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ARPANET, an abbreviation for the U.S. "Advanced Research Projects Agency Network", was the first public packet-switched computer network used mainly for academic and research purposes. It is considered the forerunner of the modern internet. https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/ARPANET -
The first message was sent from computer to computer on ARPANET, which looked like the thumbnail pictured above. Ray Tomlinson would go to create email based on this concept, to allow people to communicate without the need for telephone lines https://phrasee.co/blog/a-brief-history-of-email/#:~:text=On%20October%2029th%201969%2C%20the,creating%20ARPANET's%20networked%20email%20system. -
Uncertainty surrounds the exact release date of this game, considered to be the earliest example of a first-person shooter. This game would be available for people to enjoy in 1974. https://time.graphics/event/8688 -
The first ever spam email, sent by Gary Thuerk, a marketer for Digital Equipment Corporation, sent his email to 400 of the 2600 people using ARPANET. This reportingly annoyed a lot of people, however, some contacted Gary with interest, and from this moment forward, Spam was born. https://www.themarysue.com/first-spam-email/
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Developed by Adam Osborne, the Osborne I was the first truly portable computer ever made. It weighed 24.5 pounds and has a 5-inch display. https://www.computerhope.com/history/laptop.htm -
Steve Wilhite, searching for a solution to send graphic images over dial-up modems, creates the 'Gif', an acronym for "Graphics Intergage Format". This familiar style of graphics is still in use today -
Tim Berners-Lee, a British Scientist working at CERN, creates the World Wide Web. Originally designed and developed to meet the demand for automated information-sharing between scientists in universities and institutes around the globe. https://home.cern/science/computing/birth-web/short-history-web#:~:text=Where%20the%20Web%20was%20born,and%20institutes%20around%20the%20world. https://time.com/5549635/tim-berners-lee-interview-web/ -
The first major advance in searching for information, Archie began in 1990 making it possible to search through a site's file directories. https://www.hpe.com/us/en/insights/articles/how-search-worked-before-google-1703.html#:~:text=The%20first%20major%20search%20advance,dealing%20with%2C%20it%20was%20wonderful. -
The World Wide Web is put into the public domain by CERN. Officially, it was described as a global, networked computer information system, consisting of independent hardware and software that was made out of virtual platforms and a physical location. https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/5741#:~:text=The%20World%20Wide%20Web%20was,global%2C%20networked%20computer%20information%20system. -
In 1994, Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, brought together a group of stakeholders to develop high-quality standards for the operation and further development of the Internet. https://www.w3.org/Consortium/facts -
The first banner ad is purchased by At&t on HotWired.com, pictured above. About 44% of the people who saw it clicked on it. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/04/the-first-ever-banner-ad-on-the-web/523728/ -
The first smartphone, created by IBM, is released for purchase. It was titled the "Simon Personal Communicator". This was the first touchscreen phone, with the ability to send emails and faxes. It also featured predictive typing and a calendar https://simpletexting.com/where-have-we-come-since-the-first-smartphone/#:~:text=1994%20%E2%80%93%20What%20Was%20The%20First,to%20every%20smartphone%20that%20followed. -
Classmates.com, considered to be the first social network, is launched. This service allowed high school alumni friends to find each other and contact them through email https://sea.mashable.com/tech/9618/social-networking-sites-began-in-1995-heres-how-much-has-changed -
Pop-Up ads, an advancement from their banner ad counterparts, are now commonplace among the most popular websites, including GeoCities, AOL, and The New York Times -
Wifi is created, allowing for devices to connect to the internet using wireless transmitters and radio signals. First created in 1997 when a committee called 802.11 was created. -
The most popular search engine used today, Google, is launched in 1998, revolutionizing the search engine industry and providing easy access to the vast internet for all who use it. -
Vic Hayes, known as the father of WiFi, update the standard on their project to allow the technology to expand outside of academic institutions, and into the hands of everyday consumers https://blog.eero.com/a-brief-history-of-wifi-then-and-now/ -
Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook, a social media website still in use today that allows people to connect with each other -
The first iPhone, featuring a fully functioning touch screen and smartphone capabilities, is released to the public by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnrJzXM7a6o&ab_channel=JohnSchroter -
NASA, using the DTN network, transmits dozens of images of space to and from a NASA spacecraft located in space. https://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/nov/HQ_08-298_Deep_space_internet.html -
Instagram, one of the most popular social network sites, is released in 2010. This site would later be bought by Facebook. -
President Biden signs Executive order 14036, restoring Net Neutrality rules that had been previously struck down by the FCC
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