Computer hard disk drive history
Year Event
1890 Herman Hollerith developed a method for machines to to record and store information onto punch cards to be used for the US census. He later formed the company we know as IBM today.
1946 Freddie Williams applies for a patent on his cathode-ray tube (CRT) storing device in December. The device that later became known as the Williams tube is capable of storing between 512 and 1024 bits of data.
1946 The Selectron tube capable of storing 256 bits of information begins development.
1950 Before using disks, storage units used magnetic drums referred to as drum machines or drum-memory computers. The first commercial drum machine was developed by the Engineering Research Associates of Minneapolis and used by the U.S. Navy ERA 110. Drum machines were used throughout the early '50s.
1956 On September 13, 1956 the IBM 305 RAMAC is the first computer to be shipped with a hard disk drive that contained 50 24-inch platters and was capable of storing 5 million characters and weighed a ton.
1959 Chucking Grinder Co. begins working on disk drives.
1961 Chucking Grinder Co. moves to Walled Lake Michigan and becomes Bryant Computer Products, a subsidiary of Ex-Cello Corp.
1961 IBM introduces the IBM 1301 disk storage unit June 2, 1961, capable of storing 28 million characters
1962 On October 11, 1962 IBM introduced the IBM 1311 disk storage drive, which stored
1973 IBM ships the 3340 Winchester hard disk drive with two spindles and a capacity of 30MB. This drive was the first drive to utilize the Winchester technology.
1980 Seagate introduces the ST506 hard disk drive, the first hard disk drive developed for microcomputers
1980 The first Gigabyte hard disk drive is introduced by IBM and weighed 550lbs with a price of $44,000.
1986 The original SCSI, SCSI-1 is developed.
1990 SCSI-2 is approved.
1996 SCSI-3 is approved.
2002 Hitachi closes deal to purchase IBM's hard disk drive operation for $2.05 billion on December 31, 2002.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Internet History
Internet History
Reference Issue / Question
CH001016 Who invented the Internet?
Year Event
1960 AT&T introduces the dataphone and the first known MODEM.
1961 Leonard Kleinrock publishes his first paper entitled "Information Flow in Large Communication Nets" is published May 31, 1961.
1962 Leonard Kleinrock releases his paper talking about packetization.
1962 Paul Baran suggests transmission of data using fixed size message blocks.
1962 J.C.R. Licklider becomes the first Director of IPTO and gives his vision of a galactic network.
1964 Baran publishes reports "On Distributed Communications."
1964 Leonard Kleinrock publishes his first book on packet nets entitled Communication Nets: Stochastic Message Flow and Design.
1965 Lawrence G. Roberts with MIT performs the first long distant dial-up connection between a TX-2 computer in Massachusetts and Tom Marill with a Q-32 at SDC in California.
1965 Donald Davies coins the word "Packet."
1966 Lawrence G. Roberts and Tom Marill publish a paper about their earlier success at connecting over dial-up.
1966 Robert Taylor joins ARPA and brings Larry Roberts there to develop ARPANET.
1967 Donald Davies creates 1-node NPL packet net.
1967 Wes Clark suggests use of a minicomputer for network packet switch.
1968 Doug Englebart publicly demonstrates Hypertext on December 9, 1968.
1968 The first Network Working Group (NWG) meeting is held.
1968 Larry Roberts publishes ARPANET program plan on June 3, 1968.
1968 First RFP for a network goes out.
1968 UCLA is selected to be the first node on the Internet as we know it today and serve as the Network Msmnt Center.
1969 Steve Crocker releases RFC #1 on April 7, 1979 introducing the Host-to-Host and talking about the IMP software.
1969 UCLA puts out a press release introducing the public to the Internet on July 3, 1969.
1969 On August 29, 1969 the first network switch and the first piece of network equipment (called "IMP", which is short for Interface Message Processor) is sent to UCLA.
1969 On September 2, 1969 the first data moves from UCLA host to the IMP switch.
1969 CompuServe, the first commercial online service, is established.
1970 Steve Crocker and UCLA team releases NCP.
1971 Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, the first messaging system to send messages across a network to other users.
