|
1980 |
IBM
hires Paul Allen and Bill Gates to create an operating system for a new PC.
The pair buy the rights to a simple operating system manufactured by Seattle
Computer Products and use it as a template. IBM allows the two to keep the
marketing rights to the operating system, called DOS. |
|
1980 |
IBM
hires Microsoft to develop versions of BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL and Pascal for
the PC being developed by IBM. |
|
1980 |
Microsoft
licenses Unix and starts to develop a PC version, XENIX. |
|
1980 |
The programming language
FORTRAN
77 is created. |
|
1980 |
The first
Tandy Color
computer is introduced. |
|
1980 |
AST is founded. |
|
1981 |
MS-DOS 1.0 was released August, 1981. |
| 1981 |
American National
Standards Institute more commonly known as ANSI was founded. |
|
1981 |
IBM
joins the computer race with its IBM PC, which runs the new DOS operating
system. |
|
1981 |
Xerox
introduces the graphical Star workstation. This computer greatly influences
the development of
Apple’s future computer models, Lisa and Macintosh, as well as
Microsoft’s Windows. |
|
1981 |
Hayes
Introduces the Smartmodem 300 with its standard setting AT command set and a
operating speed of 300 bits per second. |
|
1981 |
Adam Osborne
introduces the Osborne I, the first successful portable computer, which
weighs 25 pounds. |
|
1981 |
Hewlett-Packard
Superchip the first 32-bit chip is introduced. |
|
1981 |
Commodore
ships the VIC-20, which later becomes the world’s most popular computer
costing only $299.95. |
|
1981 |
Logitech
is founded in Apples, Switzerland. |
|
1981 |
Adaptec is
founded. |
|
1981 |
Hayes
releases the Smartmodem 1200 with transfer rates of 1,200 bits per second. |
|
1981 |
CTX is established. |
|
1982 |
Peter Norton
creates Norton Utilities. |
|
1982 |
Sony releases its
first Trinitron
monitor |
|
1982 |
Microsoft
releases FORTRAN for the PC COBOL for MS-DOS, and Multiplan for the Apple II
and CP / M machines. |
|
1982 |
Microsoft
establishes a subsidiary in England to begin foreign sales efforts. |
|
1982 |
WordPerfect
Corporation introduces WordPerfect 1.0 a word processing program that will
become one of the computer markets most popular word processing program. |
|
1982 |
The first
luggable
computer is introduced. |
|
1982 |
Sun is incorporated
in February 1982, with four employees. |
|
1982 |
Lotus Development
Corporation is founded and Lotus 1-2-3, a spreadsheet program is introduced. |
|
1982 |
Compaq
Computer Corp. is founded by Rod Canion and other Texas Instruments
Incorporated engineers. Compaq is the first company to introduce a clone of
the IBM PC and become IBM’s biggest challenger in the corporate market. |
|
1982 |
The
Commodore 64
begins to be sold with 64 kilobytes (KB) of random-access memory (RAM) and
containing Microsoft BASIC and dropping in price from $600 to $200 allows it
to become the best-selling computer of all time. |
|
1982 |
The HX-20 becomes
the first notebook-sized portable computer is introduced by Epson. |
|
1982 |
MS-DOS
version 1.25 is released. |
|
1982 |
Apple
Computer is the first personal computer manufacture to hit the $1 billion
mark for annual sales. |
|
1982 |
The
Intel
80286 processor is
announced. |
|
1982 |
Adobe is founded. |
|
1982 |
BTC is founded |
|
1983 |
The IBM
XT is first
introduced. |
|
1983 |
The Time magazine
nominates the PC as the "man of the year." |
|
1983 |
The
Apple IIe is
introduced. The computer contains 64 kilobytes (KB) of RAM one megahertz
6502 processor and running Applesoft BASIC and sells for $1,400. |
|
1983 |
Tandy,
Epson and
NEC all sell notebook
computers however only the Tandy’s model 100 becomes popular because of its
low price of $499. |
|
1983 |
More then 10
million computers are in use in the United States. |
|
1983 |
MS-DOS 2.0 was released March, 1983. |
| 1983 |
True BASIC is
created and is a compiled, structured language. It doesn't require line
numbers, as the original BASIC did, and includes the advanced control
structures necessary for structured programming. |
|
1983 |
