Computer Chronology

Colossus II, the first working computer by Alan Turing, goes into operation and cracks Nazi code.

Ref: 10

1945

The contract to develop the EDVAC began.

Ref: 62

Jun 30

Dr. John von Neumann publishes his "First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC", introducing the stored program concept. Ref

Naval lieutenant Grace Murray Hopper logs the first computer "bug" on September 19 at 15:45 hours -- a small moth that had been trapped in one of the electromechanical switches in the MARK II.

1946

ENIAC, US first computer finished by Mauchly/Eckert.

Ref: 5

The original press conference announcing the ENIAC. The reporters were addressed by Major General Gladeon M. Barnes, head of Research and Development Service of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Eckert, Mauchly, Brainerd, and Goldstine.

Ref: 2

Feb 14

John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, Jr., threw the switch on the first large-scale, general-purpose, electronic digital computer that they had constructed-ENIAC (the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). (XDG, p 4A, 2/14/2001)

Ref: 83

Feb 15

J. Presper Eckert (1919-1995) and John W. Mauchly (1907-1980), of University of Pennsylvania complete work on ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), the world's first electronic, large scale, general-purpose digital computer. It occupied 1,800 square feet, employed nearly 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighted 30 tons. ENIAC was initially used for calculating ballistic trajectories.

Ref: 62

J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly leave the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School, where they had developed ENIAC, the first digital computer. Their abrupt departure resulted from haggles over intellectual property rights to ENIAC.

Ref: 3

Mar 31

Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corp. founded, Phila

Ref: 62

Nov 09

The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was turned off temporarily for delivery to the Army's Ballistics Research Laboratory in Aberdeen, Pennsylvania.

Ref: 3

Nov 12

The U.S. Army stages a contest pitting its fastest mechanical adding machine against an abacus. The abacus operator beat the adding machine operator in four out of five tests.

Ref: 3

1947

Jun 26

The ENIAC patent (No. 3,120,606) is filed

Sep 15

ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) is founded.

Ref: 62

1948

The SSEC (Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator) using both electronics and relays is dedicated. Ref

The Small-Scale Experimental Machine, known as SSEM, or the "Baby", was designed and built at the University of Manchester, and made its first successful run of a program. It was the first machine that had all the components now classically regarded as characteristic of the basic computer. Most importantly it was the first computer that could store not only data but any (short!) user program in electronic memory and process it at electronic speed. Ref

First stored computer program run, on Manchester Mark I.

Ref: 5

1949

May 06

EDSAC (Electronic Delayed Storage Automatic Computer), a stored-program computer built by Maurice Wilkes at Cambridge University, England, is first demonstrated. Ref

1950

Remington Rand buys Eckert-Mauchly Corporation

Ref: 62

May 10

The Pilot ACE is completed at England's National Physical Laboratory and runs its first program. Ref

May 19

New York Times reports of world's smallest & dumbest mechanical brain.

Ref: 5

Aug 17

The Standards Western Computer (SWAC) built under Harry Huskey's leadership, is dedicated at UCLA. Ref

1951

Mar 30

UNIVAC runs seventeen hours of rigorous acceptance tests and is accepted by the U.S. Census Department.

Ref: 3

May 11

Jay Forrester patents computer core memory. Also

Ref: 5

Jun 14

UNIVAC, the first computer built for commercial purposes, is demonstrated in Philadelphia by Dr. John W. Mauchly and J. Prosper Eckert, Jr.

Ref: 2

Jun 15

First coml electronic computer dedicated Phila.

Ref: 5

Dec 26

The National Machine Accountants Association (NMAA) was founded and chartered in Chicago, Illinois. This group was the precursor to DPMA (Data Processing Management Association).

1952

Jan 28

The EDVAC runs its first producion program. Ref

Mar 31

Alan Turing's trial instigated when police learned of his sexual relationship with a young Manchester man. He is ulitmately found guilty and loses his security clearance.

Nov 04

UNIVAC, the world's first commercially-available electronic computer, predicts a landslide for Eisenhower in his presidential race against Adlai Stevenson.

Ref: 3

1953

Apr 03

IBM 701 introduced

Ref: 62

1954

May 24

IBM announces vacuum tube "electronic" brain that could perform 10 million operations an hour.

Ref: 5

Sep 20

Harlan Herrick runs the first FORTRAN program.

Ref: 5

1955

Oct 02

The ENIAC shuts down for the last time.

1956

Feb 28

Forrester issued a patent for computer core memory.

Ref: 5

1957

Apr 20

The Westinghouse-Bettis nuclear power plant becomes the first commercial users of FORTRAN.

Ref: 3

Jul 08

CDC was founded by former employees of Sperry-Rand

Ref: 5

Aug 23

Digital Equipment Corporation founded.

Ref: 51

Oct 14

British Computer Society founded

Ref: 62

1958

Jan 25

First U.S. meeting of ALGOL definition committee

Ref: 62

May 27

First joint meeting of U.S. & European ALGOL definition committee.

Ref: 62

Oct 20

Zurich ALGOL report published

Ref: 62

1959

Apr 29

UNIVAC, the electronic computer that was the size of a house, actually picked four out of six winners at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. The electronic brain set a record for right choices in horse races. Of course, the winners all paid 2-1 or even odds, so it didn�t win much.

Ref: 4

May 28

First meeting of COBOL definition committee (eventually CODASYL)

Ref: 62

Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore file a patent application for integrated circuit technology on behalf of the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. Ref

1960

Jan 10

First CDC 1604 delivered to Navy

Ref: 62

Jan 11

Committee convened to develop Algol 60

Ref: 62

Jan 21

IFIP (International Federation of Information Processing) was founded

Ref: 62

Mar 14

LISP (for LISt Processing) is introduced.

Ref: 62

Sep 15

HP stock splits 3 for 1 at a price of $77

Ref: 62

Sperry Rand Corporation of St. Paul, MN unveiled a new computer, known as Univac 1107. The electronic wizard employed what was known as thin-film memory.

Ref: 4

1962

Jan 05

First written reference to SIMULA

Ref: 62

Oct 12

Univac gives contract for SIMULA compiler to Nygaard and Dahl.

Ref: 62

Dec 07

Atlas, considered the world's most powerful computer, is inaugerated in England. Its advances include virtual memory and pipelined operations. Ref

1963

Apr 04

Tandy Corp. acquires Radio Shack (9 stores)

Ref: 62

May 16

First report on SNOBOL distributed (within BTL)

Ref: 62

Aug 22

CDC 6600 introduced.

Ref: 62

1964

Mar 01

First NPL (later PL/I) report published

Ref: 62

Beatles begin filming "A Hard Days Night", George Harrison meets Patti Boyd.

