computer history timeline - dillion gale

By dillion
  • Period: Jan 1, 700 to

    computing history

  • Liang Ling-Can invents the first fully mechanical clock
    Sep 13, 724

    Liang Ling-Can invents the first fully mechanical clock

  • Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci depict inventions such as flying machines, including a helicopter, the first mechanical calculator and one of the first programmable robots
    Sep 13, 1492

    Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci depict inventions such as flying machines, including a helicopter, the first mechanical calculator and one of the first programmable robots

    Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci depict inventions such as flying machines, including a helicopter, the first mechanical calculator and one of the first programmable robots
  • John Napier invents a system of moveable rods (Napier's Rods) based on logarithms which was able to multiply, divide and calculate square and cube roots

    John Napier invents a system of moveable rods (Napier's Rods) based on logarithms which was able to multiply, divide and calculate square and cube roots

  • William Oughtred develops slide rules

    William Oughtred develops slide rules

  • Calculating Clock: Invented by Wilhelm Schickard

    Calculating Clock: Invented by Wilhelm Schickard

  • Blaise Pascal invents the the "Pascaline", a mechanical adding machine

    Blaise Pascal invents the the "Pascaline", a mechanical adding machine

  • Gottfried Leibniz is known as one of the founding fathers of calculus

    Gottfried Leibniz is known as one of the founding fathers of calculus

  • Joseph-Marie Jacquard invents an automatic loom controlled by punched cards

    Joseph-Marie Jacquard invents an automatic loom controlled by punched cards

  • The Arithmometer was the first mass-produced calculator invented by Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar

    The Arithmometer was the first mass-produced calculator invented by Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar

  • Charles Babbage designs his first mechanical computer

    Charles Babbage designs his first mechanical computer

  • The Analytical Engine was invented by Charles Babbage

    The Analytical Engine was invented by Charles Babbage

  • Samuel Morse invents Morse code

    Samuel Morse invents Morse code

  • Boolean algebra is invented by George Boole

    Boolean algebra is invented by George Boole

  • Per Georg Scheutz and his son Edvard invent the Tabulating Machine

    Per Georg Scheutz and his son Edvard invent the Tabulating Machine

  • William Stanley Jevons designs a practical logic machine

    William Stanley Jevons designs a practical logic machine

  • Ramon Verea invents a fast calculator with an internal multiplication table

    Ramon Verea invents a fast calculator with an internal multiplication table

  • Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone called the Photophone

    Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone called the Photophone

  • The Comptometer is an invention of Dorr E. Felt which is operated by pressing keys

    The Comptometer is an invention of Dorr E. Felt which is operated by pressing keys

  • Herman Hollerith invents a counting machine which increment mechanical counters

    Herman Hollerith invents a counting machine which increment mechanical counters

  • Radio signals were invented by Guglielmo Marconi

    Radio signals were invented by Guglielmo Marconi

  • Herman Hollerith forms the Tabulating Machine Company which later becomes IBM

    Herman Hollerith forms the Tabulating Machine Company which later becomes IBM

  • Remote control was invented by Nikola Tesla

    Remote control was invented by Nikola Tesla

  • Lee De Forest invents the electronic tube

    Lee De Forest invents the electronic tube

  • IBM is formed on June 15, 1911

    IBM is formed on June 15, 1911

  • Television Electronic was invented by Philo Farnsworth

    Television Electronic was invented by Philo Farnsworth

  • Electro Mechanical television system was invented by John Logie Baird Walther Bothe: Walther Bothe develops the logic gate

    Electro Mechanical television system was invented by John Logie Baird Walther Bothe: Walther Bothe develops the logic gate

  • Vannevar Bush develops a partly electronic Difference Engine

    Vannevar Bush develops a partly electronic Difference Engine

  • Kurt Godel publishes a paper on the use of a universal formal language

    Kurt Godel publishes a paper on the use of a universal formal language

  • Alan Turing develops the concept of a theoretical computing machine

    Alan Turing develops the concept of a theoretical computing machine

  • Konrad Zuse creates the Z1 Computer a binary digital computer using punch tape

    Konrad Zuse creates the Z1 Computer a binary digital computer using punch tape

  • George Stibitz develops the Complex Number Calculator - a foundation for digital computers

    George Stibitz develops the Complex Number Calculator - a foundation for digital computers

  • William Hewlett and David Packard start Hewlett Packard

    William Hewlett and David Packard start Hewlett Packard

  • John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry develop the ABC (Atanasoft-Berry Computer) prototype

    John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry develop the ABC (Atanasoft-Berry Computer) prototype