The QIC Standard
becomes the first standard in the computer history for
tape drives. |
|
1983 |
Microsoft Windows
was announced November, 1983 |
|
1984 |
Bill Gates is
featured on the cover of Time magazine. |
|
1984 |
The
3.5-inch floppy
diskette is introduced and later becomes an industry standard. |
|
1984 |
Dell
Computer is founded May 3, 1984 in Austin Texas. |
|
1984 |
The now famous
Apple commercial is
shown during the Super Bowl, the commercial introduces the Apple Macintosh,
a computer with graphical user interface instead of needing to type in
commands. In six months sales of the computer reach 100,000. |
|
1984 |
Dhrystone is
developed. |
|
1984 |
IBM develops
EGA. |
|
1984 |
The computer
Museum opens in downtown Boston. |
|
1984 |
Microsoft
introduces MS-DOS 3.0
for the IBM PC AT and MS-DOS 3.1 for networks. |
|
1984 |
The
Tandy 1000 personal
computer is introduced and becomes the best-selling IBM-compatible computer
of the year. |
|
1984 |
IBM
introduces the Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) video card with higher
resolution, more colors, and a quicker response then previous video cards. |
|
1984 |
University of
Southern California professor Fred Cohen creates alarm when he warns the
public about computer
viruses. |
|
1984 |
The begining of
the greatest adventurecomputer gaming series is released by Sierra.
Kings Quest
1: Quest for the crown is released to the public. |
|
1984 |
The
Yellow book
of CD-ROM standards is written. |
|
1984 |
Cirrus is
established. |
|
1984 |
ISA is expanded
to 16-bit
capability. |
|
1985 |
The
GNU manifesto is
published by Dr. Dobb's Journal |
|
1985 |
Microsoft
and IBM begin
collaboration on the next-generation operating system (OS/2). |
|
1985 |
The computer
company Gateway 2000
is founded in Siox City, Iowa. |
|
1985 |
Intel
introduces the 80386, a 16 MHz processor that incorporates 275,000
transistor and capable of accessing up to four gigabytes of memory. The
processor sells for $299. |
|
1985 |
Aldus Corporation
introduces PageMaker for the Macintosh, a program that lets users mix type
and graphics on the same page. The combination of this software and the new
Apple LaserWriter
laser printer begin the era of desktop publishing. |
|
1985 |
The
Mach Project
begins at the Carnegie Mellon University. |
|
1985 |
IBM develops
NetBEUI. |
|
1985 |
Microsoft
Windows 1.0 is shipped and allows users to navigate the PC computers through
a graphical user interface making the computer much easier to use. The
software begins selling for $100.00 |
|
1985 |
The Nintendo
Entertainment System makes its debut. |
|
1985 |
ATI is founded. |
|
1985 |
Boca is established. |
|
1985 |
Corel is founded. |
|
1986 |
Apple
introduces the Mac Plus. The computer contained one megabyte of RAM, new
keyboard that contained cursors and numeric keypad and sold for $2,600. |
|
1986 |
Compaq
introduces the first 386-based PC compatible computer. |
|
1986 |
Microsoft
is listed on the New York Stock Exchange selling shares to the public at $21
each, making Bill Gates one of the world’s youngest billionaires. |
|
1986 |
More than 30
million computers are in use in the United States. |
|
1986 |
MS-DOS 3.2 was released
April, 1986. |
| 1986 |
IMAP is
developed by Stanford University. |
| 1986 |
CD-i format is
specified. |
|
1986 |
Aztech is
established. |
|
1987 |
Microsoft
purchases Forethought Incorporated. The company that developed the
presentation software PowerPoint. |
|
1987 |
Microsoft
introduces Windows 2.0 and Microsoft Works. |
|
1987 |
Microsoft
and IBM release OS/2
1.0 |
|
1987 |
The Mac SE is
introduced at $2,900 |
|
1987 |
IBM
introduces the PS / 2 personal computer, which has improved graphics, a
3.5-inch diskette drive, and proprietary bus to help prevent clone makers
competition. |
|
1987 |
IBM
sends clone manufactures letters demanding retroactive licensing fees. |
|
1987 |
IBM develops
8514/A. |
|
1987 |
MS-DOS 3.3 was released
April, 1987. |
| 1987 |
IBM introduces
MCA. |
|
1987 |
Microsoft
Shares hits $100 per share. |
|
1987 |
Apogee is founded,
Apogee is well known for its computer games as well as the company who first
released a 'Shareware' game. |
|
1987 |
The SPARC
processor is introduced by
Sun. |
|
1987 |
IBM introduces
VGA. |
|
1987 |
Elitegroup Computer
Systems is established. |
|
1988 |
Apple
files a copyright infringement against
Microsoft for
Windows 2.03 and Hewlett Packard for New Wave in comparison with their
Macintosh operating system. |
|
1988 |
About 45 million
PCs are in use in the United States. |
|
1988 |
Creative Labs
introduces the SoundBlaster, a sound card for the PC that contains an
11-voice FM synthesizer with text-to-speech, digitized voice input / output,
a MIDI port, a joystick port and bundled software. |
|
1988 |
EISA is
developed as an alternative to
MCA. |
|
1988 |
Morphing is
first introduced in the movie Willow. |
|
1988 |
MS-DOS 4.0 was released
July, 1988. |
|
1988 |
MS-DOS 4.01 was released
November, 1988. |
|
1989 |
GriD Systems
Corporation introduces the first pen-based computer. |
|
1989 |
Intel
releases the 486DX processor, with more than 1 million transistors and
multitasking capabilities. |
|
1989 |
Tim Berners-Lee develops
HTML. |
|
1989 |
Poqet announces
the Poqet PC the first pocket-sized MS-DOS compatible
computer.../history/198090.htm |
|
1989 |
Asus is founded. |
|
1990 |
Microsoft releases
Windows 3.0 a completely
new version of
Microsoft Windows. The version will sell more then 3 million copies in
one year. |
|
1990 |
Microsoft exceeds
$1 billion in sales and becomes the first company to do so. |
|
1990 |
Microsoft releases
its first product for the Russian market Russian DOS 4.01. |
|
1990 |
The World, the
first commercial Internet dial-up access provider comes online. |
|
1990 |
Creative Labs
introduces the SoundBlaster Pro. |
|
1990 |
Quarterdeck
releases its memory management program QEMM386 version 5.1 which quickly
becomes the fastest-selling software program in the Untied States. |
|
1990 |
The Multimedia
Personal Computer (MPC) standards are developed by Tandy and
Microsoft. |
|
1990 |
Microsoft and
IBM stop working
together to develop operating systems. |
|
1990 |
IBM introduces
XGA. |
|
1990 |
The
NiMH battery begins
being used for commercial use. |
|
1990 |
Gopher is
developed at the University of Minnesota. The program is a menu-driven
search-and-retrieval tool and helps Internet users location information
online. |
|
1990 |
Intel releases the
80386SL processor
which uses low power and found in many portable computers. |
|
1991 |
Intel introduces
the Intel 486SX chip
in efforts to help bring a lower-cost processor to the PC market selling for
$258.00 |
|
1991 |
Linux is introduced by
Linus Torvald in 1991. Complete history on Linux can be found on our
Linux / UNIX history
section. |
|
1991 |
The World Wide
Web is launched. Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at the European Partial
Physics Laboratory (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland develops the Web as a
research tool. |
|
1991 |
The programming language
FORTRAN
90 is created. |
|
1991 |
Following its
decision not to develop operating systems cooperatively with IBM,
Microsoft changes
the name of OS/2 to Windows NT. |
|
1991 |
Creative Labs
releases a multimedia upgrade kit that includes a CD-ROM drive, the
SoundBlaster Pro sound card, a MIDI kit and a variety of software
applications. The kit allows PC users to obtain all tools needed to meet the
MPC standards. |
|
1991 |
Pretty Good
Privacy more commonly known as PGP a public key used for encryption is
released as Freeware by Philip Zimmerman. |
|
1991 |
The computer
Monkey Virus is first
discovered in Edmonton, Canada. |
|
1991 |
The DLT
tape drive is
released as a very reliable, high-speed and high-capacity tape drive
solution. |
|
1991 |
The Enhanced
Parallel Port (EPP)
is developed by
Intel, Xircom
and Zenith Data
Systems. |
|
1991 |
TrueType a scalable font is introduced and
developed by Microsoft
and Apple and is
used on all Apple computers and PC computers running Windows. |
|
1991 |
MS-DOS 5.0 was released
June, 1991. |
US