Ref: 5

Apr 07

IBM introduces its innovative System/360, the company's first line of compatible mainframe computers that gave customers the option of upgrading from lower-cost models to more powerful, expensive ones. (XDG, p 4A, 4/07/2004)

Ref: 83

May 01

First BASIC program runs on a computer (Dartmouth).

Ref: 5

1965

Dec 08

First Ph.D. awarded by Computer Science Department (University of Pennsylvania).

Ref: 51

1966

Apr 17

System 360 was introduced

Ref: 62

1967

Jun 02

First issue of Computerworld

Ref: 62

1968

Mar 09

Edsgar Dijkstra published "Go To Statement Considered Harmful"

Ref: 62

Apr 15

Data General was founded

Ref: 62

Jul 18

Robert Noyce, Andy Grove and Gordon Moore establish Intel Corporation. Ref

The computer mouse prototype unveiled by inventor Doug Engelbart at Stanford University; red clicker on wooden box.

Ref: 5

1969

Jan 17

The Justice Department files a massive antitrust complaint, accusing IBM of monopolizing the computer industry. The case "went away" when market forces caused IBM's dominance to naturally deteriorate.

Ref: 62

Data General Nova computer introduced

Ref: 62

Jun 23

IBM unbundles software

Ref: 62

Sep 02

Two computers, one from UCLA and one from Stanford Research Insitute, are connected to form ARPANET, the Internet precursor.

Ref: 10

Oct 29

First computer-to-computer message sent across Internet (then called Arpanet) from UCLA to SRI.

Ref: 10

Oct 29

First internet crash as Charley Kline's L.O. ..gin causes overflow; fixed by Bill Duvall at Stanford.

Ref: 10

Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN), a small consulting firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, delivered an Interface Message Processor (IMP) to the University of California at Santa Barbara on this day in 1969. The IMP connected UCSB to UCLA, the Stanford Research Institute, and the University of Utah, forming the first links in the fledgling ARPANET, precursor to the Internet.

Ref: 3

Nov 20

University of Southern CA scientists working for the Defense Dept. hook up five computers using long distance phone lines. The Internet is born.

Ref: 73

Nov 21

First e-mail message sent by a computer over a telephone line on predecessor of the Internet.

Ref: 10

1970

The Epoch (Time 0 for UNIX systems, Midnight GMT)

Ref: 5

Feb 25

HP stock splits 2 for 1 at $103.28 a share

Ref: 62

Mar 13

Digital Equipment Corp introduces PDP-11 minicomputer.

Ref: 5

Sep 13

IBM announces System 370 computer.

Ref: 5

1971

Feb 02

The project that produces the HP-35 calculator, the calculator that replaced the slide rule, begins

Ref: 62

Mar 15

Chatrooms make their debut on the Internet.

Ref: 5

Nov 03

The UNIX Programmer's Manual, the first written documentation for UNIX, is released.

Ref: 3

1972

First scientific hand-held calculator (HP-35) introduced ($395).

Ref: 5

Mar 13

In the case of Honeywell vs. Sperry, the court ruled that J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly had not filed their patent applications until ENIAC was already a subject of public knowledge and thus had no claim on the invention.

Ref: 3

Mar 16

Amdahl was incorporated

Ref: 62

Apr 06

Cray Research was founded

Ref: 62

Jun 09

Prime Computer, Inc. was founded

Ref: 62

1973

Oct 17

Ritchie and Thompson's UNIX paper

Ref: 62

Oct 19

The ENIAC patent is overturned. A federal judge overturned patents filed by John Mauchly and Presper Eckert on the electronic digital computer. The judge indeed ruled that John Atanasoff, not Mauchly and Eckert, had invented the electronic computer.

Ref: 3

1974

Yourdon, Inc forms

Ref: 5

Popular Electronics displays Altair 8800 computer.

Ref: 5

1975

The MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) Altair 8800 appears on the cover of Popular Electronics. The article inspires Paul Allen and Bill Gates to develop a BASIC Interpreter for the Altair.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen complete BASIC and license it to their first customer, MITS of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the manufacturer of the Altair 8800 personal computer. This is the first computer language program written for a personal computer.

Mar 01

Paul Allen joins MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) as Director of Software.

Apr 07

The MITS Altair newsletter, Computer Notes, declares, "Altair BASIC -- Up and Running."

Bill Gates' and Paul Allen's BASIC officially ships as version 2.0 in both 4K and 8K editions.

Jul 22

Bill Gates and Paul Allen sign a licensing agreement with MITS, for their implementation of the BASIC language. Gates and Allen receive US$3,000 immediately, with royalties of $30 per copy of 4K BASIC, and $35 for 8K BASIC. Ref

In a letter to Paul Allen, Bill Gates uses the name "Micro-soft" to refer to their Partnership. This is the earliest known written reference.

1976

Feb 03

David Bunnell publishes in his "Computer Notes" Altair newsletter an article from Bill Gates, complaining of software piracy. Ref

Mar 04

The first CRAY-I was shipped to Los Alamos Labs

Ref: 62

Mar 26

The World Altair Computer Convention is held, in a hotel near Albuquerque, New Mexico, over three days. This is the first such convention for the microcomputer industry. At the conference, Bill Gates explains his position on software piracy. In the hotel's penthouse suite, Processor Technology holds its own "booth" to promote their 4-KB memory boards for the Altair. Ref

Mar 27

Twenty-year old Bill Gates gives the opening address at the First Annual World Altair Computer Convention (WACC) held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak incorporate the Apple Computer Company, on April Fool's Day. Ref

Microsoft refines and enhances BASIC to sell to other customers including DTC, General Electric, NCR, and Citibank.

Paul Allen resigns from MITS to join Microsoft full time.

Nov 26

The tradename "Microsoft" is registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico "to identify computer programs for use in automatic data processing systems; pre-programming processing systems; and data processing services including computer programming services." The application says that the name has been in continuous use since November 12, 1975.

1977

Jan 03

Apple Computer is incorporated by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Ref

Feb 02

Radio Shack officially begins creating the TRS-80 computer.

Ref: 5

Feb 03

A partnership agreement between Paul Allen and Bill Gates is officially executed.

Mar 04

First CRAY 1 supercomputer shipped, to Los Alamos Laboratories, New Mexico.

Ref: 5

Apr 27

HCC, Hobby Computer Club, forms in Netherlands.

Ref: 5

Jun 05

First personal computer, the Apple II, goes on sale.

Ref: 5

Jun 10

Apple Computer ships its first Apple II

Ref: 5

Microsoft ships its second language product, Microsoft FORTRAN.

Aug 03

Radio Shack issues a press release introducing the TRS-80 computer 25 existed, within weeks thousands were ordered.

Ref: 5

Sep 01

The 1st TRS-80 Model I computer is sold.

Ref: 5

Sep 09

First TRS-80 computer sold.

Ref: 5

Nov 18

Microsoft announces the termination of an exclusive license to MITS, Inc. for Microsoft's BASIC product. BASIC has been the subject of an extended legal dispute between the two companies.

