Atanasoff (1903-) and graduate student Clifford Berry (?-1963), of Iowa State College (now the Iowa State University), Ames, Iowa, complete a prototype 16-bit adder. This is the first machine to calculate using vacuum tubes.

Jun 1945

John von Neumann (1903-1957), having joined the ENIAC team, drafts a report describing the future computer eventually built as the "EDVAC" ("Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer" (!)); this is the first description of the design of a stored-program computer, and gives rise to the term "von Neumann computer".

The first draft of the report fails to credit other team members such as Eckert and Mauchly; when this version becomes widely circulated, von Neumann gets somewhat too much credit for the design. The final version corrects the oversight, but too late.

(Von Neumann, also noted for his mental calculating ability, is the only one of the principal computer pioneers in the US familiar with Turing's 1937 paper.)

Nov 1945

John W. Mauchly (pronounced Mawkly; 1907-80) and J. Presper Eckert (1919-) and their team at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, complete a secret project for the US Army's Ballistics Research Lab: a program- mable calculator called the "ENIAC" ("Electronic Numerator, Integrator, Analyzer, and Computer"; some sources have "and Calculator").

The ENIAC's architecture resembles that of the Harvard Mark I, but its components are entirely electronic, incorporating 17,468 vacuum tubes. The machine weighs 30 tons, covers about 1000 square feet of floor, and consumes 130 or 140 kilowatts of electricity.

The machine incorporates 20 accumulators (the original plan was for 4). The accumulators and other units are all connected by several data buses, and a set of "program lines" for synchronization. Each accum- ulator stores a 10-digit number, using 10 bits to represent each digit, and also incorporates circuits to add a number from a bus to the stored number, and to transmit the stored number or its complement to a bus.

A separate unit can perform multiplication (in about 3 milliseconds), while another does division and square roots; the inputs and outputs for both these units use the buses. There are constant registers, as on the Harvard Mark I: 104 12-digit registers forming an array called the "function table". 100 of these registers are directly addressable by a 2-digit number from a bus (the others are used for interpolations). Finally, a card reader is available to input data values, and there is a card punch for output.

The program is set up on a plugboard -- this is considered reasonable since the same or similar program would generally be used for weeks at a time. For example, connecting certain sockets would cause accumulator 1 to transmit its contents onto data bus 1 when a pulse arrived on program line 1; meanwhile several accumulators could be adding the value from that data bus to their stored value, while others could be working independently. The program lines are pulsed under the control of a master unit, which can perform iterations.

The ENIAC's clock speed is 100 kHz.

Mauchly and Eckert apply for a patent. The university disputes this at first, but they settle. The patent is finally granted in 1964, but is overturned in 1973, in part because of the previous work by Atanasoff, with which Mauchly was acquainted.

(The BRL wanted the ENIAC to use on the difficult problem of making aiming tables for use by artillerymen. It isn't ready in time for the war, and overruns its original budget by 225% -- problems that will face Eckert and Mauchly again on later projects.)

Feb 1946

The ENIAC is revealed to the public. A panel of lights is added to help show reporters how fast the machine is and what it is doing; and apparently Hollywood takes note.

Sep 1947

A moth (?-1947) makes the mistake of flying into the Harvard Mark II. A whimsical technician makes the logbook entry "first actual case of bug being found", and annotates it by taping down the remains of the moth.

(The term "bug" was of course already in use; that's why it's funny.)

1947

Frederick Viehe (?-1960), of Los Angeles, applies for a patent on an invention which is to use magnetic core memory.

c.1947

The magnetic drum memory is independently invented by several people, and the first examples are constructed.

(As noted below, some early machines will use drums as main memory rather than secondary memory.)

Wallace Eckert (1902-1971, no relation to Presper Eckert) of IBM, with his team, completes the "SSEC" ("Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator"). This technological hybrid has 8 vacuum tube registers, 150 words of relay memory, and 66 paper tape loops storing a total of 20,000 words. The word size is 20 digits, stored in BCD in the registers.

As with the Harvard Mark I in its later form, the machine can be switched to read instructions from any of the paper tapes. There is also some use of plugboards in its programming. But it can also cache some instructions in memory and read them from there; thus, in effect, it can operate either as a stored-program computer (with a very small program memory) or not. Because it can do this, IBM's point of view is that this is the first computer.

Jun 1948

Newman, Freddie C. Williams, and their team at Manchester University, Manchester, England, complete a prototype machine, the "Mark I" (also called the "Manchester Mark I"). This is the first machine that everyone would call a computer, because it's the first with a true stored-program capability.

It uses a new type of memory developed by F. C. Williams (possibly after an original suggestion by Presper Eckert), which uses the residual charges left on the screen of a CRT after the electron beam has been fired at it. (The bits are read by firing another beam through them and reading the voltage at an electrode beyond the screen.) This is a little unreliable but is fast, and also relatively cheap because it can use existing CRT designs; and it is much more compact than any other memory then existing. The Mark I's main memory of 32 32-bit words occupies a single Williams tube. (Other CRTs on the machine are less densely used: one contains only an accumulator.)

The Mark I's programs are initially entered in binary on a keyboard, and the output is read in binary from another CRT. Later Turing joins the team (see also the "Pilot ACE", below) and devises a primi- tive form of assembly language, one of several developed at about the same time in different places.

May 1949

Maurice Wilkes (1913-) and his team at Cambridge Uni- versity complete the "EDSAC" ("Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer"), which is closely based on the EDVAC design report from von Neumann's group -- Wilkes had attended the 1946 Moore School course. The project is supported both financially and with technical personnel from J. Lyons & Co. Ltd., a large British firm in the food and restaurant business.

This is the first full-scale operational stored-program computer, and is therefore the final candidate for the title of "the first computer".

Its main memory is of a type that had existed for some years, but had not been used for a computing machine: the "ultrasonic delay line" memory. It had been invented originally by William Shockley of Bell Labs (also one of the co-inventors of the transistor, in 1948), and Presper Eckert had made an improved version in connection with radar systems. It works by repeatedly converting from the usual electrical data pulses to ultrasonic pulses directed along, typical- ly, the length of a tank of mercury; on arrival at the other end, the pulses are converted back to electrical form. The memory must be maintained at a particular temperature, and only the few bits currently in electrical form are accessible. In the EDSAC, 16 tanks of mercury give a total of 256 35-bit words (or 512 17-bit words).

The clock speed of the EDSAC is 500 kHz; most instructions take about 1500 ms to execute. Its I/O is by paper tape, and a set of constant registers is provided for booting.

The software eventually supports the concept of relocatable proce- dures with addresses bound at load time.

1950

Douglas Hartree (the leading expert in the country on the specialized computing machines called differential analyzers) gives his professional opinion to Ferranti Ltd., of Manchester: as the 3 existing computer projects will suffice to handle all the calculations that will ever be needed in England, Ferranti would be well advised to drop the idea of making computers for commercial sale.

Mar 1951

Presper Eckert and Mauchly, having sold their company to Remington Rand, complete the first "UNIVAC", which is the first US commercial computer. (The US census department is the first customer.) It has 1000 12-digit words of ultrasonic delay line memory and can do 8333 additions or 555 multiplications per second; it con- tains 5000 tubes and covers 200 square feet of floor. For secondary memory it uses magnetic tapes of nickel-coated bronze; these are 1/2 inch wide, and store 128 characters per inch.

1955

    The first optical fibers are invented.

1957

    In response to Russia's successful launching of Sputnik, President Eisenhower calls for the formation of ARPA, the Advanced Research Projects Agency, which brings together some of America's most brilliant scientists and engineers. In only 18 months, America lalunches its own satellite, the first of many which will establish a world-wide communications network

1958

    Bell Labs develops the modem which enables binary data to be transmitted over telephone lines

July
  • At Texas Instruments, Jack St. Clair Kilby develops the idea of creating a monolithic device (integrated circuit) on a single piece of silicon. [732.22]
September
  • At Texas Instruments, Jack Kilby completes building the first integrated circuit, containing five components on a piece of germanium half an inch long and thinner than a toothpick. [110] [556.9] [732.23] [766.151] (1959 [9])

1959

(month unknown)
  • (early) At Fairchild Semiconductor, Robert Noyce constructs an integrated circuit with components connected by aluminum lines on a silicon-oxide surface layer on a plane of silicon. [732.25] [766.151]

1960

Paul Baran of Rand develops the packet-switching principle for data communication

1962

Dr. J.C.R. Licklider is appointed to lead ARPA and given the mission to develop military uses of computer technology

Paul Baran of RAND publishes "On Distributed Communications Networks" - the basic conept of packet-switching networks, a system that prevents any single outage point from halting communication

The Telstar communications satellite is launched and relays the first transatlantic television broadcast

1963

(month unknown)
  • Douglas Engelbart receives a patent on the mouse pointing device for computers. [651.79]

1965

(month unknown)
  • Intel chairman Gordon Moore suggests that integrated circuits would double in complexity every 18 months. This later becomes known as Moore's Law, and is applied to microprocessor speed. [876.17] [947.102] (1964 [732.18]) (every 12 months [732.18]) (every 12-18 months [941.58])

1964

AT&T demonstrates the picturephone at the New York Worlds Fair

(month unknown)
  • John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz develop the BASIC programming language at Dartmouth College. BASIC is an acronym for Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. [9] [132] [266.140] [801.65]

1967

A plan for a packet-switching network is presented at the ACM Symposium on Operating Principles

1968

Andy Grove, Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce start a little company called Intel

2001: A Space Odyssey is released

1969

Researchers at UCLA proposed to ARPA that they organize a Network Measurement Center to explore the possibilities of networked computers.

ARPA-Net, the forerunner of the Internet, is established by the US Department of Defence.

A primitive network was established between UCLA (Xerox DSS7), Stanford Research Institute (NIC-SDS940), UC Santa Barbara (IBM 360/75), and the University of Utah (DEC PDP-10) in Salt Lake City. By the end of the summer they were ready to see if something typed on a computer at UCLA would appear on the computer at SRI. They began by typing "login". Did it work? Well, they got as far a "g" before the system crashed, but it was a start.

(month unknown)
  • Intel's Marcian (Ted) Hoff designs an integrated circuit chip that could receive instructions, and perform simple functions on data. The design becomes the 4004 microprocessor. [266.12] [556.9]

1970

ALOHAnet is developed by Norman Abrahamson at the University of Hawaii

ARPANET hosts start using Network Control Protocol (NCP).

1971

ARPANET has expanded to15 nodes (23 hosts): UCLA, SRI, UCSB, U of Utah, BBN, MIT, RAND, SDC, Harvard, Lincoln Lab, Stanford, UIU(C), CWRU, CMU, NASA/Ames

To encourage further development of the ARPANET, Larry Roberts asks Bob Kahn of BBN to put together a public demonstration.

(month unknown)
  • IBM introduces the "memory disk", or "floppy disk", an 8-inch floppy plastic disk coated with iron oxide. [202.170] (1965 [363.46])

1972

Bob Kahn demonstrates ARPANET in the basement the Washington (DC) Hilton Hotel by networking 40 computers at universities and research centers around the country. The technicians from AT&T don't think it would work, let alone be of interest to anyone other than a handful of computer scientists and techno-dweebs, but event was a great success and triggered more intensive development of the idea of hooking a bunch of computers together.

The InterNetworking Working Group (INWG) is created to address the need for establishing standardized, agreed upon protocols. The group is chaired by Internet pioneer Vinton Cerf.

Ray Tomlinson of BBN invents an email program to send messages across a distributed network. Ray is also noted in Internet history as the man who decided to use the @ symbol in email addresses.

April
  • Intel introduces its 200-KHz 8008 chip, the first 8-bit microprocessor. It accesses 16 KB of memory. The processor was originally developed for Computer Terminal Corporation (later called Datapoint). It uses 3500 transistors, based on 10-micron technology. Speed is 60,000 instructions per second. [9] [106.104] [208.66] [266.13] [296] [62] [556.10] [900] (1971 [208.70] [266.xiv])
(month unknown)
  • Xerox decides to build a personal computer to be used for research. Project "Alto" begins. [263.58] [266.267] [716.85]

1973

England and Norway make the first international connections to the ARPANET.

Bob Metcalfe, a Harvard University student, outlines the idea of Ethernet in his doctoral thesis.

1974

Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn publish "A Protocol for Packet Network Internetworking" which specified in detail the design of a

Transmission Control Program (TCP).

BBN opens Telenet, a commercial version of ARPANET

April
  • Intel releases its 2 MHz 8080 chip, an 8-bit microprocessor. It can access 64 KB of memory. It uses 6000 transistors, based on 6-micron technology. Speed is 0.64 MIPS. [9] [41] [108] [176.74] [266.30] [296] [346.19] [879.116] (1973 [208.70])
July
  • Radio Electronics magazine publishes an article on building a Mark-8 microcomputer, designed by Jonathan Titus, using the Intel 8008. [208.67]
December
  • Popular Electronics publishes an article by MITS announcing the Altair 8800 computer for US$439 in kit form. It uses the Intel 8080 processor. The Altair pictured on the cover of the magazine is actually a mock-up, as an actual computer was not available. [9] [106.104] [123] [185.109] [192.3] [208.67] [218] [205.18] (US$397 [266.35] [346.19] [353.190] [415.15])

