1950s
Programming Languages: A-0; first version of FORTRAN
Computers: UNIVAC 1101; IBM 701
Games: OXO (a graphic version of Tic-Tac-Toe created by A.S. Douglas on the EDSAC computerat the University of Cambridge to demonstrate ideas on human-computer interaction)
Computers: Strela
Programming Languages: Mark I
Computers: IBM 650; IBM 704 (vacuum tube computer with floating point); IBM NORC (67 kOPS)
Technology: magnetic core memory
1960s
Computers: ATLAS, UNIVAC 1100/2200 (introduced two floating point formats, single precision and double precision; single precision: 36 bits, 1-bit sign, 8-bit exponent, and 27-bit significand; double precision: 36 bits, 1-bit sign, 11-bit exponent, and 60-bit significand), IBM 7094 (followed the UNIVAC, also had single and double precision numbers)
Technology: ARPANET (military/academic precursor to the Internet); RS-232; networking; laser printer (invented by Gary Starkweather at Xerox)
1970s
1971:
Computers: Intel 4004 (microprocessor)
Games: Computer Space (first commercial vidoe game)
Technology: floppy disk; first electronic calculator (T1)
1972:
Operating Systems: VM/CMS
Programming Languages: C
Computers: Intel 8008 (microprocessor); Rockwell PPS-4 (microprocessor); Fairchild PPS-25 (microprocessor)
Games: Pong
Technology: game console (Magnavox Odyssey); first scientific calculator (HP); first 32-bit minicomputer; first arcade video game
1980s
Operating Systems: SunOS
Computers: Cray X-MP; BBC Micro; Commodore C64; Compaq Portable; ZX Spectrum; Atari 5200; Intel 80286 (microprocessor)
Games: BurgerTime (raster arcade video game); Dig Dug (raster arcade video game); Donkey Kong Junior (raster arcade video game); Joust (raster arcade video game); Moon Patrol (raster arcade video game, first game with parallax scrolling); Pole Position (raster arcade video game); Q*bert (raster arcade video game); Robotron 2084 (raster arcade video game, dual joystick); Time Pilot (raster arcade video game); Tron (raster arcade video game); Xevious (raster arcade video game, first game promoted with a TV commercial); Zaxxon (raster arcade video game, first game to use axonometric projection)
Technology: MIDI; RISC; IBM PC compatibles
1951:
Computers: Ferranti Mark 1 (first commercial
computer); Leo I (frst business computer); UNIVAC I, Whirlwind
1952:
Programming Languages: A-0; first version of FORTRAN
Computers: UNIVAC 1101; IBM 701
Games: OXO (a graphic version of Tic-Tac-Toe created by A.S. Douglas on the EDSAC computerat the University of Cambridge to demonstrate ideas on human-computer interaction)
1953:
Computers: Strela
1954:
Programming Languages: Mark I
Computers: IBM 650; IBM 704 (vacuum tube computer with floating point); IBM NORC (67 kOPS)
Technology: magnetic core memory
1955:
Operating Systems: GMOS (General Motors OS for IBM
701)
Computers: Harwell CADET
Computers: Harwell CADET
1956:
Operating Systems: GM-NAA I/O
Computers: IBM 305 RAMAC; MIT TX-0 (83 kOPS)
Technology: hard disk
Computers: IBM 305 RAMAC; MIT TX-0 (83 kOPS)
Technology: hard disk
1957:
Computers: IBM 608
Programming Languages: FORTRAN
Technology: dot matrix printer
Programming Languages: FORTRAN
Technology: dot matrix printer
1958:
Operating Systems: UMES
Programming Languages: ALGOL 58; LISP
Computers: UNIVAC II; IBM AN/FSQ-7 (400 kOPS)
Games:Tennis For Two (developed by William Higinnotham using an osciliscope and an analog computer)
Technology: integrated circuit
Programming Languages: ALGOL 58; LISP
Computers: UNIVAC II; IBM AN/FSQ-7 (400 kOPS)
Games:Tennis For Two (developed by William Higinnotham using an osciliscope and an analog computer)
Technology: integrated circuit
1959:
Operating Systems: SHARE
Computers: IBM 1401
Computers: IBM 1401
1960s
1960:
Operating Systems: IBSYS
Programming Languages: COBOL
Computers: DEC PDP-1; CDC 1604; UNIVAC LARC (250 kFLOPS)
Programming Languages: COBOL
Computers: DEC PDP-1; CDC 1604; UNIVAC LARC (250 kFLOPS)
1961:
Operating Systems: CTSS, Burroughs MCP
Games: Spacewar! (created by group of M.I.T. students on the DEC PDP-1)
Computers: IBM 7030 Stretch (1.2 MFLOPS)
Games: Spacewar! (created by group of M.I.T. students on the DEC PDP-1)
Computers: IBM 7030 Stretch (1.2 MFLOPS)
1962:
Operating Systems: GECOS
Programming Languages: APL, SIMULA
Programming Languages: APL, SIMULA
Computers: ATLAS, UNIVAC 1100/2200 (introduced two floating point formats, single precision and double precision; single precision: 36 bits, 1-bit sign, 8-bit exponent, and 27-bit significand; double precision: 36 bits, 1-bit sign, 11-bit exponent, and 60-bit significand), IBM 7094 (followed the UNIVAC, also had single and double precision numbers)
1963:
Computers: DEC PDP-6
Technology: mouse
Technology: mouse
1964:
Operating Systems: DTSS, TOPS-10
Programming Languages: BASIC, PL/I
Computers: IBM 360; DEC PDP-8; CDC 6600 (first supercomputer, scalar processor, 3 MFLOPS)
Technology: super computing
Programming Languages: BASIC, PL/I
Computers: IBM 360; DEC PDP-8; CDC 6600 (first supercomputer, scalar processor, 3 MFLOPS)
Technology: super computing
1965:
Operating Systems: OS/360; Multics
Technology: time-sharing; fuzzy logic; packet switching; bulletin board system (BBS); email
Technology: time-sharing; fuzzy logic; packet switching; bulletin board system (BBS); email
1966:
Programming Languages: ISWIM, Logo
Computers: BESM-6
Computers: BESM-6
1967:
Operating Systems: ITS; CP/CMS; WAITS
1968:
Computers: DEC PDP-10
Technology: microprocessor; interactive computing (including mouse, windows, hypertext, and fullscreen word processing)
Technology: microprocessor; interactive computing (including mouse, windows, hypertext, and fullscreen word processing)
1969:
Operating Systems: ACP; TENEX/TOPS-20; work started on
Unix
Programming Languages: SmallTalk
Computers: CDC 7600 (36 MFLOPS)
Programming Languages: SmallTalk
Computers: CDC 7600 (36 MFLOPS)
Games: Space Travel (written by Jeremy Ben
for Multics; when AT&T pulled out of the Multics project, J. Ben ported the
program to FORTRAN running on GECOS on the GE 635; then ported by J. Ben and
Dennis Ritchie in PDP-7 assembly language; the process of porting the game to
the PDP-7 computer was the beginning of Unix)
Technology: ARPANET (military/academic precursor to the Internet); RS-232; networking; laser printer (invented by Gary Starkweather at Xerox)
1970s
1970:
Operating Systems: Unix; RT-11; RSTS-11
Programming Languages: Pascal; Prolog
Computers: Datapoint 2200; DEC PDP-11
Technology: dynamic RAM; flight data processor
Programming Languages: Pascal; Prolog
Computers: Datapoint 2200; DEC PDP-11
Technology: dynamic RAM; flight data processor
1971:
Computers: Intel 4004 (microprocessor)
Games: Computer Space (first commercial vidoe game)
Technology: floppy disk; first electronic calculator (T1)
1972:
Operating Systems: VM/CMS
Programming Languages: C
Computers: Intel 8008 (microprocessor); Rockwell PPS-4 (microprocessor); Fairchild PPS-25 (microprocessor)
Games: Pong
Technology: game console (Magnavox Odyssey); first scientific calculator (HP); first 32-bit minicomputer; first arcade video game
1973:
Computers: National IMP (microprocessor)
Technology: TCP/IP; ethernet
Technology: TCP/IP; ethernet
1974:
Operating Systems: MVS
Programming Languages: SQL
Computers: Intel 8080 (microprocessor); Motorola 6800 (microprocessor); CDC STAR-100 (100 MFLOPS)
Programming Languages: SQL
Computers: Intel 8080 (microprocessor); Motorola 6800 (microprocessor); CDC STAR-100 (100 MFLOPS)
1975:
Programming Languages: Scheme
Computers: Altair 880 (first personal computer); Fairchild F-8 (microprocessor); MOS Technology 6502 (microprocessor); Burroughs ILLIAC IV (150 MFLOPS)
Technology: single board computer; laser printer (commercial release by IBM)
Computers: Altair 880 (first personal computer); Fairchild F-8 (microprocessor); MOS Technology 6502 (microprocessor); Burroughs ILLIAC IV (150 MFLOPS)
Technology: single board computer; laser printer (commercial release by IBM)
1976:
Operating Systems: CP/M
Computers: Zilog Z-80 (microprocessor); Cray 1 (250 MFLOPS); Apple I
Technology: inkjet printer; Alan Kay’s Xerox NoteTaker developed at Xerox PARC
Computers: Zilog Z-80 (microprocessor); Cray 1 (250 MFLOPS); Apple I