1978

Jan 16

Ward Christiansen and Randy Suess begin to create the first computer bulletin board system in Chi.

Ref: 10

Feb 14

First "micro on a chip" is patented by Texas Instruments.

Ref: 5

Feb 16

Computer Bulletin Board System (CBBS), created by Ward Christensen (also creator of Xmodem file transfer protocol) and Randy Seuss, in Chicago, USA. (Per a personal email from Ward Christensen to T.M. Ciolek)

Apr 11

Microsoft announces its third language product, Microsoft COBOL-80.

Oct 08

First VisiCalc prototype

Ref: 62

Oct 30

Laura Nickel & Curt Noll find 25th Mersenne prime, 2 ^ 21701-1.

Ref: 5

Microsoft establishes its first international sales office in Japan. Microsoft appoints ASCII Microsoft, located in Tokyo, as its exclusive sales agent for the Far East. Organizing the new operation is Kazuhiko Nishi, founder and publisher of Japan's popular ASCII magazine.

Microsoft's year end sales exceed $1 million dollars.

1979

Microsoft moves its offices to Bellevue, Washington from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jan 02

Software Arts is founded by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston to sell VisiCalc.

Mar 15

Apparat releases Newdos+ 2.1 for Radio Shack's TRS-80.

Ref: 5

Apr 04

Microsoft 8080 BASIC is the first microprocessor product to win the ICP Million Dollar Award. Traditionally dominated by software for mainframe computers, this recognition is indicative of the growth and acceptance of the PC industry.

Apr 12

Kevin MacKenzie suggests emoticons :-), etc.

May 08

Radio Shack releases TRSDOS 2.3

Ref: 2

May 10

BSD UNIX 2.0 released

Ref: 62

May 30

Percom Data Company Inc release Microdos for Radio Shack's TRS-80.

Ref: 5

Intel launches its 8088 processor with 29,000 transistors and a maximum speed of 8MHz

Ref: 10

Jun 18

Microsoft announces Microsoft BASIC for the 8086 16-bit microprocessor. This first release of a resident high-level language for use on 16-bit machines marks the beginning of widespread use of these processors.

Jun 27

HP stock splits 2 for 1 at $89.28 a share

Ref: 62

Sep 24

CompuServe system started.

Ref: 5

Microsoft expands its service to the European market with the addition of a new representative, Vector Microsoft, of Belgium. Microsoft has already established contracts with ICL, Phillips, R2E, and several other OEMs.

1980

Jan 03

BSD UNIX 3.0 released

Ref: 62

Feb 13

Apollo Computer Inc incorporated.

Ref: 5

Aug 25

XENIX operating system announced by Microsoft, a portable operating system for 16-bit microprocessors.

Ref: 80

Oct 09

First consumer use of home banking by computer (Knoxville Tn).

Ref: 5

Oct 19

BSD UNIX 4.0 released

Ref: 62

Dec 12

The U.S. Congress amended the Copyright Act in 1980 to explicitly recognize that computer programs were protected as literary works.

Ref: 4

1981

Apr 24

The IBM Personal Computer is introduced.

Ref: 2

May 01

Radio Shack releases Model III TRSDOS 1.3.

Ref: 5

Radio Shack re-releases Model III TRSDOS 1.3 with 2 fixes.

Ref: 5

May 11

First recorded Usenet posting by Mark from Arpavax who inquires about changing "the .ng file"

Ref: 10

Jun 17

HP stock splits 2 for 1 at $94.13 a share

Ref: 62

Jun 25

Microsoft reorganizes into a privately held corporation with Bill Gates as President and Chairman of the Board, and Paul Allen as Executive Vice President. Microsoft becomes Microsoft, Inc., an incorporated business in the State of Washington.

Radio Shack 3rd release of Model III TRSDOS 1.3.

Ref: 5

Jul 10

BSD UNIX 4.1 released

Ref: 62

Aug 12

IBM introduced its Personal Computer, which used Microsoft's 16-bit operating system, MS-DOS 1.0, plus Microsoft BASIC, COBOL, PASCAL, and other products made by Microsoft. Ref

1982

Jan 08

Justice Department withdraws antitrust suit against IBM, pending since 1969.

Ref: 5

Apr 15

Apollo Computer announces DN400, DN420, & landscape display.

Ref: 5

May 07

IBM releases PC-DOS version 1.1.

Ref: 5

Aug 18

Wang Laboratories fell prey to the intense competition of the computer industry and filed for Chapter 11.

The first 'smiley,' :-) sent by IBM researcher Scott Fahlman.

Ref: 10

IBM ROM is capable of EGA graphics.

Ref: 5

Dec 26

The Man of the Year in TIME magazine was a non-human for the first time. A computer received the honors as 1982�s �greatest influence for good or evil.�

Ref: 4

1983

TCP/IP becomes the communication protocol standard� enabling computer networks to communicate with each other. This standard is what allowed the Internet to grow into what it is.

Feb 18

Paul Allen resigns as Microsoft's Executive Vice President, but remains on the Board of Directors.

Mar 08

IBM releases PC DOS version 2.0.

Ref: 5

Mar 20

BSD UNIX 4.2 released

Ref: 62

Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Mouse.

Aug 01

HP stock splits 2 for 1 at $89.88 a share

Ref: 62

BSD UNIX 4.2 released

Ref: 62

Aug 30

Microsoft announces the formation of a Consulting Services Group.

Ref: 2

Sep 09

Radio Shack announces their color computer 2 (the Coco2).

Ref: 5

David Slowinski uses two Cray-1 supercomputers to discover the 29th Mersenne Prime, 2^132049-1

Ref: 62

Sep 29

Microsoft introduces its full-featured word processing program, Microsoft Word for MS-DOS 1.00.

Oct 20

IBM-PC DOS Version 2.1 is released.

Ref: 5

IBM introduces the IBM PC Jr.

Ref: 3

Nov 10

Microsoft made the announcement that they were going to be releasing a program named Windows. Then came, "the big delay." Finally, 1n November, 1985, Windows 1.01 is introduced to the public. Software that gets delayed far beyond its original release date is known as vaporware, and Windows was the first program to ever earn this distinction. Ref

Nov 16

Microsoft releases Microsoft Word v1.0. Ref

Nov 30

Radio Shack announces the Tandy Model 2000 computer (80186 chip).

Ref: 5

1984

Jan 15

Apple announces the Macintosh

Ref: 62

Microsoft ships Microsoft BASIC and Microsoft Multiplan simultaneously with the introduction of the Macintosh.

Ref: 5

Macintosh computer launched by Steven Jobs at Apple Computer's annual stockholder's meeting.

Ref: 17

Microsoft Press introduces its first two titles Cary Lu's "The Apple Macintosh Book," and Peter Norton's "Exploring the IBM PCjr Home Computer," at the 1984 West Coast Computer Faire.