1975

February
  • Paul Allen meets with Ed Roberts to demonstrate the newly written BASIC interpreter for the Altair. Despite never having touched an Altair before, the BASIC works flawlessly. [346.24] [346.257] [606.17]
February
  • Bill Gates and Paul Allen license their newly written BASIC to MITS, their first customer. This is the first computer language program written for a personal computer. [123] [176.122] [389.28]
March
  • Fred Moore and Gordon French hold the first meeting of a new microcomputer hobbyist's club in French's garage, in Menlo Park, California. 32 people meet, including Bob Albrect, Steve Dompier, Lee Felsenstein, Bob Marsh, Tom Pittman, Marty Spergel, Alan Baum, and Steven Wozniak. Bob Albrect shows off an Altair, and Steve Dompier reports on MITS, and how they had 4000 orders for the Altair. [185.110] [266.104] [301.55] [346.18] [353.200] [346.257] [930.31] (April [208.67] 266.39)
April
  • Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Micro-Soft (the hyphen is later dropped). [41] (July [346.26]) (August [346.257])
April
  • MITS delivers the first generally-available Altair 8800, sold for US$375 with 1 KB memory. [208.67] (256 bytes [266.38])
June
  • MOS Technology announces the MC6501 at US$20 and the MC6502 at US$25. At this point, the Intel 8080 costs about US$150. [9] [261.304]
July
  • Dick Heiser opens Arrow Head Computer Company, subtitled "The Computer Store", in Los Angeles, selling assembled Altairs, boards, peripherals, and magazines. This is the first retail computer store in the USA. [266.185] [684.41]

1976

March
  • Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs finish work on a computer circuit board, that they call the Apple I computer. [46]
March
  • Intel introduces the 5 MHz 8085 microprocessor. Speed is 0.37 MIPS. It uses 6500 transistors, based on 3-micron technology. It supports an 8-bit bus. Operates on a single 5-volt power supply. [62] (1978 [120])
April 1
  • Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form the Apple Computer Company, on April Fool's Day. [9] [46] [140] [218] [606.18]

1977

The University of Wisconsin creates THEORYNET, a system which provided electronic mail to over 100 computer science researchers.

First fiber-optic telephone system is tested in Chicago
January
  • Commodore first shows a prototype PET computer at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show. [713.32]
February
  • Bill Gates and Paul Allen sign a partnership agreement to officially create the Microsoft company. [123]
April
  • Commodore Business Machines Inc. shows its PET 2001 computer at the West Coast Computer Faire. The PET includes a 6502 CPU, 4 KB RAM, 14 KB ROM, keyboard, display, and tape drive, for US$600. The computer shown is a one-off prototype. [9] [266.182] [346.46] [445.256] [713.30] [747.74] (US$800 [176.54] [190.81]) (March [41]) (June [624.172])
April
  • Apple Computer introduces the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire. The computer features a 6502 CPU, 4 KB RAM, 16 KB ROM, keyboard, 8-slot motherboard, game paddles, graphics/text interface to color display, and built-in BASIC, for US$1300. It is the first personal computer with color graphics. [9] [41] [46] [120] [140] [176.54] [203.7] [266.182] [346.47] [593.350] (March [185.114]) (July [716.234])
August
  • Radio Shack (a division of Tandy Corp.) announces the TRS-80 microcomputer, with Z80 CPU, 4 KB RAM, 4 KB ROM, keyboard, black-and-white video display, and tape cassette for US$600. [9] [195.49] [202.198] [319.43] [548.413] [862.14] (US$300 [266.198]) (June [41]) (1978 [205.24])

1978

June
  • Intel introduces the 4.77 MHz 8086 microprocessor. It uses 16-bit registers, a 16-bit data bus, and 29,000 transistors, using 3-micron technology. Price is US$360. It can access 1 MB of memory. Speed is 0.33 MIPS. Later speeds included 8 MHz (0.66 MIPS) and 10 MHz (0.75 MIPS). [108] [176.74] [177.102] [216.22] [296] [447.144] [465.25] [477.124] [540.64] [62] [690.94] [879.116] (April [346.61]) (1979 [120])

1979

May
  • Software Arts demonstrates VisiCalc at the 4th West Coast Computer Faire. Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston wrote it during 1978-79, under the company name Software Arts, under contract to Personal Software. [9.202] [80.126] [176.64] [203.9] [218] [266.xv] [346.102] (June [41])
June
  • Apple Computer introduces the Apple II Plus, with 48 KB memory, for US$1195. [46] [200.1] [218] [593.350]

1980

January
  • Hewlett-Packard completes work on the Capricorn project, producing the HP-85. With a 32-character wide CRT display, small built-in printer, cassette tape recorder, and keyboard, it sold for US$3250. [266.265]
February
  • Sinclair Research announces the ZX80 computer in the North American market. It uses a 3.25 MHz NEC Technologies 780-1 8-bit microprocessor, and comes with 1 KB RAM and 4 KB ROM. [9] [185.117] [198.vii] [201.vi] [255.94] [624.170]
May
  • Apple Computer introduces the Apple III at the National Computer Conference, in Anaheim, California. The Apple III uses a 2 MHz 6502A microprocessor, and includes a 5.25-inch floppy drive. Price ranges from US$4500 to US$8000. [9] [176.145] [252.50] [258.208] [266.234] (September [120] [203.58] [593.350])
June
  • Seagate Technologies announces the first Winchester 5.25-inch hard disk drive. It uses four platters, holds 5 MB, and costs US$600. [346.260] [838.S3]
July
  • Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Color Computer. It uses the Motorola 6809E CPU, comes with 4 KB RAM, and sells for US$400. [9] [253.172] [266.199] (August [256.30])
July
  • Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer. It features a 24 character display, with 1.9 KB of programmable memory. Price is US$230. [253.172] [266.198] (August [256.30])
August
  • Microsoft announces the Microsoft XENIX OS, a portable and commercial version of the UNIX operating system for the Intel 8086, Zilog Z8000, Motorola M68000, and Digital Equipment PDP-11. [123] [258.252] [259.6] [369.24]
October
  • Microsoft's Paul Allen contacts Seattle Computer Products' Tim Patterson, asking for the rights to sell SCP's DOS to an unnamed client (IBM). Microsoft pays less than US$100,000 for the right. [346.76]

1981

January
  • Commodore announces the VIC-20, with full-size 61-key plus four function key keyboard, 5 KB RAM expandable to 32 KB, 6502A CPU, 22 character by 23 line text display, and color graphics, for US$299. During its life, production peaks at 9,000 units per day. [254.214] [190.81] [267.54] [268] [275.43] [713.188] [804.17] (1980 June [9])
April
  • Adam Osborne, of Osborne Computer Corporation, introduces the Osborne 1 Personal Business Computer at the West Coast Computer Faire. It features a Z80A CPU, 5-inch display, 64 KB RAM, keyboard, keypad, modem, and two 5.25-inch 100 KB disk drives for US$1795. Weight: 24 pounds. It also includes US$1500 worth of software, including CP/M, BASIC, WordStar, and SuperCalc. Osborne anticipated selling 10,000 in total, but sales quickly reached 10,000 in a single month. [9] [257.8] [203.22] [273.104] [548.412] [862.38] (July [41] [346.99]) (nearly US$2000 worth of software [266.263])
May
  • Xerox unveils the Star 8010, at the National Computer Conference. Many features that were developed on the Alto are incorporated. It includes a bitmapped screen, WYSIWYG word processor, mouse, laser printer, Smalltalk language, Ethernet, and software for combining text and graphics in the same document. At a starting price of US$16-17,000, the computer is not a commercial success. During its lifetime, 100,000 units are produced. [185.121] [203.60] [263.6] [274.28] [275.11] [275.56] [346.261] [444.492] [606.141] [930.57] (cost US$50,000 [9]) (April [394.242] [477.158] [716.233]) (June [266.268]) (Star 820 [716.238])
August
  • IBM announces the IBM 5150 PC Personal Computer, in New York. The PC features a 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 CPU, 64 KB RAM, 40 KB ROM, one 5.25-inch floppy drive (160 KB capacity), and PC-DOS 1.0 (Microsoft's MS-DOS), for about US$3000. Also included is Microsoft BASIC, VisiCalc, UCSD Pascal, CP/M-86, and Easywriter 1.0. A fully loaded version with color graphics costs US$6000. [9] [35] [41] [108] [120] [123] [146] [202.205] [205.28] [266.276] [277.14] [288.192] [346.86] [389.28] [415.48] [443.50] [606.27] [620.108,110] [716.237] [862.170]
September
  • Microsoft begins work on a graphical user interface for MS-DOS, initially called Interface Manager, because it would effectively hide the interface between programs and devices like printers and video cards. [346.175]

1982

January
  • Commodore announces the Commodore 64 microcomputer, showing a prototype at the Winter CES. It features a 6510 processor, 64 KB RAM, 20 KB ROM with Microsoft BASIC, custom SID sound chip, 8 sprites, 16-color graphics, 40-column screen, for US$600) for US$595. It is the first personal computer with an integrated sound synthesizer chip. [9] [190.81] [285.64] [713.235] [812.6] (Summer [804.17]) (June [405.61])
February
  • The first issue of PC Magazine is released. [778.112]
February
  • Intel introduces the 6 MHz 80286 microprocessor. It uses a 16-bit data bus, 134,000 transistors (1.5 microns), and offers protected mode operation. Initial price is US$360 each, in quantities of 100. It can access 16 MB of memory, or 1 GB of virtual memory. Speed is 0.9 MIPS. Later versions operate at 8 MHz, 10 MHz (1.5 MIPS), and 12 MHz (2.66 MIPS). [177.102] [296] [540.64] [690.94] [879.116] [947.102] (130,000 transistors [447.144] [477.124]) (June [405.60]) (July [9] [346.263]) (1984 [108 [120])
March
  • Non-Linear Systems introduces the Kaypro II for US$1795. It features 193 KB dual 5.25-inch floppy drives, 2.5 MHz Z80 processor, 64 KB RAM, CP/M 2.2, Perfect Software family, and a 9-inch 80-column green monochrome screen. It measures 18 x 18 x 15 1/2 inches, and weighs 26 pounds. [396.16] [885.212]
May
  • Microsoft releases MS-DOS 1.1 to IBM, for the IBM PC. It supports 320 KB double-sided floppy disk drives. Microsoft also releases MS-DOS 1.25, similar to 1.1 but for IBM-compatible computers. [146] [346.251] (June [346.263])
June
  • The first IBM PC clone, the MPC, is released by Columbia Data Products. [9] [346.263]
June
  • Intel announces the 80186 microprocessor. [405.60] (July [9]) (1984 [108] [120])
June
  • Digital Equipment announces the dual-processor Rainbow 100. It incorporates both Zilog Z80 and Intel 8088 microprocessors, allowing it to run CP/M as well as CP/M-86 or MS-DOS. It includes 64 KB RAM, expandable to 832 KB, monochrome or color monitor, 80x24 or 132x24 text, optional graphics, dual 5 1/4-inch disk drives holding 400 KB each. Prices start at US$3000. [266.279] [290] [880.100] (8085 and 8088 [289.272]) (March [396.20])
November
  • Lotus Development announces the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program at Comdex in Las Vegas. [41] [346.111] (October [9])
November
  • Compaq Computer introduces the Compaq Portable PC: 4.77 MHz 8088, 128 KB RAM, 9-inch monochrome monitor, one 320 KB 5.25-inch disk drive, price US$3000. It cost Compaq US$1 million to create an IBM-compatible ROM BIOS that did not violate IBM's copyright. [1] [108] [117] [346.263] [618.171] (January 1983 [47] [203.23] [346.95]) (March 1983 [41])

1983

January
  • Apple Computer officially unveils the Lisa computer. It features a 5 MHz 68000 microprocessor, 1 MB RAM, 2 MB ROM, a 12-inch B/W monitor, 720x364 graphics, dual 5.25-inch 860 KB floppy drives, and a 5 MB Profile hard drive. It is slow, but innovative. Its initial price is US$10,000. The Lisa cost Apple Computer US$50 million to develop. It is the first personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). The software for it cost Apple Computer US$100 million to develop. "Lisa" stands for Local Integrated Software Architecture. During its lifetime, 100,000 units are produced. [9] [41] [46] [75] [80] [140] [176.145] [180.16,102] [202.211] [203.63] [346.149] [443.4] [443.42] [447.457] [477.158] [593.350] [606.141] [862.494] ("Lisa" was name of original chief engineer's daughter [930.12]) (1982 January [120])
January
  • Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIe. It features 64 KB RAM, Applesoft BASIC, upper/lower case keyboard, seven expansion slots, 40x24 and 80x24 text, 1 MHz 6502 processor, up to 560x192 graphics, 140 KB 5.25-inch floppy drive, Apple DOS 3.3, for US$1400. [46] [75] [120] [199.1] [200.1] [443.4] [443.68] [593.350] [862.494]
January
  • Atari introduces the 1200XL home computer, with 64 KB RAM, and 256 color capability. Price: US$900. [300.46]
January
  • Commodore introduces the SX-64, the first color portable computer. Weight is 10.5 kg. It incorporates a 5-inch color monitor and one or two 5.25 inch floppy drive. Price is US$1600. [190.81] [349.16] [444.496] [713.255]
January
  • Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3 Release 1.0 for MS-DOS. US$1 million was spent on promoting the release. It requires 256 KB of RAM, more than any microcomputer program at the time. Jonathan Sachs was the programmer, with Mitch Kapor as the software designer. [41] [217] [120] [346.111] [502.49] [548.429] [627.5,73] [618] [618.149]
March
  • IBM announces the IBM Personal Computer XT. It features a 10 MB hard drive, eight expansion slots, serial port, 128 KB RAM, 40 KB ROM, keyboard, one 360 KB floppy drive, and uses Intel's 8088 microprocessor. Cost is US$4995. [35] [41] [75] [116] [120] [205.31] [346.264] [902.256,298] (February [9])
March
  • Microsoft announces MS-DOS 2.0 for PCs. It was written from scratch, supporting 10 MB hard drives, a tree-structured file system, and 360 KB floppy disks. [117] [130] [146] [346.264] [748.29]
April
  • Microsoft gives a "smoke-and-mirrors" demonstration of Interface Manager (later called Windows), which consists entirely of overlapping windows, appearing to be running programs simultaneously. [477.160]
May
  • Microsoft introduces its first mouse, "The Microsoft Mouse", including card and software, for US$200. [3] [123] [389.28] (April [346.264])
June
  • Coleco announces the Coleco Adam, at the Summer CES. The Adam is a Z80-based computer with 15 cps 80-column SmartWriter daisy wheel printer, two game controllers, 80 KB RAM (64 KB user RAM, 16 KB video RAM), 3 sound channels, 16-color graphics, compatibility with ColecoVision games, 4 MC6801 microprocessors controlling operation of peripherals, word processor in ROM, full keyboard, CP/M compatibility, BASIC compatible with Applesoft BASIC, and 512 KB tape-cartridge device, for US$599. [9] [336.4] [364.43] [202.210] [363.54] [364.43] [530.200] [885.230] (1984 [176.146])
June
  • At the Consumer Electronics Show, Atari introduces the Atari 800 XL, with 64 KB RAM. [885.230]
October
  • IBM introduces PC-DOS 2.1 with the IBM PCjr. [146]
November
  • IBM announces the IBM PCjr. It features an Intel 8088 CPU, 64 KB RAM, detached keyboard, two cartridge slots, joystick, light pen, serial port, for US$669. Price with 5 1/4-inch floppy drive and 128 KB RAM is US$1269. Code name during development was "Peanut". [9] [116] [120] [266.281] [35] [41] [357.28] [483.D4] [658.41] [880.104] [910.7]
November
  • Microsoft formally announces Microsoft Windows, at the Plaza Hotel in New York. It is promised for release in April, 1984. [9] [45] [123] [137] [228.53] [346.177] [389.28] [416.67] [477.158] [548.159] [909.228]
November
  • Borland International releases Turbo Pascal for CP/M and 8086-based computers. [176.122] (first advertised in October [9] [346.265]) (ships in 1984 [795.90])
November
  • Microsoft officially releases Microsoft Word 1.0, for US$375, or US$475 with the Microsoft Mouse. [346.129] [502.49]
(month unknown)
  • Iomega introduces the Bernoulli Box storage device. [656.37]
(month unknown)
  • Syquest introduces its SyQuest storage cartridge system to the PC market. [612.209]

