-
Early Concepts
Multiple different ideas and concepts formed during this timespan from 1940 to 1960. Vannevar Bush proposes the concept of "memex" (early version of hypertext), early developments in computers and networks, etc. -
The Launch of Sputnik
During the Cold War, when the Soviets launched Sputnik the U.S. government, in an effort to catch up in the space race, funded more money into scientific and technological research. This created ARPA which aimed to advance technological research. -
Packet Switching Made
Researchers like Paul Baran and Donald Davies create packet switching technology, which was a data transmission method. It was fundamental to internet communication. Meanwhile, a scientist named J.C.R Licklider proposed a network of computers that can communicate with each other. -
Launch of ARPANET
ARPANET was a network made to withstand attacks during the Cold War. In 1969, ARPANET was able to connect multiple computers, initially in four universities (UCLA, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, University of Utah). They used packet switching technology, breaking information into tiny bits then rebuilding them at the destination. -
First Email Sent
In 1971, Ray Thompson sent the first email through ARPANET. With this new invention, you could now send a message across the world in a few seconds. This designated the use of the "@" symbol to tell apart the host name and persons name. -
ARPANET Expands Globally
ARPANET is established in institutions in the U.K. and Norway. This demonstrated the feasibility of global networking and digital communication proving that computers could share and connect data between countries. This laid the groundwork for the future of the internet. -
Transmission Control Protocol
Computer scientist Vinton Cerf came up with a way to introduce computers across the world to each other in a virtual space. This lay the foundation of standardized data transmission globally. -
First Spam Email
The first spam email, or unsolicited bulk email, was sent to ARPANET users. At the time it was ignored but later it would become the basis for thing such as email-based advertising, cybersecurity threats, etc. It was the flaw of digital communication. -
ARPANET officially adopts TCP
ARPANET adopts Transmission Control Protocol as its official protocol. This solidified the technical foundation of today's internet. Because of the adoption, this later helped develop Internet Protocol or IP. -
Domain Name System Created
Domain Name System, or DNS, is created which helps humans create readable addresses (ex: .org, .com) instead of a numerical address like IP's. This overall simplified internet communication and is still used to this day in all URL's. -
World Wide Web
A scientist named Tim-Burners Lee proposed a system that manages information among researchers. This would later in August 6, 1991, become public providing a way for normal people to access the internet and its information easily. -
Mosaic Web Browser
The Mosaic Web Browser is launched and increases public use of the internet. It was the first web browser that supports images, embedded multimedia, and a point-and-click navigation system. Each of these helped new, non-technical users easily use the web. -
Early Websites
Some early websites such as Yahoo and Amazon were created. Yahoo initiated the early days of web dictionaries. Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, was a online bookstore but eventually turned into the multi-millionaire company it is now, selling basically anything you need. -
Google Founded
Google was founded, which revolutionized search and became a major force in organizing information. It used a algorithm called PageRank that ranked web pages by relevance and authority. Google would later become popular and create things such as Google Maps, Google Ad's, etc. -
First Wi-Fi Standard
The first Wi-Fi standard was created and released. This allowed wireless internet connectivity which would later lead to mobile computing. At first, there was limited speeds but soon Wi-Fi evolved gaining enhanced reliability and efficiency. -
Rise of Social Media
During this timespan many websites were made. Wikipedia became a collaborative platform of knowledge and the largest reference website. Skype made Voice over Internet Protocol public, changing global communication. Facebook was made, starting era of social networking. Finally YouTube, which allowed users to create and post their own video content. -
iPhone Created
The iPhone is released by Apple, which started the smartphone era. This event is so revolutionary as it was able to allow users to access the internet in such a small device and at such great ease. Many other companies and brands would later release similar devices to compete with Apple. -
Growth of Digital Platforms
New apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok are created. These apps became commonly used by younger people and emphasized short-form videos. Paired with things like interactive content, instant sharing, etc. these apps influenced trends, digital marketing, how people engage with each other and so much more. -
Creation of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, became mainstream and was integrated into many people's lives. Devices such as Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant were used by many. Some companies even put them into their products. These AI's would continue to advance and turn into a new technological trend. -
Advancements in AI
AI's becomes even smarter as new ones, such as ChatGPT and Deepseek, are made. These AI's became superior as they showed understanding in natural language processing and were able to interact with humans more efficiently. These AI's today are now so advanced, being able to beat the best chess players or solve previously unsolved math equations. -
Skype is officially discontinued
Skype, which was made in 2003, was officially discontinued by Microsoft as they switched to Teams. This program allowed people to make voice and video calls over the internet, but as technology evolved Skype became outdated. This ended the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication era.