1972 First public demo of ARPANET.
1972 Norm Abramson' Alohanet connected to ARPANET: packet radio nets.
1973 Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn design TCP during 1973 and later publish it with the help of Yogen Dalal and Carl Sunshine in December of 1974 in RFC 675.
1973 ARPA deploys SATNET the first international connection.
1973 Robert Metcalfe creates the Ethernet at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC).
1973 The first VoIP call is made.
1974 A commercial version of ARPANET known as Telenet is introduced and considered by many to be the first Internet Service Provider (ISP).
1978 TCP splits into TCP/IP driven by Danny Cohen, David Reed, and John Shoch to support real-time traffic. This allows the creation of UDP.
1978 John Shoch and Jon Hupp at Xerox PARC develop the first worm.
1981 BITNET is founded.
1983 ARPANET standardizes TCP/IP.
1984 Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel introduce DNS.
1986 Eric Thomas develops the first Listserv.
1986 NSFNET is created.
1986 BITNET II is created.
1988 First T-1 backbone is added to ARPANET.
1988 Bitnet and CSNET merge to create CREN.
1990 ARPANET replaced by NSFNET.
1990 The first search engine Archie, written by Alan Emtage, Bill Heelan, and Mike Parker at McGill University in Montreal Canada is released on September 10, 1990
1991 Tim Berners-Lee introduces WWW to the public on August 6, 1991.
1991 NSF opens the Internet to commercial use.
1992 Internet Society formed.
1992 NSFNET upgraded to T-3 backbone.
1993 The NCSA releases the Mosaic browser.
1995 The dot-com boom starts.
1995 The first VoIP software (Vocaltec) is released allowing end users to make voice calls over the Internet.
1996 Telecom Act deregulates data networks.
1996 More e-mail is sent than postal mail in USA.
1996 CREN ended its support and since then the network has cease to exist.
1997 Internet2 consortium is established.
1997 IEEE releases 802.11 (WiFi) standard.
1998 Internet weblogs begin to appear.
1999 Napster starts sharing files in September of 1999.
2000 The dot-com bubble starts to burst.
2003 January 7, 2003 CREN's members decided to dissolve the organization
Reference Issue / Question
CH001016 Who invented the Internet?
Year Event
1960 AT&T introduces the dataphone and the first known MODEM.
1961 Leonard Kleinrock publishes his first paper entitled "Information Flow in Large Communication Nets" is published May 31, 1961.
1962 Leonard Kleinrock releases his paper talking about packetization.
1962 Paul Baran suggests transmission of data using fixed size message blocks.
1962 J.C.R. Licklider becomes the first Director of IPTO and gives his vision of a galactic network.
1964 Baran publishes reports "On Distributed Communications."
1964 Leonard Kleinrock publishes his first book on packet nets entitled Communication Nets: Stochastic Message Flow and Design.
1965 Lawrence G. Roberts with MIT performs the first long distant dial-up connection between a TX-2 computer in Massachusetts and Tom Marill with a Q-32 at SDC in California.
1965 Donald Davies coins the word "Packet."
1966 Lawrence G. Roberts and Tom Marill publish a paper about their earlier success at connecting over dial-up.
1966 Robert Taylor joins ARPA and brings Larry Roberts there to develop ARPANET.
1967 Donald Davies creates 1-node NPL packet net.
1967 Wes Clark suggests use of a minicomputer for network packet switch.
1968 Doug Englebart publicly demonstrates Hypertext on December 9, 1968.
1968 The first Network Working Group (NWG) meeting is held.
1968 Larry Roberts publishes ARPANET program plan on June 3, 1968.
1968 First RFP for a network goes out.
1968 UCLA is selected to be the first node on the Internet as we know it today and serve as the Network Msmnt Center.
1969 Steve Crocker releases RFC #1 on April 7, 1979 introducing the Host-to-Host and talking about the IMP software.
1969 UCLA puts out a press release introducing the public to the Internet on July 3, 1969.
1969 On August 29, 1969 the first network switch and the first piece of network equipment (called "IMP", which is short for Interface Message Processor) is sent to UCLA.