Aug 14

IBM released PC-DOS v3.0 for PC/AT (with network support). Remember those AT machines? A 286 processor, 20-30meg hard drive and 256k/512k RAM for somewhere between $6000 and $9000. Ah yes, those were the days.

Ref: 4

1985

Jan 07

Intel was the first to copyright a chip mask. It was for a 256K EPROM

Ref: 62

Mar 07

IBM-PC DOS Version 3.1 (update) released.

Ref: 5

Mar 15

The first registerd domain is issued to symbolics.com.

Mar 18

IBM announced that it was planning to stop making the PCjr consumer-oriented computer. The machine had been expected to dominate the home computer market but didn�t quite live up to those expectations. In the 16 months that the PCjr was on the market, only 240,000 units were sold.

Ref: 4

Apr 08

Amdahl releases UTS/V, first mainframe Unix.

Ref: 5

Microsoft Excel, scheduled to be released today, suffers a series of crashes during rehearsals for its introduction. Introduction is postponed until the Fall. Ref

Sep 03

Microsoft announces that it has selected the Republic of Ireland as the site of its first production facility outside the U.S.

Sep 17

Steven Jobs resigns as chairman of Apple Computer, founded with Steve Wozniac in 1976

Ref: 10

Sep 18

The 30th Mersenne Prime, 2^216091-1, was announced. It was discovered at Chevron Reaseach on their Cray X-MP.

Ref: 62

Sep 24

Apollo Computer Inc. lays off 300 employees.

Ref: 5

Sep 30

Microsoft Excel v1.0 is released. Ref

Oct 16

Intel introduces 32-bit 80386 microcomputer chip.

Ref: 5

Oct 17

Intel introduced the 32-bit 80386 microcomputer chip. It was the first Intel/*86 chip to handle 32-bit data sets. It ran at �clock speeds� of up to 33 MHz -- blazingly fast in 1985.

Ref: 4

Microsoft released Windows 1.01 (on five 360kb 5.25 inch floppy disks). It ran on MS-DOS v5.0 (called MS-DOS Executive in Windows).

Ref: 4

Nov 20

Microsoft announces the retail shipment of Microsoft Windows 1.01, an operating system, which extends the features of the DOS operating system.

Ref: 80

Dec 30

IBM-PC DOS Version 3.2 released.

Ref: 5

1986

Feb 26

Microsoft Moves to Redmond, WA.

Mar 13

Microsoft stock goes public at $21.00 per share, rising to $28.00 per share by the end of the first trading day. Initial public offering raises $61 million. Ref

Mar 14

Microsoft goes public.

Ref: 3

Apr 17

IBM produces first megabit-chip.

Ref: 5

Jun 07

BSD UNIX 4.3 released

Ref: 62

Jul 07

IBM-PC DOS Version 3.2 (updated) released.

Ref: 5

Jul 16

Freenet first comes on-line in Cleveland.

Phil Katz releases PKARC version 1.0, for the IBM

Ref: 5

Sep 22

Computer chips can now be copyrighted says U.S. federal judge.

Ref: 10

Nov 11

Sperry Rand and Burroughs merged to form Unisys, becoming the #2 computer company. Changeover costs were estimated at $15 million.

Ref: 4

1987

Mar 17

IBM releases PC-DOS version 3.3.

Ref: 5

Apr 02

Microsoft Operating System/2 (MS OS/2) announced, as part of a joint agreement between Microsoft and IBM. That same day, Microsoft announces MS-DOS 3.3, Windows 2.0 and Windows /386. These new versions are the first with overlapping windows.

Ref: 80

May 21

Xignals PC Board BBS begins in Alabama.

Ref: 5

Jul 24

IBM-PC DOS Version 3.3 (updated) released.

Ref: 5

Microsoft announces that it has completed an agreement to acquire Forethought, Inc., an applications software company. Forethought develops and markets PowerPoint.

Aug 11

Microsoft ships Windows 1.01.

Microsoft announces the shipment of its first CD-ROM application, Microsoft Bookshelf, a collection of 10 of the most popular and useful reference works on a single CD-ROM disk. Bookshelf is the first general purpose application to bring the benefits of CD-ROM technology to personal computer users.

Oct 06

Microsoft Excel for Windows is released is considered Microsoft's best work up to that point. Ref

Oct 31

Launch of Excel 2.0 for MS-DOS version 3.0. Ref

1988

Jan 08

Hewlett-Packard introduces the HP-28S Advanced Scientific Calculator.

Ref: 5

Jan 13

Microsoft and Ashton-Tate announce the Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database server software product for Local Area Networks.

Macintosh II computers receive virus interruption of drawing program with plea for world peace.

Ref: 10

Mar 17

Apple sues Microsoft for stealing the look and feel of the Macintosh interface in its Windows 2.0 operating system. Although Microsoft had signed a licensing agreement to copy visual elements of the Macintosh for Windows 1.0, it failed to seek permission for the upgrade. The suit was dismissed after three years.

Ref: 3

Jun 17

Microsoft releases MS DOS 4.0

Ref: 5

Jun 28

Windows /286 and /386 versions 2.1 announced

Ref: 80

Jul 27

Radio Shack announces the Tandy 1000 SL computer

Ref: 5

Jul 28

IBM announces price hike on older models.

Ref: 5

Aug 02

System Enhancement Assoc settles case with PKware (ARC vs PKARC)

Ref: 5

Aug 16

IBM introduces software for artificial intelligence.

Ref: 5

Sep 30

IBM announces shipment of 3 millionth PS/2 personal computer.

Ref: 5

Oct 12

Steven Jobs, one of the founders of Apple, unveils the first computer by his new company NeXT.

Ref: 62

Oct 28

Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen gives $10 million to U Wash library.

Ref: 5

Oct 31

OS/2 1.1 with Presentation Manager ships.

Ref: 80

Nov 02

A computer virus races across networks and shut down computers at NASA, the University of California at Berkeley, MIT, and other sites. In 1989, a federal grand jury indicted Cornell University student Robert Morris, age twenty-four, for releasing the computer virus.

Ref: 3

Nov 05

Cornell confirms grad student source of worst computer sabotage.

Ref: 5

1989

Jan 13

"Friday the 13th" virus strikes hundreds of IBM computers in Britain.

Ref: 5

Jan 18

IBM announces earnings up 10.4% in 1988.

Ref: 5

Jan 26

US computer security expert warns of catastrophic virus.

Ref: 5

Apr 10

Intel corp announces shipment of the 80486 chip.

Ref: 5

Jun 05

Microsoft Creates Multimedia Division.

A team of computer scientists from Amdahl break the record for largest prime number with 391581 * 2^216193 - 1 after a year and a half of background computing

Ref: 62

Nov 10

WordPerfect Corporation shipped WordPerfect 5.1. Full retail price in the U.S. was $500.

