Programming History Timeline by Logan Keefer (List Version Recommended)

By Logan Keefer
  • 1 BCE

    Sources

    The History of Computer Programming
    http://visual.ly/history-computer-programming Timeline of Computer History
    http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/software-languages/ A Brief History of Computer Programming Languages [#Infographic]
    http://www.edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2013/04/brief-history-computer-programming-languages-infographic A Timeline of Database History
    http://www.quickbase.com/articles/timeline-of-database-history
  • Period: Jan 1, 1000 to

    1801

    Joseph Marie Jacquard invented the Jacquard Loom, a mechanical and automated apparatus that makes fabric by weaving thread. It was controlled by changeable punched cards. The punched card was later used by Charles Babbage as a method for storing programs for the Analytic Engine.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1000 to

    1842-1843

    Ada Lovelace translated an article about Charles' Engine. She describes an algorithm that is cited as the first computer program, making her the first computer programmer.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1000 to

    1889

    Herman Hollerith invented the tabulator and keypunch machines, as well as his own punched cards, know as Hollerith cards. All these form the basis for information processing.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1000 to

    1896

    Herman founded the Tabulating Machine Company, which became IBM.
  • Period: to

    1906

    Herman developed a plug board or control panel that allowed the machine to perform different tasks without being reconstructed.
  • Period: to

    1937

    The Atanasoff-Berry Computer was developed.
  • Period: to

    1938

    Konrad Zuse developed and built the world's first binary digital computer, the Z1
  • Period: to

    1941

    Zuse completed the first fully functional program-controlled electro-mechanical digital computer.
  • Period: to

    1942

    The Atanasoff-Berry Computer, the first electronic digital computer, was tested, designed to solve linear equations. Colossus Machines, the first programmable electronic digital computers were used in World War II. They were designed to break and read encrypted German messages.
  • Period: to

    1945

    Zuse works on Plankalkül (Plan Calculus), the first algorithmic programming language.
  • Period: to

    1947

    Computer programming pioneer Grace Murray Hopper, documented the first computer bug when a moth got trapped in the Mark II Alken Relay Calculator. The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator, or EDSAC, was the first practical stored-program electronic computer.
  • Period: to

    1952

    Hopper completes A-0, a program that allows a computer user to use English-like words instead of numbers to give the computer instructions.
  • Period: to

    1954

    John Backus of IBM invented the first high level computer programming language, FORTRAN. FORTRAN became the most often used language for scientific and technical computing.
  • Period: to

    1960

    Computerized databases started in 1960. Two popular data models in this decade were CODASYL, a network model, and IMS, a hierarchical model. SABRE, a commercially successful database system used by IBM to help American Airlines manage its reservations data.
  • Period: to

    1961

    After roughly 200 man-hours worth of written code on a DEC interactive minicomputer, Steve Russell released the first computer game Spacewar!
  • Period: to

    1964

    IBM introduces the SABRE reservation system for American Airlines. SABRE was used to manage American Airlines’ reservations data. SABRE was a computerized database system. It was inspired by IBM’s work on the SAGE air-defense system.
  • Period: to

    1970

    Niklaus Wirth creates Pascal, a high-level computer programming language used for teaching structured programming and data structuring.
  • Period: to

    1974

    Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn were the first to use the term “Internet”
  • Period: to

    1976

    The Ethernet cable was invented.
  • Period: to

    1983

    Fred Cohen designed a hidden program that could infect a computer, copy itself, and then infect other computers through the use of a floppy disk. The virus was harmless. The Internet Activities Board (IAB) is created.
  • Period: to

    1999

    Wireless internet access, Wi-Fi, is standardized.
  • Period: to

    1990

    The Advanced Network and Services (ANS) is formed by Merit, IBM, and MCI to develop high speed networking.
  • Period: to

    1992

    The World Wide Web is released.