1984

January
  • Apple Computer runs its "1984" commercial during the NFL SuperBowl, introducing the Macintosh computer. Apple Computer runs the ad only once, but dozens of news and talk shows replay it, making it one of the most memorable ads in TV history. The ad cost US$1.5 million. [46] [180.169] [185.121] [203.64] [582.116] [617.16] [716.13]
January
  • Judge Harold Greene breaks up AT&T Bell Systems. [701.52]
February
  • Microsoft releases Multiplan v1.1 for the PC. [346.111]
(month unknown)
  • Hewlett-Packard introduces the LaserJet laser printer, featuring 300dpi resolution, and 8 page-per-minute speed, for about US$3,600. [16] [117] [218] [314.173] [582.90] [618.220] [912.50]
April
  • Apple Computer unveils the Apple IIc with an intense publicity extravaganza, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Priced at US$1300, 2,000 dealers place orders for more than 52,000 units on the day of its introduction. The IIc uses a 65C02A microprocessor, 128 KB RAM, weighs 7.5 pounds, includes a 3.5-inch floppy drive, supports 40- or 80-column screens, and allows both QWERTY and Dvorak keyboard layouts. [46] [75] [120] [199.1] [200.14] [218] [358.76] [593.350] [880.94,127] (May [9])
(month unknown)
  • Phoenix Software begins licensing its IBM PC compatible ROM BIOS to computer manufacturers. [912.10]
June
  • Motorola introduces the 16 MHz 68020 processor, a 32-bit version of the 68000, in CMOS, with on-board cache. [9] [934] (1986 [120])
June
  • Commodore announces the Commodore 16 at the Consumer Electronics Show. Former name was TED-16. The machine looks like the VIC-20 and Commodore 64, but has 16 KB of RAM, and is expected to sell for around US$100, and marketed as "The Learning Machine". [366.7] [366.16] [804.18]
June
  • At the Summer CES, Amiga demonstrates a new computer, code-named "Lorraine". [341.6] [804.18]
June
  • Compaq Computer introduces the Compaq Deskpro Model 1. It features a 7.14 MHz 8086 processor, 128 KB RAM, one floppy drive, eight expansion slots, 720x350 monochrome or 320x200 color graphics, for US$2495. MS-DOS 2.11 and MS-BASIC cost US$60. [108] [113] [497.20] [934.44] (July [487.67] [620.114])
August
  • Commodore purchases Amiga Corporation. [6] [9] [341.6] [713.297] [804.18]
August
  • IBM announces the Professional Graphics Controller card, for US$3000. The card takes up two adjacent slots of a PC, and includes an 8 MHz 8088 chip and 384 KB of memory. [81]
(month unknown)
  • Apple Computer buys 15% of Adobe for US$2.5 million. [618.220]

1985

January
  • At the Winter CES, Commodore unveils the Commodore 128 Personal Computer. It functions as three computers in one: a complete Commodore 64, a CP/M mode, and a new 128 KB mode. [8] [342.6] [343.14] [804.18]
January
  • Atari introduces the 520ST: 512 KB RAM, 192 KB ROM, 512 color graphics, MIDI interface, and mouse for US$600. [343.14] [335.18] [357.7]
July
  • Commodore unveils the new Amiga 1000 in New York. It features a multitasking, windowing operating system, using a Motorola 68000 CPU, with 256 KB RAM, and 880 KB 3.5-inch disk drive, for US$1300. [16] [187] (US$1200 [190.81]) (Fall 1985 [814.30])
July
  • NEC Home Electronics introduces its NEC JC-1401P3A Multisync monitor, the first multisyncing monitor. [582.91] [909.230] (1986 [109])
August 22
  • Microsoft and IBM sign a joint-development agreement to work together on future operating systems and environments. [45] [106] [123] [346.267] [909.230]
September
  • Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs resigns from Apple Computer. [16] [46] [75] [346.213] [346.268] [734.11,73]
October
  • Intel introduces the 16 MHz 80386DX microprocessor. It uses 32-bit registers and a 32-bit (16 MHz) data bus, and incorporates 275,000 transistors (1.5 microns). Initial price is US$299. It can access 4 gigabytes of physical memory, or up to 64 terabytes of virtual memory. [41] [75] [176.74] [177.102] [296] [347.61] [477.125] [540.64] [62] [690.94] [879.116] [900] [940.106] [947.102]
November 20
  • Microsoft ships Microsoft Windows 1.0, for US$100. It is delivered two years after the initial announcement of the product. [16] [107] [117] [120] [123] [130] [134] [146] [477.159] [548.159] [909.230] (v1.01 [136] [346.192]) (v1.03 [346.187] [346.268])
(month unknown)
  • CD-ROM drives are introduced for computer use. [849.18]