1969 On September 2, 1969 the first data moves from UCLA host to the IMP switch.
1969 CompuServe, the first commercial online service, is established.
1970 Steve Crocker and UCLA team releases NCP.
1971 Ray Tomlinson sends the first e-mail, the first messaging system to send messages across a network to other users.
1972 First public demo of ARPANET.
1972 Norm Abramson' Alohanet connected to ARPANET: packet radio nets.
1973 Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn design TCP during 1973 and later publish it with the help of Yogen Dalal and Carl Sunshine in December of 1974 in RFC 675.
1973 ARPA deploys SATNET the first international connection.
1973 Robert Metcalfe creates the Ethernet at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC).
1973 The first VoIP call is made.
1974 A commercial version of ARPANET known as Telenet is introduced and considered by many to be the first Internet Service Provider (ISP).
1978 TCP splits into TCP/IP driven by Danny Cohen, David Reed, and John Shoch to support real-time traffic. This allows the creation of UDP.
1978 John Shoch and Jon Hupp at Xerox PARC develop the first worm.
1981 BITNET is founded.
1983 ARPANET standardizes TCP/IP.
1984 Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel introduce DNS.
1986 Eric Thomas develops the first Listserv.
1986 NSFNET is created.
1986 BITNET II is created.
1988 First T-1 backbone is added to ARPANET.
1988 Bitnet and CSNET merge to create CREN.
1990 ARPANET replaced by NSFNET.
1990 The first search engine Archie, written by Alan Emtage, Bill Heelan, and Mike Parker at McGill University in Montreal Canada is released on September 10, 1990
1991 Tim Berners-Lee introduces WWW to the public on August 6, 1991.
1991 NSF opens the Internet to commercial use.
1992 Internet Society formed.
1992 NSFNET upgraded to T-3 backbone.
1993 The NCSA releases the Mosaic browser.
1995 The dot-com boom starts.
1995 The first VoIP software (Vocaltec) is released allowing end users to make voice calls over the Internet.
1996 Telecom Act deregulates data networks.
1996 More e-mail is sent than postal mail in USA.
1996 CREN ended its support and since then the network has cease to exist.
1997 Internet2 consortium is established.
1997 IEEE releases 802.11 (WiFi) standard.
1998 Internet weblogs begin to appear.
1999 Napster starts sharing files in September of 1999.
2000 The dot-com bubble starts to burst.
2003 January 7, 2003 CREN's members decided to dissolve the organization
Apple Macintosh OS History
Apple Macintosh OS History
Year Event
1978 In June of 1978 Apple introduces Apple DOS 3.1, the first operating system for the Apple computers.
1984 Apple introduces System 1.
1985 Apple introduces System 2.
1986 Apple introduces System 3.
1987 Apple introduces System 4.
1988 Apple introduces System 6.
1991 Apple introduces System 7 operating system May 13, 1991.
1995 Apple allows other computer companies to clone its computer by announcing its licensed the Macintosh operating system rights to Radius on January 4.
1997 Apple introduces Mac OS 8.
1997 Apple buys NeXT Software Inc. for $400 million and acquires Steve Jobs, Apples cofounder, as a consultant.
1999 Apple introduces Mac OS 9.
2001 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.0 code named Cheetah and becomes available March 24, 2001.
2001 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.1 code named Puma and becomes available on September 25, 2001.
2002 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.2 code named Jaguar and becomes available on August 23, 2002.
2003 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.3 code named Panther October 25, 2003.
2004 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.4 code named Tiger at the WWDC on June 28, 2004.
2007 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.5 code named Leopard October 26, 2007.
2008 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.6 code named Snow Leopard and MobileMe at the WWDC on June 9, 2008.
Year Event
1978 In June of 1978 Apple introduces Apple DOS 3.1, the first operating system for the Apple computers.
1984 Apple introduces System 1.
1985 Apple introduces System 2.
1986 Apple introduces System 3.
1987 Apple introduces System 4.
1988 Apple introduces System 6.
1991 Apple introduces System 7 operating system May 13, 1991.
1995 Apple allows other computer companies to clone its computer by announcing its licensed the Macintosh operating system rights to Radius on January 4.
1997 Apple introduces Mac OS 8.
1997 Apple buys NeXT Software Inc. for $400 million and acquires Steve Jobs, Apples cofounder, as a consultant.
1999 Apple introduces Mac OS 9.
2001 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.0 code named Cheetah and becomes available March 24, 2001.