Ref: 4

1990

Jan 29

Scientists at Bell Labs demonstrate the first all-optical processor. Ref

Microsoft releases Windows 3.0.First version of Windows to allow use of memory beyond 640Kb.

Ref: 80

Apr 09

Microsoft introduces Russian MS-DOS 4.01.

May 22

Microsoft releases Windows 3.0.

Ref: 5

Jun 28

Judge Keeton of the Federal District Court in Boston upheld the copyright of the Lotus 1-2-3 user interface. Ref

Jul 25

Microsoft exceeds $1 billion in sales.

Oct 23

The Open Software Foundation announced the release of the industry's first open computer operating system -- OSF/1

Ref: 62

Nov 12

Tim Berners-Lee circulated a draft of a proposal for a hypertext system, which he called the World Wide Web.

Ref: 3

Excel 3.0 is launched. This version includes Workbooks and is one of the earliest Macintosh applications to offer Users Publish & Subscribe functionality. Ref

1991

Jan 09

Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft Excel for Windows 3.0. It also announces Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh 3.0 and Excel for OS/2 Presentation Manager which are expected to ship in the next few months.

Mar 18

Microsoft Purchases 26% of Publisher Dorling Kindersley.

Mar 18

Apple computer head Steve Jobs weds Laurene Powell.

Ref: 5

Apr 09

Release of Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0.

Ref: 5

Apr 22

Intel releases the 486SX chip.

Ref: 5

May 13

Apple releases Macintosh System 7.0.

Ref: 5

May 17

WWW server (production version) (Cailliau 1995). The server solves the 'Big Technological 3': URL (addressing) syntax, HTML (markup) language for documents, and HTTP (communications protocol) in the context of the client/server model. It also offers integration of earlier Internet tools (Telnet, FTP, Archie, Gopher, Veronica and Jughead [alas, not WAIS]) into a seamless whole.

May 21

Microsoft Announces Visual BASIC at Windows World '91.

Jun 11

Microsoft releases MS DOS 5.0

Ref: 5

Jul 03

Former corporate enemies Apple Computer and IBM publicly joined forces in a broad pact to swap technologies and develop new machines.

Ref: 6

IBM, Motorola and Apple's PowerPC alliance is announced. Ref

Aug 25

Linus Torvalds, a student at University of Helsinki, reveals he is working on Linux Operating System.

Ref: 10

Oct 20

Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions released.

Ref: 80

Nov 14

Microsoft Announces Multimedia Microsoft Works for Windows 2.0

Dec 10

First US Web page (and Web server) launched by particle physicist Paul Kunz at Stanford, Palo Alto.

Ref: 10

1992

Jan 19

IBM announces a nearly $5B loss for 1992.

Ref: 5

Mar 20

America OnLine goes public.

Ref: 3

Mar 24

Microsoft and Fox Software announce their merger.

Microsoft releases Excel 4.0 for Windows 3.1. Ref

Apr 06

Windows 3.1 released.Adds TrueType fonts and many other features.

Ref: 80

Apr 14

Court throws out Apple's lawsuit against Microsoft.

Ref: 5

Apr 24

Vinson Pike fined �1000 for distributing obscene computer pictures.

Ref: 5

Jun 23

President George Bush awards Bill Gates the National Medal of Technology for Technological Achievement, at a White House Rose Garden ceremony.

Microsoft announces the worldwide availability of Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1.

Windows for Workgroups 3.1 released, adding easier, integrated networking.

Ref: 80

Microsoft releases Excel 4.0a for Windows 3.1. Ref

Nov 11

Microsoft announces that the Microsoft Windows NT beta program is shipping to corporations for system evaluation.

Nov 16

Microsoft announces the immediate availability of Microsoft Access Database for Windows.

1993

Microsoft Encarta Ships.

Intel introduces Pentium-processor (80586) 64 bits-60 MHz-100+ MIPS.

Ref: 5

Mar 30

Microsoft Introduces MS-DOS 6.0.

Mar 31

Lou Gerstner was approved as IBM's next chairman at a salary of $3.5 million in 1993-$2 million in base salary and a $1.5 million bonus for reaching performance goals. At about the same time that 2,500 IBM employees in New York were given layoff notices.

Ref: 3

Apr 27

Microsoft Announces Microsoft Mouse 2.0.

May 17

Intel's new Pentium processor is unveiled

Ref: 5

May 24

Microsoft formally launches Microsoft Windows NT at Windows World in Atlanta.

Microsoft announces that Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the U.S. District Court of Northern California rules in Microsoft's favor in the Apple vs. Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard copyright suit. The judge grants Microsoft's and Hewlett-Packard's motions to dismiss the last remaining copyright infringement claims against Microsoft Windows 2.03 and 3.0, as well as, the HP NewWave.

Sep 30

MS-DOS v6.2 was released by Microsoft. Why? As far as we can tell, it was because I.B.M. had just released their DOS v6.1.

Ref: 4

Nov 08

Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was released. The operating system boasted improved support for NetWare and Windows NT, and slipped in numerous architectural changes to improve performance and stability (changes that later found their way into Windows 95).

Ref: 4

Dec 14

Excel 5.0; This version includes improved Workbooks and the replacement for Excel Macro Language with Visual Basic. Ref

1994

Bill Gates, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, lost his title of most eligible bachelor in America as he wed Marilyn French. The wedding was held on the island of Lanai in Hawaii.

Ref: 4

Feb 15

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 released.

Ref: 80

MS-DOS 6.21 ships with drive compression removed due to a law suit.

Ref: 80

Apr 04

Netscape Communications founded as Mosaic Communications.

Ref: 5

Apr 11

MS-DOS 6.22 ships with new DriveSpace drive compression.

Ref: 80

Jun 10

Microsoft announces the immediate availability of Microsoft Complete Baseball, a multimedia reference CD-ROM that details Baseball's history, players, teams, season summaries, and statistics.

Jun 28

Microsoft completes the acquisition of SOFTIMAGE Inc., the leading developer of high-performance 2-D and 3-D computer animation and visualization software.

Sep 06

Windows NT 3.5 released.It consists of over 9 million lines of code.

Ref: 80

Microsoft announces that Microsoft Windows 95 is the official name for the next version of Windows, code-named "Chicago", replacing Windows 3.11, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, and MS-DOS as the mainstream desktop operating system.

Sep 12

It was a big day for a young company named Mosaic Communications. It announced its first products: a network browser called Mosaic Netscape, and a server line called Mosaic Netsite.

Ref: 4

Oct 13

Netscape Communications Corporation announced that it was offering its new Netscape Navigator free to users via the Internet. The Internet browser, developed by the six-month-old Silicon Valley company led by Silicon Graphics founder Jim Clark and NCSA Mosaic creator Marc Andreessen, was available for free downloading by �individual, academic and research users.�

Ref: 4

Oct 26

Newspapers report that Apple had launched a new product called the Macintosh TV--a computer, television, and CD player all in one. The hybrid machines failed to catch on with the public.