1986

June
  • At the Summer CES, Commodore announces the Commodore 64C, bundled with GEOS. [804.19] [805]
September
  • Little-known company Advanced Logic Research announces the first Intel 386-based PC, the Access 386 PC. [16] [620.123] [909.231]
September
  • Compaq Computer introduces the first 16 MHz Intel 80386-based PC, the Compaq Deskpro 386. [31] [41] [108] [117] [203.87] [346.197] [346.269] [620.123]
September
  • Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIGS, with the Apple 3.5 drive, for US$1000. It uses the Western Digital Center W65C816 (65816) microprocessor, operating at 1 MHz or 2.8 MHz. [46] [75] [120] [199.1] [218] [593.350]

1987

January
  • At the Winter CES, Commodore announces the Amiga 500. It features a 68000 processor, 512 KB RAM, floppy disk drive, and custom chips for animation, video, and audio. [16] [442.40] [804.19] [814.22]
January
  • At the Winter CES, Commodore announces the Amiga 2000. [16] [804.19] [814.22]
March
  • Apple Computer introduces the open architecture Macintosh II. It uses a 16 MHz 68020 processor. The basic system sells for US$3900. A system with 1 MB RAM, one 800K floppy drive, and a 40 MB hard drive is priced at US$5500. The system features a plug-and-play architecture for expansion cards. [16] [41] [46] [75] [120] [140] [203.68] [593.350] [597.94]
March
  • Apple Computer introduces the expandable Macintosh SE. It uses a 8 MHz 68000 processor, and comes with 1 MB of RAM. A dual floppy system sells for US$2900. With a 20 MB hard drive, price is about US$3800. [16] [46] [75] [120] [593.350] [597.94]
April 1
  • IBM and Microsoft announce Operating System/2 (OS/2) for the IBM PS/2 computer line. [16] [31] [41] [123] [130] [146] [150] [346.200] [346.269] [379.256] [389.28] [415.59] [858.70] [909.231]
April
  • IBM introduces the IBM Personal System/2 (PS/2) line, with IBM's first 386 PC, and 3.5-inch floppy drives as standard. The PS/2 Model 30 uses a 8 MHz 8086, the Model 50 and 60 use the 10 MHz 80286, and the Model 80 uses a 20 MHz 80386. [35] [75] [116] [120] [203.27] [205.34] [330.132] [346.199] [346.269] [415.59] [620.124] [618.285]
April
  • IBM unveils its Video Graphics Array (VGA) in its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line. VGA offers 256 simultaneous colors at a resolution of 320x200, and 16 colors at 640x480. The colors displayed have six bits of depth for each primary color, giving a palette of 262,144 different colors to select from. [116] [120] [346.199]
April
  • IBM introduces its Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) on its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line. [116] [346.199] [346.269] [415.59] [522.165]
October
  • Microsoft unveils the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for Windows, the first major application for Windows. [119] [123] [346.204] [389.28] [477.159] [909.230] (November [346.270])
December
  • Microsoft releases OS/2 1.0. Code name during development was CP DOS. It requires an 80286 and 3 MB RAM. It includes a DOS-compatibility box. [346.270] [379.256] [858.71] [909.231]
(month unknown)
  • Motorola unveils the 68030 microprocessor. [120]

1988

June
  • Intel introduces the 16 MHz 80386SX microprocessor, like the 80386 but with a 16-bit data bus. Price is US$219 each, in quantities of 100. Speed is 2.5 MIPS. [177.103] [296] [477.126] [540.64] [62] [627.82] [879.117]
July
  • IBM ships DOS 4.0. It adds a shell menu interface and support for hard disk partitions over 32 MB. [31] [146]
September
  • Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh IIx computer, using Motorola's 16 MHz 68030 and 68882 processors. Base price is US$7770 with a 1.4 MB SuperDrive floppy drive, and 4 MB RAM, or US$9200 including an 80 MB hard drive. [46] [75] [593.350] [597.95]
October
  • Steve Jobs of NeXT Inc. unveils the first NeXT computer, at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. For US$6500, it features: 25 MHz Motorola 68030 processor and 68882 math coprocessor, 8 MB RAM, 17-inch monochrome monitor, 256 MB read/write magneto-optical drive, and object-oriented NeXTSTEP operating system. It is dubbed the "Cube" because its system box measures 1 foot on all sides. [139] [170.65] [191.76] [203.7] [206.289] [344] [346.280] [734.14,162,166] (August [11])
October 31
  • Microsoft and IBM ship OS/2 1.1 Standard Edition with Presentation Manager. Code name during development was Trimaran. [16] [45] [123] [134] [135] [313.105] [379.256] [477.160] [522.41] [620.125] [778.113] [909.231] (November [858.71])

1989

January
  • Commodore announces that 1 million Amiga computers have been sold. [412.6] (March [638.6])
April
  • Intel announces the 25 MHz 486 microprocessor at Spring Comdex in Chicago, Illinois. It integrates the 386, 387 math coprocessor, and adds an 8 KB primary cache. It uses 1.2 million transistors, employing 1-micron technology. Initial price is US$900. Speed is 20 MIPS. Bus speed is 25 MHz. [16] [75] [176.75] [177.103] [296] [310.8] [312.8] [540.64] [62] [620.131] [879.117] [900] [940.106] [947.102] (US$950 [477.126] [690.94])
April
  • Motorola announces the 68040 microprocessor. It uses about 1.2 million transistors. [312.8] [423.136]

1990

February
  • IBM unveils its new RISC-based workstation line, the RS/6000. Development work had been done under code name "America" for the RISC chip research, and "RIOS" for systems using the America technology. The architecture of the systems is given the name POWER, standing for Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC. [205.116] [734.282]
May 22
  • Microsoft introduces and ships Microsoft Windows 3.0. Microsoft spends US$3 million for opening-day marketing, as part of a US$10 million promotional campaign. [15] [28] [45] [75] [123] [146] [150] [346.239] [346.272] [379.256] [389.29] [477.161] [479.128] [548.159] [595.26] [606.81] [620.130] [618.296] [721.156] [769.4] [909.232]
September
  • NewTek ships the Video Toaster, a hardware/software video effects tool for the Commodore Amiga 2000, for US$1600. [19] [409.21] [539.A-41] [640.6] [644.10] (December [857.68])
October
  • Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh IIx. [75]
(month unknown)
  • IBM introduces the 10 MHz 80286-based IBM PS/1 systems, with built-in VGA and monitor. Prices range from US$1000 to US$2000. [138]
(month unknown)
  • Commodore announces the Amiga 3000, at the Palladium in New York City. The system features a Motorola 16- or 25 MHz 68030, 68881 or 68882 math coprocessor, new Enhanced Chip Set, Zorro III bus, 2 MB RAM, 40- or 100 MB hard drive, AmigaDOS v2.0, and AmigaVision authoring system. Prices start at US$4100 with a monitor. [407.19]