2001 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.1 code named Puma and becomes available on September 25, 2001.
2002 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.2 code named Jaguar and becomes available on August 23, 2002.
2003 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.3 code named Panther October 25, 2003.
2004 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.4 code named Tiger at the WWDC on June 28, 2004.
2007 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.5 code named Leopard October 26, 2007.
2008 Apple introduces Mac OS X 10.6 code named Snow Leopard and MobileMe at the WWDC on June 9, 2008.
Microsoft DOS History
Microsoft DOS History
Year Event
1981 MS-DOS 1.0 was released August, 1981.
1982 MS-DOS 1.25 was released August, 1982.
1983 MS-DOS 2.0 was released March, 1983.
1984 Microsoft introduces MS-DOS 3.0 for the IBM PC AT and MS-DOS 3.1 for networks.
1986 MS-DOS 3.2 was released April, 1986.
1987 MS-DOS 3.3 was released April, 1987.
1988 MS-DOS 4.0 was released July, 1988.
1988 MS-DOS 4.01 was released November, 1988.
1991 MS-DOS 5.0 was released June, 1991.
1993 MS-DOS 6.0 was released August, 1993.
1993 MS-DOS 6.2 was released November, 1993
1994 MS-DOS 6.21 was released March, 1994
1994 MS-DOS 6.22 was released April, 1994
When was the first computer invented?
When was the first computer invented?
Unfortunately this question has no easy answer because of all the different types of classifications and types of computers. Therefore this document has been created with a listing of each of the first computers starting with the first programmable computer leading up to the computers of today. Keep in mind that early inventions such as the abacus, calculators, tablet machines, difference machine, etc. are not accounted for in this document.
First programmable computer
The Z1 originally created by Germany's Konrad Zuse in his parents living room in 1936 to 1938 is considered to be the first electrical binary programmable computer.
See our Z1 dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The first digital computer
Short for Atanasoff-Berry Computer, the ABC started being developed by Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and graduate student Cliff Berry in 1937 and continued to be developed until 1942 at the Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). On October 19, 1973, US Federal Judge Earl R. Larson signed his decision that the ENIAC patent by Eckert and Mauchly was invalid and named Atanasoff the inventor of the electronic digital computer
See our ABC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania and began construction in 1943 and was not completed until 1946. It occupied about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. Although the Judge ruled that the ABC computer was the first digital computer many still consider the ENIAC to be the first digital computer.
See our ENIAC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
Because of the Judge ruling and because the case was never appealed like most we consider the ABC to be the first digital computer. However, because the ABC was never fully functional we consider the first functional digital computer to be the ENIAC.
The first transistor computer
The TX-O (Transistorized Experimental computer) and first transistorized computer is demonstrated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956.
The first stored program computer
The early British computer known as the EDSAC is considered to be the first stored program electronic computer. The computer performed its first calculation on May 6, 1949 and was the computer that ran the first graphical computer game.
See our EDSAC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The first minicomputer
In 1960 Digital Equipment Corporation released its first of many PDP computers the PDP-1.
The first personal computer
In 1975 Ed Roberts coined the term personal computer when he introduced the Altair 8800. Although the first personal computer is considered to be the Kenback-1, which was first introduced for $750 in 1971. The computer relied on a series of switches for inputting data and output data by turning on and off a series of lights.
The Micral is considered the be the first commercial non-assembly computer. The computer used the Intel 8008 processor and sold for $1,750 in 1973.
The first workstation
Although never sold the first workstation is considered to be the Xerox Alto, introduced in 1974. The computer was revolutionary for its time and included a fully functional computer, display, and mouse. The computer operated like many computers today utilizing windows, menus and icons as an interface to its operating system.
The first laptop or portable computer
The first portable computer or laptop is considered to be the Osborne I, a portable computer developed by Adam Osborne that weighed 24 pounds, a 5-inch display, 64 KB of memory, two 5 1/4" floppy drives, and a modem.