Technology: inkjet printer; Alan Kay’s Xerox NoteTaker developed at Xerox PARC
1977:
Programming Languages: OPS5; FP
Computers: DEC VAX-11; Apple II; TRS-80; Commodore PET; Cray 1A
Computers: DEC VAX-11; Apple II; TRS-80; Commodore PET; Cray 1A
1978:
Operating Systems: Apple DOS 3.1; VMS (later renamed
OpenVMS)
Programming Languages: CSP
Computers: Intel 8086 (microprocessor)
Games: Space Invaders (arcade game using raster graphics)
Technology: LaserDisc
Programming Languages: CSP
Computers: Intel 8086 (microprocessor)
Games: Space Invaders (arcade game using raster graphics)
Technology: LaserDisc
1979:
Programming Languages: REXX; work started on C with
Classes (later renamed C++); VISICALC
Computers: Motorola MC68000 (microprocessor); Intel 8088 (microprocessor)
Games: Lunar Lander (arcade video game, first to use vector graphics); Asteroids (vector arcade game); Galaxian (raster arcade game, color screen)
Technology: first spreadsheet; object oriented programming; compact disk; Usenet discussion groups
Computers: Motorola MC68000 (microprocessor); Intel 8088 (microprocessor)
Games: Lunar Lander (arcade video game, first to use vector graphics); Asteroids (vector arcade game); Galaxian (raster arcade game, color screen)
Technology: first spreadsheet; object oriented programming; compact disk; Usenet discussion groups
1980s
1980:
Operating Systems: OS-9
Programming Languages: dBASE-II; Smalltalk-80
Computers: Commodore VIC-20; ZX80; Apple III
Programming Languages: dBASE-II; Smalltalk-80
Computers: Commodore VIC-20; ZX80; Apple III
Games: Battlezone (vector arcade video
game, dual joystick controller and periscope-like viewer); Berzerk (raster
arcade video game, used primative speech synthesis); Centipede (raster arcade video
game, used trackball controller); Missile Command (raster arcade video game,
used trackball controller); Defender (raster arcade video game); Pac-Man
(raster arcade video game); Phoenix (raster arcade video game, use of musical
score); Rally-X (raster arcade video game, first game to have a bonus round);
Star Castle (vector arcade video game, color provided by transparent plastic
screen overlay); Tempest (vector arcade video game, first color vector game);
Wizard of Wor (raster arcade video game)
1981:
Operating Systems: MS-DOS; Pilot
Computers: 8010 Star; ZX81; IBM PC; Osborne 1 (first portable computer); Xerox Star; MIPS I (microprocessor); CDC Cyber 205 (400 MFLOPS)
Games: Donkey Kong (raster arcade video game); Frogger (raster arcade video game); Scramble (raster arcade video game, horizontal scrolling); Galaga (raster arcade video game); Ms. Pac-Man (raster arcade video game); Qix (raster arcade video game); Gorf (raster arcade video game, synthesized speech)
Technology: portable PC; ISA bus; CGA video card
Computers: 8010 Star; ZX81; IBM PC; Osborne 1 (first portable computer); Xerox Star; MIPS I (microprocessor); CDC Cyber 205 (400 MFLOPS)
Games: Donkey Kong (raster arcade video game); Frogger (raster arcade video game); Scramble (raster arcade video game, horizontal scrolling); Galaga (raster arcade video game); Ms. Pac-Man (raster arcade video game); Qix (raster arcade video game); Gorf (raster arcade video game, synthesized speech)
Technology: portable PC; ISA bus; CGA video card
1982:
Operating Systems: SunOS
Computers: Cray X-MP; BBC Micro; Commodore C64; Compaq Portable; ZX Spectrum; Atari 5200; Intel 80286 (microprocessor)
Games: BurgerTime (raster arcade video game); Dig Dug (raster arcade video game); Donkey Kong Junior (raster arcade video game); Joust (raster arcade video game); Moon Patrol (raster arcade video game, first game with parallax scrolling); Pole Position (raster arcade video game); Q*bert (raster arcade video game); Robotron 2084 (raster arcade video game, dual joystick); Time Pilot (raster arcade video game); Tron (raster arcade video game); Xevious (raster arcade video game, first game promoted with a TV commercial); Zaxxon (raster arcade video game, first game to use axonometric projection)
Technology: MIDI; RISC; IBM PC compatibles