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Asimov produces a series of "Robot" stories
Isaac Asimov's "Robot" stories are published during the 40s and 50s. Pivato notes that he discusses the implications and rights of artificial intelligences. Artificial intelligence later diverged from cyberpunk ideas. -
UNIVAC computer released
This was the first commercial computer. People became really, really scared about technology after this. -
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is published
Philip K. Dick, like Asimov before him, wrote on the idea of robotic intelligence and how androids would interact with humans. Pivato notes that Blade Runner was a very loose adaption of this book. -
Period: to
Cyberpunk is popularized in the 80s.
According to Pivato, cyberpunk has been around since at least 1968 with Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. However, with the abundance of cyberpunk material (probably brought about by commercial computers) it's hard to ignore the 80s as pivotal to the development of the genre. -
Blade Runner released in cinemas
I think Blade Runner probably introduced the idea of cyberpunk to a more mainstream audience as people are more likely to watch a film than read a book. Pivato stresses that the film is only loosely based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep -
Dr. Adder is published
Along with The Glass Hammer, K. W. Jeter demonstrates the darker themes of cyberpunk. -
Neuromancer is published
William Gibson writes Neuromancer, widely considered to be the first work to use the phrase 'cyberpunk'. Pivato believes that the genre was "alive well before Neuromancer" however. Its themes of anxiety towards the progress brought about in the 80s are also noted to be laughable in "A Very Short History of Cyberpunk" -
The Glass Hammer is published
Along with Dr. Adder, K. W. Jeter demonstrates the darker themes of cyberpunk -
RoboCop released in cinemas
A cyberpunk film preceeding the "Netsploitation" films of the 90s