  • Adolf Hitler uses the Enigma encryption machine

    Adolf Hitler uses the Enigma encryption machine

  • Alan Turing develops the code-breaking machine Colossus

    Alan Turing develops the code-breaking machine Colossus

  • Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the MARK series of computers at Harvard University

    Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper designed the MARK series of computers at Harvard University

  • John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly: John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly develop the ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer)

    John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly: John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly develop the ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer)

  • The term computer ‘bug’ as computer bug was first used by Grace Hopper

  • F.C. Williams develops his cathode-ray tube (CRT) storing device the forerunner to random-access memory (RAM)

  • Donald Watts Davies joins Alan Turing to build the fastest digital computer in England at the time, the Pilot ACE

  • William Shockley invents the transistor at Bell Labs

    William Shockley invents the transistor at Bell Labs

  • Douglas Engelbart theorises on interactive computing with keyboard and screen display instead of on punchcards

    Douglas Engelbart theorises on interactive computing with keyboard and screen display instead of on punchcards

  • Andrew Donald Booth invents magnetic drum memory

    Andrew Donald Booth invents magnetic drum memory

  • Frederic Calland Williams & Tom Kilburn develop the SSEM "Small Scale Experimental Machine" digital CRT storage which was soon nicknamed the "Baby"

    Frederic Calland Williams & Tom Kilburn develop the SSEM "Small Scale Experimental Machine" digital CRT storage which was soon nicknamed the "Baby"

  • Howard Aiken develops the Harvard-MARK III

    Howard Aiken develops the Harvard-MARK III

  • Claude Shannon builds the first machine that plays chess

    Claude Shannon builds the first machine that plays chess

  • The first electronic computer is created in Japan by Hideo Yamachito.

    The first electronic computer is created in Japan by Hideo Yamachito.

  • Alan Turing publishes his paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence which helps create the Turing Test

    Alan Turing publishes his paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence which helps create the Turing Test

  • T. Raymond Thompson and John Simmons develop the first business computer, the Lyons Electronic Office (LEO) at Lyons Co.

  • UNIVAC I (UNIVersal Automatic Computer I) was introduced - the first commercial computer made in the United States and designed principally by John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly

  • The EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer) begins performing basic tasks. Unlike the ENIAC, it was binary rather than decimal

  • The IBM 701 becomes available and a total of 19 are sold to the scientific community

    The IBM 701 becomes available and a total of 19 are sold to the scientific community

  • John Backus & IBM develop the FORTRAN Computer Programming Language

    John Backus & IBM develop the FORTRAN Computer Programming Language

  • Bell Labs introduces its first transistor computer

    Bell Labs introduces its first transistor computer

  • Optical fiber was invented by Basil Hirschowitz, C. Wilbur Peters, and Lawrence E. Curtiss

    Optical fiber was invented by Basil Hirschowitz, C. Wilbur Peters, and Lawrence E. Curtiss

  • Sputnik I and Sputnik II: Sputnik I and Sputnik II are launched by the Russians

  • ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) and NASA is formed

  • The first integrated circuit, or silicon chip, is produced by the US Jack Kilby & Robert Noyce

  • Paul Baran theorises on the "survivability of communication systems under nuclear attack", digital technology and symbiosis between humans and machines

    Paul Baran theorises on the "survivability of communication systems under nuclear attack", digital technology and symbiosis between humans and machines

  • The Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL) programming language is invented.

    The Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL) programming language is invented.

  • General Motors puts the first industrial robot, Unimate, to work in a New Jersey factory.

  • The first computer game Spacewar Computer Game invented BY Steve Russell & MIT

  • The American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is developed to standardize data exchange among computers

  • Douglas Engelbart invents and patents the first computer mouse

    Douglas Engelbart invents and patents the first computer mouse

  • IBM introduces the first word processor

  • John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz develop Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Language (BASIC

  • Andries van Dam and Ted Nelson coin the term "hypertext

    Andries van Dam and Ted Nelson coin the term "hypertext

  • IBM creates the first floppy disk

  • Seymour Cray develops the CDC 7600, the first supercomputer

  • Gary Starkweather invents the laser printer whilst working with Xerox

  • The U.S. Department of Defense sets up the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET ) this network was the first building blocks to what the internet is today but originally with the intention of creating a computer network that could withstand

  • Intel introduces the world's first available dynamic RAM ( random-access memory) chip and the first microprocessor, the Intel 4004

    Intel introduces the world's first available dynamic RAM ( random-access memory) chip and the first microprocessor, the Intel 4004

  • E-mail was invented by Ray Tomlinson

  • Liquid Crystal Display ( LCD ) was invented by James Fergason

  • Pocket calculator was invented by Sharp Corporation

    Pocket calculator was invented by Sharp Corporation

  • Floppy Disk was invented by David Noble with IBM - Nicknamed the "Floppy" for its flexibility

  • Atari releases Pong, the first commercial video game

    Atari releases Pong, the first commercial video game

  • The compact disc is invented in the United States

  • Robert Metcalfe creates the Ethernet, a local-area network (LAN) protocol

  • The minicomputer Xerox Alto (1973) was a landmark step in the development of personal computers

    The minicomputer Xerox Alto (1973) was a landmark step in the development of personal computers

  • Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn develop gateway routing computers to negotiate between the various national networks

    Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn develop gateway routing computers to negotiate between the various national networks

  • IBM develops SEQUEL (Structured English Query Language ) now known as SQL

  • Charles Simonyi coins the term WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) to describe the ability of being able to display a file or document exactly how it is going to be printed or viewed

  • Altair produces the first portable computer

  • The Microsoft Corporation was founded April 4, 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800

  • Apple Computers was founded Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs

    Apple Computers was founded Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs

  • Apple Computer’s Apple II, the first personal computer with color graphics, is demonstrated

  • Ward Christensen writes the programme "MODEM" allowing two microcomputers to exchange files with each other over a phone line

    Ward Christensen writes the programme "MODEM" allowing two microcomputers to exchange files with each other over a phone line

  • The first magnetic tape is developed in the US

  • Over half a million computers are in use in the United States

  • IBM hires Paul Allen and Bill Gates to create an operating system for a new PC. They buy the rights to a simple operating system manufactured by Seattle Computer Products and use it as a template to develop DOS.

  • MS-DOS Computer Operating System increases its success

  • WordPerfect Corporation introduces WordPerfect 1.0 a word processing program

  • The Commodore 64 becomes the best-selling computer of all time.

  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is introduced

  • Domain Name System (DNS) pioneered by Jon Postel, Paul Mockapetris and Craig Partridge. Seven 'top-level' domain names are initially introduced: edu, com, gov, mil, net, org and int.

    Domain Name System (DNS) pioneered by Jon Postel, Paul Mockapetris and Craig Partridge. Seven 'top-level' domain names are initially introduced: edu, com, gov, mil, net, org and int.

  • More than 10 million computers are in use in the United States

  • Microsoft Windows introduced eliminating the need for a user to have to type each command, like MS-DOS, by using a mouse to navigate through drop-down menus, tabs and icons

    Microsoft Windows introduced eliminating the need for a user to have to type each command, like MS-DOS, by using a mouse to navigate through drop-down menus, tabs and icons

  • Apple introduces the Macintosh with mouse and window interface

  • William Gibson coins the word cyberspace when he publishes Neuromancer

  • Paul Brainard introduces Pagemaker for the Macintosh creating the desktop publishing field.

  • The Nintendo Entertainment System makes its debut

  • More than 30 million computers are in use in the United States

  • Microsoft introduces Microsoft Works

    Microsoft introduces Microsoft Works

  • Larry Wall introduces Perl 1.0

  • Over 45 million PCs are in use in the United States

  • Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau propose a 'hypertext' system starting the modern Internet

  • Microsoft and IBM stop working together to develop operating systems

  • The World Wide Web is launched to the public on August 6, 1991

  • At the beginning of the year only 50 World Wide Web servers are known to exist

  • YAHOO is created in April, 1994

  • The World Wide Web Consortium is founded by Tim Berners-Lee to help with the development of common protocols for the evolution of the World Wide Web

    The World Wide Web Consortium is founded by Tim Berners-Lee to help with the development of common protocols for the evolution of the World Wide Web

  • Java is introduced

  • Amazon.com is founded by Jeff Bezos

  • EBay is founded by Pierre Omidyar

  • Hotmail is started by Jack Smith and Sabeer Bhatia.

  • WebTV is introduced

  • Altavista introduces its free online translator Babel Fish

  • Microsoft acquires Hotmail

  • Google is founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page on September 7, 1998

  • PayPal is founded by Peter Thiel and Max Levchin

  • Bill Gates introduces the Xbox on January 7th 2001

    Bill Gates introduces the Xbox on January 7th 2001

  • Approximately 1 billion PCs been sold

  • PayPal is acquired by eBay

  • September 12: eBay acquires Skype

  • Skype announces that it has over 100 million registered users

    Skype announces that it has over 100 million registered users

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