The Evolution and Future of Computer Technology

Joseph Jacquard invents the loom

1801

In France, Joseph Marie Jacquard invents a loom that uses punched wooden cards to automatically weave fabric designs. Early computers would use similar punch cards.

Herman Hollerith designs a punch card system to calculate the 1880 census

1890

Herman Hollerith designs a punch card system to calculate the 1880 census, accomplishing the task in just three years and saving the government $5 million. He establishes a company that would ultimately become IBM.

Alan Turning presents the Turning machine

1936

Alan Turing presents the notion of a universal machine, later called the Turing machine, capable of computing anything that is computable. The central concept of the modern computer was based on his ideas.

FORTRAN programming

1954

The FORTRAN programming language is born

Intel DRAM

1970

The newly formed Intel unveils the Intel 1103, the first Dynamic Access Memory (DRAM) chip.

IBM floppy disk

1971

Alan Shugart leads a team of IBM engineers who invent the “floppy disk,” allowing data to be shared among computers

first Ethernet

1973

Robert Metcalfe, a member of the research staff for Xerox, develops Ethernet for connecting multiple computers and other hardware.

Personal computers hit the market

1974

A number of personal computers hit the market, including Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair, IBM 5100, RadioShack’s TRS-80 —affectionately known as the “Trash 80” — and the Commodore PET.

Apple I

1976

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak start Apple Computers on April Fool’s Day and roll out the Apple I, the first computer with a single-circuit board.

first computerized spreadsheet

1978

Accountants rejoice at the introduction of VisiCalc, the first computerized spreadsheet

first IBM personal computers come out

1981

The first IBM personal computer, code-named “Acorn,” is introduced. It uses Microsoft’s MS-DOS operating system. It has an Intel chip, two floppy disks and an optional color monitor. Sears & Roebuck and Computerland sell the machines, marking the first time a computer is available through outside distributors. It also popularizes the term PC.

Apple's Lisa "laptop"

1983

Apple’s Lisa is the first personal computer with a GUI. It also features a drop-down menu and icons. It flops but eventually evolves into the Macintosh. The Gavilan SC is the first portable computer with the familiar flip form factor and the first to be marketed as a “laptop.”

Windows/Amiga 1000

1985

Microsoft announces Windows, its response to Apple’s GUI. Commodore unveils the Amiga 1000, which features advanced audio and video capabilities.

first websites

1985

The first dot-com domain name is registered on March 15, years before the World Wide Web would mark the formal beginning of Internet history. The Symbolics Computer Company, a small Massachusetts computer manufacturer, registers Symbolics.com. More than two years later, only 100 dot-coms had been registered.

YouTube is founded

2005

YouTube, a video sharing service, is founded. Google acquires Android, a Linux-based mobile phone operating system.