The History of Computers

Z1 Computer

Oct 11, 1936

First freely programmable computer. By Konrad Zuse.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

A transistor is not a computer

Oct 11, 1947

Something that greatly affected the history of computers was that they discovered that a transistor was not a computer. Discovered by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain & Wiliam Shockley.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

UNIVAC Computer

Oct 11, 1951

First commercial computer & able to pick presidential winners.By John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

FORTRAN Computer Programming Language

Oct 11, 1954

First successful programming language. John Backus & IBM.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

ERMA and MICR

Oct 11, 1955

First bank industry computer. By Stanford Research Institute, Bank of America, and General Electric.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Spacewar Computer Game

Oct 11, 1962

First computer game invented. By Steve Russell & MIT.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Computer Mouse & Windows

Oct 11, 1964

Nicknamed the mouse because the cable resembled a mouse's tail.By Douglas Engelbart.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

ARPAnet

Oct 11, 1969

The original Internet.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

RAM chip.

Oct 11, 1970

World’s first available dynamic RAM chip.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Intel 4004 Computer Microprocessor

Oct 11, 1971

The first ever microprocessor.By Faggin, Hoff & Mazor.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

The “Floppy” Disk

Oct 11, 1971

Nicknamed the “Floppy” for its flexibility. By Alan Shugart &IBM.

Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 Computers

Oct 11, 1974

First consumer computers of all time.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Apple I, II & TRS-80 & Commodore Pet Computers

Oct 11, 1976

More first consumer computers.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

VisiCalc Spreadsheet Software

Oct 11, 1978

The product that pays for itself in two weeks is a winner. By Dan Bricklin & Bob Frankston.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

WordStar Software

Oct 11, 1979

Word Processors. By Seymour Rubenstein & Rob Barnaby.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

IBM PC – Home Computer

Oct 15, 1981

From an “Acorn” grows a personal computer revolution. By IBM.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

MS-DOS Computer Operating System

Oct 15, 1981

The operating system of the century comes from “Quick And Dirty”. By Microsoft.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Apple Lisa Computer

Oct 15, 1983

First home computer with a GUI & the graphical user interface.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Apple Macintosh Computer

Oct 15, 1984

Most affordable home computer with a GUI.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

Microsoft Windows

Oct 15, 1985

Begins the war with Apple.
Link: http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm