Evolution

  • :: 1980 ::
    • Microsoft’s first hardware, the Z80 SoftCard is announced.
    • Apple releases one of it’s greatest failures, the Apple III.
    • The Motorola 68000 chip is released.
    • The first optical storage disk appears. Capable of holding five times the data of a 5 1/4″ floppy
    • IBM creates OS/2.
    • The Commodore VIC-20 is released.
    • SuperCalc is invented.
    • CompuServe releases CB Simulator, the first online chat service.
    • The legendary video game Pac-Man is released.
    • Asteroids and Lunar Lander became the first video games registered for copyright.
    • The BITNET university computer network is founded, linking colleges and other institutions.
  • :: 1981 ::
    • Texas Instruments releases the TI-99/4A computer.
    • MS-DOS debuts, created by then-startup Microsoft.
    • IBM releases the IBM PC, which was powered by the Intel 8088 processor.
    • The Osborne-1, the first portable computer, is introduced.
    • Apollo Computers introduces the first workstation, the DN100. It featured more power than conventional PCs.
    • WordPerfect is first developed.
    • Creative Labs is founded in Singapore.
    • The Xerox Star is introduced by the Xerox Corporation.
    • The video game Donkey Kong is released, propelling Nintendo’s success.
    • Online newspapers begin to appear.
    • The Monochrome Display Adapter is introduced by IBM.
  • :: 1982 ::
    • Non-Linear Systems releases the Kaypro II.
    • Time names the computer the Machine of the Year in a twist of their popular “Man of the Year”.
    • Disney debuts Tron to audiences.
    • The Cray XMP is built using two Cray systems.
    • The Elk Cloner (aka Apple II virus) is written. It is believed to be the first known virus in the wild.
    • The Commodore 64 is released.
    • DEC releases the Rainbow 100.
    • The BBC Micro is introduced by Acorn Computer. It’s quickly adopted by most British schools.
    • Sun Microsystems is founded.
  • :: 1983 ::
    • The hacker film Wargames is released.
    • Compaq produces the first clone of the IBM PC, running the same software.
    • Microsoft announces Word and Windows, although Windows doesn’t actually appear for another two years. The original version of Word was included in the Nov. issue of PC World magazine.
    • The MIDI [ Musical Instrument Digital Interface ] is introduced. It became an industry standard interface for music synthesizers.
    • The Apple Lisa is introduced.
    • Lotus Software releases Lotus 123 and it becomes the hottest spreadsheet of it’s day.
    • The first version of Novell Netware is released. Bundled with it is Snipes, one of the first network games.
    • Gavilan Computer releases the Gavilan SC, one of the earliest computers marketed as a laptop.
    • Borland Software Corporation is formed. The company created widely popular software development tools such as Turbo Pascal and many others.
    • The IBM XT is released. It’s essentially the IBM PC with a hard drive and sells for $5000 with accessories.
    • The Domain Name System (DNS) is introduced to the internet, made up of around 1000 computers at the time.
    • MILNET is spun off from the ARPANET to separate civilian and military networks.
    • The Epson HX-20, regarded as the first notebook, begins selling.
    • Shortly after the HX-20, Tandy releases the first TRS-80 notebook, the Model 100.
  • :: 1984 ::
    • HP intros it’s first laptop, the 9 pound HP 110.
    • Sony introduces the 3 1/2 inch floppy disk.
    • The Apple Macintosh is released, featuring a graphical user interface.
    • IBM introduces the PC-AT, based on the Intel 80286 chip. It sold for about $4000 and included more RAM and 5 1/4 inch floppy drive.
    • The novel Neuromancer is published, which coins the term “cyberspace”.
    • Cisco Systems is founded.
    • X Windows is developed at MIT.
    • Dell Computer is created as PCs Limited.
    • Borland releases Turbo Pascal.
    • The first consumer cell phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, becomes available.
    • Music Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is introduced.
    • The first multitouch screen is developed at Bell Labs
  • :: 1985 ::
  • :: 1986 ::
    • Acorn Computer introduces the ARM2 processor.
    • The invention of the Connection Machine was a step forward in A.I. It used multiple processors to work faster than any other of it’s time.
    • Compaq releases the Deskpro 386, the first machine based on the Intel 80386 chip.
    • IBM releases the PC Convertible.
    • Apple releases the Macintosh Plus.
    • The Nintendo NES is released.
    • The Computer Fraud & Abuse Act (CFAA) is enacted by U.S. Congress.
  • :: 1987 ::
  • :: 1988::
    • Pixar Studios‘ “Tin Toy” becomes the first computer animated film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The company created groundbreaking software, Renderman, for the creation of 3-D scenes.
    • The first public worm is released on the internet by 23 year old Robert Morris.
    • The Brain virus surfaces.
    • The NeXT is released.
    • The online service Prodigy is launched.
  • :: 1989 ::


Next: Giants

Comments are closed