Ref: 3

Nov 07

The recently released Pentium chip is found to have a bug that will cause occasional mathematical errors.

Ref: 3

Nov 07

The Electrical Engineering Times ran a cover story about flaws in Intel�s Pentium computer chip. The bug, an obscure flaw that caused extremely rare computation errors when performing certain types of mathematical calculations, eventually caused Intel to replace any Pentium processor affected by the flaw, regardless of whether the user was a mathmetician or not. Intel took a $475 million charge against earnings for the quarter to cover the expense of replacing all of those chips.

Ref: 4

Andrew Grove, CEO of Intel Corp., posts a message on an Internet chat group, apologizing for a bug in the recently-released Pentium chip.

Ref: 3

1995

Feb 15

The FBI arrested Kevin Mitnick, its "most wanted hacker," and charged him with cracking security for some of the nation's most protected computers. (Mitnick was released January 21st, 2000 after serving five years behind bars.)

Ref: 6

Microsoft and DreamWorks SKG announce that they have signed a joint-venture agreement to form a new software company designed to produce interactive and multimedia entertainment properties.

Mar 27

The Cray Computer Corporation, headed by 68-year-old computer guru Seymour Cray, filed for bankruptcy protection.

Ref: 3

May 23

Java programming language, developed by Sun Microsystems, Palo Alto, CA (Harold 1997). Client-side, on-the-fly supplementary data processing can be performed using safe, downloadable micro-programs (applets).

Ref: 75

Jun 16

The U.S. Court of Appeals reinstates a 1994 antitrust settlement between Microsoft and the Justice Department that was rejected by U.S. District Judge Stanley Sporkin in February 1995. The court's 26-page opinion delivers a harsh rebuke to the judge and grants Microsoft's request to remove him from the case.

Microsoft and Netscape officials met at Netscape headquarters in Mountain View, CA. Notes taken by Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen indicate that Microsoft offered to buy a share of its rival if Netscape would stop making Navigator for the Windows market. The Andreessen notes would be used later in the US government�s massive antitrust case against Microsoft Corp. (Microsoft founder Bill Gates was painted as the master string-puller in a no-holds-barred plan to destroy Netscape Communications Corp. when it refused to collaborate on a plot to divide the market for Internet browser software.)

Ref: 4

Jul 16

The first online bookstore, Amazon.com, is launched in Seattle by Jeffrey P. Bezos. By late 1998 the cyberstore sold books to 4.5 mln people from more than 160 countries (Amazon.com 1999, Quittner 1999).

Ref: 75

Jul 27

Microsoft releases Excel 7.0 for Windows 95/NT. Ref

Aug 09

Netscape becomes 3rd largest NASDAQ IPO offering ever.

Aug 24

Microsoft officially rolled out their Windows 95 operating system. Midnight parties at retailers across the US offered the new system for sale to those who just couldn�t wait any longer. NBC�s Jay Leno hosted the official launch party at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington. The company lit up the Empire State Building with the Windows 95 logo colors, and licensed the Rolling Stones song, "Start Me Up", to use in its TV advertisements (for $12 million).

Ref: 4

Sep 18

Microsoft announces Microsoft SideWinder 3D Pro for MS-DOS and Windows 95, a digital-optical joystick designed specifically to enhance the way PC gamers play.

Nov 27

Microsoft announces the release of the final version of Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95.

Dec 14

Microsoft and NBC announce that they have entered into a 50/50 partnership to create two new businesses -- a 24-hour news and information channel and an interactive on-line news service distributed on MSN: The Microsoft Network. MSNBC Cable will debut within six months.

1996

Apr 16

Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Ships.

Jun 09

Linux v2.0 was released. 2.0 was a significant improvement over the earlier versions of the operating system that some experts say will become a competitor for MS Windows. Several �flavors� of Linux have been developed as many in the computing world look for ways to wriggle free from the clutches of �Micro$oft� and its wealthy creator, Bill Gates.

Ref: 4

Aug 07

More than six million American Online customers worldwide were left stranded when the system crashed for almost 19 hours.

Ref: 6

Aug 24

Windows NT 4.0 released.It consists of over 16 million lines of code.

Ref: 80

Sep 29

The Nintendo 64 video game system, known as the first �true� 64-bit system, hit North American shelves. That first day, Nintendo sold 500,000 systems, with the Mario64 game selling the same with it. Needless to say, Nintendo�s system was a big sucess.

Ref: 4

Oct 22

Microsoft launches Expedia, an online travel service.

Ref: 3

Oct 28

Egghead, Inc. announces it will deliver software over the Internet. It closes about half its stores in 1996 and the remainder are closed by the end of 1998.

Ref: 3

Nov 04

A federal judge rules that Cyber Promotions, a direct marketing Internet company known for spamming America Online users, did not have a First Amendment right to e-mail unsolicited messages.

Ref: 3

Nov 07

Microsoft Releases Flight Simulator for Windows 95.

1997

The DPMA officially becomes the "Association of Information Technology Professionals"

Jan 15

Microsoft releases Excel 8.0 for Windows. Ref

Saudi Arab billionaire Prince al-Waleed bin Talal aquires 5% of Apple.

Ref: 5

Mar 06

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II launched the first official royal Web site.

Ref: 70

Apr 08

Microsoft Corp releases Internet Explorer 4.0.

Ref: 5

Apr 15

America OnLine, begins service in Japan.

Ref: 5

Mercury Mail announces its 1 millionth internet subscriber.

Ref: 5

Jun 10

Microsoft purchases 11.5% of Comcast Corp. for $1 billion.

Apple Computer and Microsoft agreed to share technology in a deal giving Microsoft a stake in Apple's survival.

Ref: 70

America Online acquired CompuServe, the oldest US on-line computer service. The billion-dollar deal also saw AOL involved with WorldCom, a telephone company with hundreds of miles of high-capacity line. Under the deal, WorldCom kept CompuServe�s global data network and agreed to provide network services to AOL. The deal gave AOL much-needed cash to develop new online content and expand its base of 9 million subscribers.

Ref: 4

Nov 11

Intel confirmed that its Pentium chips contained a bug that hackers could exploit to crash computers.

Ref: 3

Dec 08

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announces the release of Extensible Markup Language (XML) version 1.0 (Sloan and Oldfield 1998).

Ref: 75

Dec 11

Federal judge orders Microsoft not to bundle IE4 in Windows.

Ref: 5

In an attempt to nudge its Microsoft Network into a more competetive position (vs. America Online), Microsoft announced the purchase of Hotmail, the free Web-based e-mail service.

Ref: 4

Intel cuts price of Pentium II-233 MHz from $401 to $268.

Ref: 5

1998

Jan 22

Netscape WWW browser source code is made freely accessible to the software community (Netscape 1998). This strategic decision is influenced by the runaway successes of the Unix, TCP/IP and Linux application development paradigms.

Ref: 75

Jan 26

Compaq Computer Corp. and Digital Equipment Corp. announced plans to merge. In the largest computer biz acquisition to that time the deal wasworth $9.6 billion.

Ref: 4

Jan 26

Intel launches 333 MHz Pentium II chip.

Ref: 5

Feb 04

Bill Gates gets a pie thrown in his face in Brussels Belgium.

Ref: 5

Feb 10

AOL raised its monthly flat access rate from $19.95 to $21.95, explaining it needed to upgrade its network to handle the onslaught of people taking advantage of its flat price. The increase was set to go into effect in April 1998.

Ref: 4

Feb 12

Intel unveils its first graphics chip i740.

Ref: 5

Feb 27

Apple discontinues developing Newton computer.

Ref: 5

Mar 03

Bill Gates testifies at Senate Judiciary Committee that his company, Microsoft, wasn't a monopoly out to crush rivals in the Internet software market.

Ref: 5

Mar 26

Microsoft Releases Office 98 For The Macintosh.

May 18

The federal government filed a sweeping antitrust case against Microsoft Corp.

Ref: 70

Jun 22

CompUSA announced that it was buying Computer City from Tandy for $275 million. Tandy was selling the sickly chain as part of a turnaround it had started the previous year. Tandy president Leonard Roberts said, �Computer City was a losing operation for the company. The sale will allow us to completely focus on Radio Shack at a time when profits are at an all-time high.�

Ref: 4

Jun 25

Windows 98 was released. Microsoft used the slogan, �Works better. Plays better.� The company said the new operating system would bring an �increased computer experience by providing a rich feature set for a wider variety of users than ever before.� Interest in the new release was also increased by the publicity generated by the US Justice Department�s antitrust suit against Microsoft.

Ref: 4

Aug 28

Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading in the U.K., became the first human to host a microchip. The approximately 23mm-by-3mm glass capsule containing several microprocessors stayed in Warwick's left arm for nine days. It was used to test implant's interaction with computer controlled doors and lights in a futuristic 'intelligent office building' (Witt 1999).

Ref: 75

Sep 16

Microsoft passes GE to become America's biggest company with a market value of $262 billion.

Ref: 10

Oct 19

Microsoft and prosecutors for the U.S. Department of Justice and twenty states met in federal court. It was the beginning of the antitrust case against the Microsoft Corporation.

Ref: 4

Microsoft announces that Windows NT 5.0 will be renamed "Windows 2000".

Ref: 80

Nov 09

India's government announces it would give up its monopoly on Internet service.

Ref: 3

Nov 17

A Federal judge orders Microsoft to make Windows comply with Sun's standards for the Java programming language, breaching a licensing agreement with Sun for Java.

Ref: 3

Nov 24

America Online, the largest Internet access service, announced plans to acquire Netscape Communications in a deal valued at $4.2 billion.

Ref: 4

Dec 02

Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates donated $100 million to help immunize children in developing countries.

Ref: 70

1999

Mar 24

Wireless Markup Language (WML) Specification Version 1.1 is ased. WML is a markup language based on XML and is designed to cope with the constraints of small narrowband devices (cellular phones, pages, palmtop computers). These constraints include: (a) small display and limited user input facilities; (b) narrowband network connection; (c) limited memory and computational resources. WML offers: support for a variety of text and image formatting and layout commands; Hypercard style interface metaphor (all information in WML is organised into a collection of cards and decks); Inter-card navigation and linking; string parameterization and state management. memory and computational resources. WML offers: support for a

Ref: 75

A New Jersey man was arrested and charged with originating the "Melissa" e-mail virus.

Ref: 70

Apr 29

Windows 2000 Beta 3 released to testers.

Ref: 80

May 01

(Napster) (date given as May, 1999) Napster file-sharing service founded by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

May 05

Windows 98 Second Edition released.

Ref: 80

America Online announced its investment of $1.5 billion in DirecTV creator Hughes Electronics Corp. The agreement gave AOL new high-speed options and expanded ties between the world�s largest Internet provider and the leading US satellite TV service. A combination of AOL�s Internet services and Hughes� digital TV system would help increase DirecTV�s subscriber base while boosting the market for AOL�s interactive TV and high-speed Internet services.

Ref: 4

Jun 25

Netomat: The Non-Linear Browser, by the NY artist Maciej Wisniewski, launched. The open-source software uses Java and XML technology to navigate the web in terms of the data (text, images and sounds) it contains, as opposed to traditional browsers (Mosaic, Lynx, Netscape, Explorer) which navigate the web's pages (Ciolek, notes, Jul 1999).

Ref: 75

Six months before the year 2000, Congress passes legislation to shield businesses from a potential flood of Y2K computer-related lawsuits. (XDG, p 4A, 7/1/2000)

Ref: 83

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum announces in San Francisco, USA the WAP version 1.1 of the mobile Internet standard specifications. WAP in conjunction with Wireless Markup Language (WML) application layer enable users of digital mobile phones and other wireless devices to securely access and instantly interact with Internet/intranet information and advanced telephony services (Cover 2000).

Ref: 75

Aug 21

Jeffrey Levy, a student at the University of Oregon, pleads guilty to illegally distributing thousands of pirated software programs, movies and pieces of music from his Web site, giving the government its first Internet piracy conviction under the 1997 Electronic Theft Act.

Aug 25

Microsoft and Compaq discontinue all Windows NT/2000 development for the Alpha processor.

Ref: 80

Windows 2000 Release Candidate 2 released to testers.

Ref: 80

Nov 05

U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, in a �finding of fact�, declared Microsoft Corporation a monopoly. Jackson wrote, �Microsoft enjoys so much power in the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems that if it wished to exercise this power solely in terms of price, it could charge a price for Windows substantially above that which could be charged in a competitive market.� After checking prices for Windows XP, we tend to agree.

Ref: 4

Nov 17

Windows 2000 Release Candidate 3 released to testers.

Ref: 80

"Millennium" beta 2, successor to Windows 98SE, sent to beta testers.

Ref: 80

Dec 07

(Napster) The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sues Napster alleging copyright infringements, accusing it of being a having for music piracy. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

Barnes & Noble, a major US publisher and book distributor, announces that it will begin offering print-on-demand books online and at brick-and-mortar stores starting early next year. IBM will provide the technology and manufacturing components for the operation, which will eventually be available at all Barnes & Noble distribution centers, starting at the Jamesburg, N.J., facility in spring 2000 (Wilcox 1999).

Ref: 75

David L. Smith, 31, pleads guilty to creating the "Melissa" computer virus and using a sex web site to spread it through cyberspace where it did more than $80 million of damage.

Ref: 9

Dec 15

Windows 2000 released to manufacturing, official launch date still set for February 17, 2000.

Ref: 80

A global TV programme '2000Today' reports live for 25 hrs non-stop the New Year celebrations in 68 countries all over the world. It is the first ever show of that duration and geographical coverage. The programme involved a round-the-clock work of over 6000 technical personnel, and used a array of 60 communication satellites to reach 1 billion viewers from all time-zones all over the globe (The Canberra Times, 1 Jan, 2000).

Ref: 75

2000

People the world over changed their calendars to 2000 with very few of the �Y2K� computer glitches that had been predicted.

Ref: 4

Jan 10

America Online, �the company that brought the Internet to the masses,� announced that it had agreed to buy Time Warner, the largest traditional media company in the U.S., for $165 billion.

Ref: 4

Jan 13

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced that he would be stepping down as Microsoft chief executive and handing over the reins to longtime friend and company president Steve Ballmer. Gates assumed the title of �chief software architect�.

Ref: 4

Feb 17

Windows 2000 Professional Edition was released. Windows 2000 was an �the next generation NT operating system� that Microsoft said took four years and cost over $1 billion to develop.

Ref: 4

Mar 08

Intel Co. introduced the Intel Pentium III processor 1.0 GHz (gigahertz or 1,000 megahertz), the world's highest performance microprocessor for PCs. The Pentium III processor at 1 GHz delivers a 15 percent performance gain over the fastest processors on the market today (Intel 2000).

Ref: 75

Apr 03

A federal judge in Washington ruled that Microsoft Corp. had violated U.S. antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on competitors during the race to link Americans to the Internet.

Ref: 70

Apr 13

(Napster) The heavy metal rock group Metalica sues Napster for copyright infringement and racketerring. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

Apr 27

The Google search engine releases a beta version of its WWW indexing technology optimized for wireless phone and handheld computer users. When a wireless user requests a traditional HTML page, Google's innovative technology translates the requested HTML document on the fly into WML. This is done by having long HTML pages broken down into several smaller, interconnected WML pages to fit the deck limit of WAP microbrowsers (Google 2000).

Ref: 75

May 03

A new company, SuperLetter.com Inc. announced that beginning this May, Internet users will be able to send mail to any physical address in the world from a PC for less than the cost of express mail service. The company's motto is "You Send E-Mail We Deliver Real-Mail - Around the Globe!" (Net-Happenings, 4 May 2000).

Ref: 75

May 04

The "ILOVEYOU" e-mail virus infected computer networks and hard drives across the globe, spawning various imitations.

Ref: 6

Jun 07

US District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson orders the breakup of Microsoft Corp., declaring the software giant should be split into two because it had "proved untrustworthy in the past." Microsoft vowed to appeal.

Ref: 70

Jul 26

(Napster) U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel (in federal court, San Francisco CA) grants the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) request and issues a preliminary injunction against online music service Napster. The judge ordered Napster to stop distributing copyrighted songs on the Web. Although Napster fought the ruling for months, this was the beginnning of the end for the Internet music distribution site.

Ref: 4

Sep 14

Microsoft Windows Me (Millennium Edition) was released. It was the successor and last version of the popular Windows 9x series of operating systems which began with the enormously popular Windows 95. It also was, �Quite possibly, the most under-hyped version of Windows ever created.�

Ref: 4

2001

Feb 12

(Napster) The Ninth Circuit Court says that Napster must stop allowing music fans to use its free internet-based service to share copyright material. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

There are 9.3 million residential customers of broadband Internet services in North America, which represents 8.2 percent household penetration. That number comprises 6.4 M people using cable modem, and 2.9 M using digital subscriber line service. At the same time 119,000 North Americans were signing up for high-speed Internet access to their homes per week. As of June 1 there were 7.6 million residential broadband Internet subscribers in the United States and 1.7 million in Canada, equal to 15 percent penetration of Canadian households, double the U.S. penetration rate (Luening 2001).

Ref: 75

Aug 28

Gateway, the nation's No. 4 manufacturer of personal computers, said it was laying off 4,700 employees 25 percent of its global work force - because of an increasingly bleak market.

Ref: 70

Oct 01

(Napster) (date given as October, 2001) The recording and film industries sue the companies behind Grokster and Morpheus file-swapping services. The company behind KaZaA file swapping service, is added later. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

Oct 24

Brewster Kahle and his Internet Archive (www.archive.org) unveil in San Francisco, CA, "The WayBack Machine", a search engine providing access to all archived copies of the WWW sites from the mid 1996 onwards (Internet Archive 2001).

Ref: 75

Oct 31

Microsoft and the Justice Department reached a tentative agreement to settle the historic antitrust case against the software giant.

Ref: 70

Dec 11

The world's eighth largest computer (a $34M Compag ES-45) was set up at the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB according to a page 1 article of the Xenia Daily Gazette.

Ref: 83

Dec 20

Microsoft admits its Windows XP operating system is vulnerable to hacking. (XDG, p 4A, 12/20/2002)

Ref: 83

2002

Mar 06

Federal regulators approved the proposed $22B merger of Hewlett-Packard Company and Compaq Computer Corporation. (XDG, p 4A, 3/06/2003)

Ref: 83

Sep 03

(Napster) Napster lays off nearly all its employees. It announces plans to liquidate its assets. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

Nov 18

Charles Wang, Computer Associates founder, resigns as chairman of that company. (USA Today, p 1B, 11/19/2002)

Ref: 13

2003

Jan 12

AOL Time Warner chairman Steve Case announced his resignation.

Ref: 70

Apr 25

(Napster) A court rules that Grokster and StreamCast Networks can keep distributing internet file-sharing software, forcing the music industry to intensify its legal pursuit of individuals who distribute copyrighted works online. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

(Napster) Four university students who were sued for operating campus-wide music-sharing programs reach settlements under which they will pay between $12,000 and $17,000 to the recording industry. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

May 29

Microsoft agrees to pay AOL-Time Warner $750M to settle a 16-month old lawsuit. The two giants have come to terms on a 7-year deal to integrate music and video into each other's products. (USA Today, p 1B, 5/30/2003)

Ref: 13

Jul 18

(Napster) The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) wins at least 871 federal subpoenas demanding that internet service providers and some universities turn over names of users suspected of illegally sharing music. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

(Napster) SBC Communications unit Pacific Bell Internet Services files a complaint alleging that many of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) subpoenas were served improperly. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

Aug 08

(Napster) A US District Court rules that MIT and Boston College don't have to comply with subpoenas seeking information about students the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) suspects of file-sharing. (WSJ, p B1, 9/09/2003)

Ref: 33

On page B8 of todays WSJ, Microsoft Corporation has agreed to pay $23.3M to Be Inc to settle an antitrust suit that alleges Microsoft illegally shut Be out of crucial deals with personal computer makers. Microsoft did not admit wrongdoing.

Ref: 33