1991

January
  • Commodore releases the CDTV (Commodore Dynamic Total Vision) package. It features a CD-ROM player integrated with a 7.16 MHz 68000-based Amiga 500. List price is US$1000. [406.21] [411.30] (April [641.8])
March
  • Advanced Micro Designs introduces the Am386DX, its first clone chips of Intel's i386DX, at speeds of 20- to 40 MHz. [19] [141] [176.75] [477.127] [540.64] [696.118]
April
  • Intel introduces the 20 MHz i486SX microprocessor. The i486SX is like the 486DX, but without the math coprocessor. Price is US$258. Speed is 16.5 MIPS. [26] [177.103] [296] [477.127] [540.64] [62] [879.117] [900]
May
  • Apple Computer ships its System 7.0 Macintosh operating system, two years after its announcement, for US$100. [27] [46] [75] [346.243] [414.230] [416.196] [548.159] [679.13] [750.52] (1990 [176.65])
June
  • Microsoft releases MS-DOS 5.0. It adds a full-screen editor, undelete and unformat utilities, and task swapping. GW-BASIC is replaced with Qbasic, based on Microsoft's QuickBASIC. [28] [146] [479.128] [748.29]
July
  • Apple Computer and IBM sign a technology sharing agreement, to integrate the Mac into IBM's enterprise systems, to allow future RISC-based Macs to use IBM's Power PC chip, to work together on common multimedia standards, and to cooperatively produce a new object-oriented operating system. [22] [37] [46] [170.13] [205.13] [414.231] [525.3] [618.310] [733.23] [704.96] [881.81]
(month unknown)
  • Hewlett-Packard introduces the HP 95LX hand-held computer. It runs MS-DOS 3.2, includes Lotus 1-2-3 v2.2 in 1 MB of ROM, displays MDA graphics, and weighs 11 ounces. 512 KB RAM is standard, with optional 128 KB and 512 KB RAM cards. Two AA batteries can power the system for six weeks. Price is US$699. [808.128]

1992

March
  • IBM ships OS/2 2.0. It requires an Intel 386 processor, 4 MB RAM, and adds WIN-OS/2 3.0 for Windows 3.0 compatibility. Code name during development was Cruiser. [477.165] [479.128] [688.107] [734.347] (April [688.44] [858.71])
March
  • Intel introduces the i486DX2 microprocessor, with clock speeds of 25/50 MHz (external/internal). For the most part, the DX2 acts like a 25 MHz 486 that internally runs twice as fast. Price is US$550 each in quantities of 1000. Speed is 41 MIPS. Code-name during development was P24. [152] [177.103] [477.128] [540.64] [62] [661.19,20] [879.117]
April
  • Microsoft ships Windows 3.1. 1 million copies of the new and upgrade versions are sold through retail channels within the first 50 days. [75] [123] [388.6] [477.165] [479.128] [620.131] [688.44] (May [509.177] [534.130] [721.156])
June
  • Intel introduces the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) local-bus standard for personal computer systems. Bus speed is 8-33 MHz, supporting up to 10 devices. [545.359] [551.197] [752.7] [477.102] [750.177]
October
  • IBM and Motorola announce the PowerPC 601 microprocessors, in 50 MHz and 66 MHz versions. PowerPC stands for "Power Performance Chip". [540.64] [671.2]
October
  • IBM introduces the IBM ThinkPad 700C laptop computer. It features a 25 MHz 486SL processor, 10.4-inch active matrix display, removable 120 MB hard drive, 4 MB RAM expandable to 16 MB, TrackPoint II pointing device, for US$4350. The pointer is a small joystick embedded in the keyboard that acts as a mouse. [75] [582.91]
November
  • Hewlett-Packard announces the HP 9000 Model 725/50 workstation. It features 50 MHz PA-RISC processor, 4-slots, grayscale monitor, 512 MB hard drive, 16 MB RAM, for US$17,895. [175.15] [933.18]

1993

February
  • Apple Computer makes its largest product announcement in its history, and makes it in Japan: the Macintosh Color Classic, Macintosh LC III, Macintosh Centris 610 and 650, Macintosh Quadra 800, and PowerBook 165c. [46] [53] [75]
February
  • Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh Color Classic, replacing the Macintosh Classic II. It features a Sony Trinitron 10-inch built-in color display (512x384 pixels), 4 MB RAM, 80 MB hard drive, 16 MHz 68030, 256 KB video RAM, LC Processor Direct Slot, math coprocessor slot, for US$1389. [579.94] [718.100] [916.21]
February
  • Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh LC III. It features a 25 MHz 68030, 80 MB hard drive, 4 MB RAM, 512 KB video RAM, System 7.1, and 14-inch monitor, for US$1349. [581.94] [579.102] [718.100] [916.21]
March
  • Intel introduces the Pentium processor. It uses 32-bit registers, with a 64-bit (60 MHz) data bus, giving it an address space of 4 GB. It incorporates 3.1 million transistors, using 0.8-micron BiCMOS technology. Speeds are 60 MHz (100 MIPS) and 66 MHz (112 MIPS). Prices are US$878 (60 MHz) and US$964 (66 MHz). [54] [75] [177.103] [212.191] [220.6] [376.29] [540.64] [62] [557.134] [575.147] [620.131] [690.94] [691.191] [755.308] [900] [940.106] [947.102]
May
  • IBM releases OS/2 2.1, now including Win-OS/2 3.1 Windows 3.1 support. Code name during development was Borg. [60] [479.129] [858.71] (June [689.231])
May
  • Microsoft formally launches Windows NT 3.1. [123] [374.4] (July [548.159] [721.156]) (July 1992 [387.98] [479.129])
August
  • Apple Computer introduces the Newton MessagePad 100 personal digital assistant at Macworld Expo, in Boston's Symphony Hall. It features 640 KB RAM, 3 MB of ROM storing applications and the operating system (Newton Intelligence), a low-voltage 20 MHz 32-bit ARM 610 microprocessor, 240x336 resolution (85 dpi) 2.8 x 4-inch LCD screen, one PCMCIA Type II expansion socket, data transfer of 9600bps, and runs on four AAA batteries. 50,000 units sell in the first 10 weeks, but only 80,000 are sold during the product's life. [46] [140] [271.N7] [424.187] [429.36] [545.148] [582.21] [588.61] (4 MB of ROM [634.104]) (July [548.159])
November
  • The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) releases Mosaic v1.0 web browser. [861.44] [931]
November
  • Apple Computer quietly discontinues the Apple II product line. In its 17 year history, 5 million units were shipped. [46] [75]
(month unknown)
  • Linus Torvalds develops Linux, a UNIX operating system variant, in Finland. [791.38] (1989 [835.169])

1994

March
  • Apple Computer unveils and ships its first computers based on the PowerPC 601 processor, the Power Macintosh 6100/60, 7100/66, and 8100/80. All come with 8 MB RAM, Ethernet, CD-quality stereo sound, and on-board video. Prices range from US$2000-4000 for complete systems. 145,000 systems ship in the first two weeks. [46] [75] [140] [205.97] [384.48] [397.12] [429.92] [507.36] [538] [548.159] [588.39,58] [589.41] [592.21] [625.26] [693.209] [881.81] (April [550.39])
March
  • Intel ships its 33/100 MHz IntelDX4 435 processor. Speed is 70.7 MIPS. It uses 1.6 million transistors, employing 0.6-micron technology. The chip has 16 KB onboard caches, and operates on 3.3 volts. Price is US$580. [78] [177.103] [62] [551.259] [584.43] [602.4]
April
  • Commodore International and Commodore Electronics (two of the many international components of Commodore Business Machines) file for voluntary liquidation. [476.6] [491.52] [600.19]
April
  • Mosaic Communications releases Netscape Navigator 1.0, a world-wide web browser. [236.34] (December [919])
June
  • Dr. Thomas R. Nicely of Lynchburg College notes that the Pentium processor sometimes produces flawed floating-point results, yielding only 4-8 decimals of precision. [265]
September
  • Digital Equipment Corporation formally introduces its next-generation Alpha AXP processors, including a 300 MHz version that can execute 1 billion instructions per second. [92] [265]
October
  • IBM formally launches OS/2 Warp version 3. [95] [142] [188.1] [858.71]
(month unknown)
  • Iomega Corp. introduces its Zip drive and Zip disks, floppy disk sized removable storage in sizes of 25 MB or 100 MB. [239.68]

1995

February
  • IBM announces PC DOS 7, with integrated data compression from Stac Electronics (Stacker). [142]
May
  • ESCOM announces the creation of a subsidiary company, Amiga Technologies, in Germany. [187]
August
  • US District Court Judge Thomas Jackson approves the consent decree between Microsoft and the US Department of Justice. The decree will govern Microsoft's licensing practices of Windows for the next 6.5 years, barring it from linking unrelated software licenses. The ruling comes after 4 years of investigation of monopolistic licensing practices. [387.32] [389.29] [765.14] [775]
August 24
  • Microsoft releases Windows 95. More than 20,000 retail stores offer copies for sale. Microsoft prepares for support calls, with 1600 people staffing tech support lines. [182] [123] [271.70] [272.A5] [301.3] [323.20] [387.1] [388.6] [389.29] [428.12] [439.12] [548.159] [620.134] [626.72] [721.156] [794.39] [877.17]
September
  • Amiga Technologies ships the A1200 microcomputer. It features a 14 MHz Motorola 68EC020 microprocessor, 2 MB RAM, 24-bit color, 3.5 inch 880 KB floppy drive, optional 170 MB hard drive, and the AmigaOS 3.1 operating system. [186]
November 1
  • At the ANA Hotel in San Francisco, Intel announces the Pentium Pro microprocessor, at speeds of 150-, 180-, and 200 MHz, available initially for US$974 to US$1682. The processor uses 5.5 million transistors. Bus speed is 60 MHz. Performance of the 200-MHz version is 440 MIPS. [215.24] [216.26] [265] [397.12] [439.12] [518.182] [62] [557.135] [575.147] [829.14] [940.106] [943.180] [947.102] (March [900]) (166-, 180-, and 200 MHz versions announced in February 1996 [557.136])
November
  • Amiga Technologies ships the A4000T microcomputer. It features a 25 MHz Motorola 68040 microprocessor (or 50 MHz 68060), 2 MB chip RAM, 24-bit color, 4-channel stereo sound, IDE and SCSI II adapters, 3.5 inch 880 KB floppy drive, 1 GB hard drive, and the AmigaOS 3.1 operating system. [186]

1996

January
  • Corel purchases WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, and the PerfectOffice application suite from Novell for US$180 million in cash, stock, and future licensing royalties. [297.6] [299.1] [430.42] [451.1] [455.4] [435.43] [467.6] [828.22]
June
  • Intel introduces the 200 MHz Pentium processor, shipping it initially in small quantities. It incorporates 3.3 million transistors, and performs at 284 MIPS. Price is US$599 in quantities of 1000. [523.6] [62] [557.136] [609.108] [943.180]
August
  • Microsoft releases Windows NT 4.0. [721.157] [779.42] (July 31 [847.13])
September
  • Microsoft unveils Windows CE operating system for hand-held PCs. Code-name of the project was Pegasus. "CE" stands for Consumer Electronics. [565.32] [599.4]
September
  • IBM launches OS/2 Warp 4, in San Francisco, California. Price is US$249. [566.94] [607.62] (October [573.109])
October
  • CD-ReWritable (CD-RW) is announced. The technology was developed by a five-company consortium. [849.18]
December
  • Apple Computer buys the NeXT Software company for about US$425 million in cash and Apple stock. [616.16] [637.1] [763.26] [882.25] [889.35] (late spring 1996 [886.52])

1997

July
  • Apple Computer releases the Mac OS 8.0. for US$99. [749.4]
August
  • At Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs announces an alliance of Apple Computer with Microsoft, including an investment of US$150 million. [763.24] [739.34]

1998

January
  • Compaq Computer announces its intent to buy Digital Equipment for US$9.6 billion. [757.6] [787.30] [942.112] [947.35] (US$8.5 billion [872.6])
April
  • Intel releases the 350 MHz and 400 MHz Pentium II processors, with 100 MHz memory interface. They incorporate 7.5 million transistors. The 400 MHz version performs at 832 MIPS. [798.29] [839.9] [940.106]
April 15
  • Intel announces the 266 MHz Celeron processor with 32 KB Level 1 cache. The Celeron is a Pentium II processor with no secondary cache. [843.30] [942.57]
May 6
  • Steve Jobs introduces the Apple Computer iMac: 233 MHz PowerPC G3 processor, 32 MB RAM, 4 GB hard disk, 24X CD-ROM, 15-inch monitor, 66 MHz system bus, for US$1299. [762] [851.24]
June 25
  • Microsoft releases Windows 98. [797.12] [929.49]
September
  • Microsoft becomes the world's most valuable company, at US$261.1 billion. Microsoft and General Electric were both valued at over US$300 billion in July, but Microsoft survived a stock market plunge better, putting it on top. [792.10]
November 5
  • US Judge Thomas Jackson rules that Microsoft has monopoly power over personal computer operating systems, and it uses that power to harm American consumers. [929.47]
November 24
  • America Online buys Netscape Communications for US$4.2 billion in stock. [788.1] [929.50] (December 24 [835.30])

1999

(month unknown)
  • Apple Computer releases the Power Mac G4 computer. It features a 400 MHz PowerPC G4, 64 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, 10 GB hard disk. Prices start at US$1599. [925.37]

2000

    The Y2K bug makes governments grumble and industries fall apart. The few people left tin the wake of apocalypse form gangs of road warriors enhanced with cybernetic implants, which weren't programmed with cobal, who hunt and kill the few remaining corporate exucutives who did not heed the warnings of the programmers.

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