IBM PCD later released the IBM portable in 1984, it's first portable computer that weighed in at 30 pounds. IBM PCD later announced in 1986 it's first laptop computer, the PC Convertible, weighing 12 pounds. And in 1994 introduces the IBM ThinkPad 775CD, the first notebook with an integrated CD-ROM.
The first PC (IBM compatible) computer
In 1953 IBM shipped its first electric computer, the 701. Later IBM introduced its first personal computer called the "IBM PC" in 1981. The computer was code named and still sometimes referred to as the "Acorn" and had a 8088 processor, 16 KB of memory, which was expandable to 256 and utilizing MS-DOS.
The first PC clone
The first PC clone was developed by Compaq, the "Compaq Portable" was release in March 1983 and was 100% compatible with IBM computers and software that ran on IBM computers.
See the below other major computer companies first for other IBM compatible computers
The first Apple computer
Steve Wozniak designed the first Apple known as the Apple I computer in 1976.
The first computer company
The first computer company was the Electronic Controls Company and was founded in 1949 by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, the same individuals who helped create the ENIAC computer. The company was later renamed to EMCC or Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation and released a series of mainframe computers under the UNIVAC name.
The first multimedia computer
In 1992 Tandy Radio Shack becomes one of the first companies to release a computer based on the MPC standard with its introduction of the M2500 XL/2 and M4020 SX computers.
Other major computer company firsts
Below is a listing of some of the major computers companies first computers.
Compaq - March 1983 Compaq released its first computer and the first 100% IBM compatible computer the "Compaq Portable."
Dell - In 1985 Dell introduced its first computer, the "Turbo PC."
Hewlett Packard - In 1966 Hewlett Packard released its first general computer, the "HP-2115."
NEC - In 1958 NEC builds its first computer the "NEAC 1101."
Toshiba - In 1954 Toshiba introduces its first computer, the "TAC" digital computer.
Additional information:
See our History page for additional computer related timeline information.
See our computer dictionary definition for additional information about computers as well as related links and information.
Year Event
1981 MS-DOS 1.0 was released August, 1981.
1982 MS-DOS 1.25 was released August, 1982.
1983 MS-DOS 2.0 was released March, 1983.
1984 Microsoft introduces MS-DOS 3.0 for the IBM PC AT and MS-DOS 3.1 for networks.
1986 MS-DOS 3.2 was released April, 1986.
1987 MS-DOS 3.3 was released April, 1987.
1988 MS-DOS 4.0 was released July, 1988.
1988 MS-DOS 4.01 was released November, 1988.
1991 MS-DOS 5.0 was released June, 1991.
1993 MS-DOS 6.0 was released August, 1993.
1993 MS-DOS 6.2 was released November, 1993
1994 MS-DOS 6.21 was released March, 1994
1994 MS-DOS 6.22 was released April, 1994
When was the first computer invented?
When was the first computer invented?
Unfortunately this question has no easy answer because of all the different types of classifications and types of computers. Therefore this document has been created with a listing of each of the first computers starting with the first programmable computer leading up to the computers of today. Keep in mind that early inventions such as the abacus, calculators, tablet machines, difference machine, etc. are not accounted for in this document.
First programmable computer
The Z1 originally created by Germany's Konrad Zuse in his parents living room in 1936 to 1938 is considered to be the first electrical binary programmable computer.
See our Z1 dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The first digital computer
Short for Atanasoff-Berry Computer, the ABC started being developed by Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and graduate student Cliff Berry in 1937 and continued to be developed until 1942 at the Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). On October 19, 1973, US Federal Judge Earl R. Larson signed his decision that the ENIAC patent by Eckert and Mauchly was invalid and named Atanasoff the inventor of the electronic digital computer
See our ABC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania and began construction in 1943 and was not completed until 1946. It occupied about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. Although the Judge ruled that the ABC computer was the first digital computer many still consider the ENIAC to be the first digital computer.
See our ENIAC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
Because of the Judge ruling and because the case was never appealed like most we consider the ABC to be the first digital computer. However, because the ABC was never fully functional we consider the first functional digital computer to be the ENIAC.
The first transistor computer
The TX-O (Transistorized Experimental computer) and first transistorized computer is demonstrated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956.
The first stored program computer
The early British computer known as the EDSAC is considered to be the first stored program electronic computer. The computer performed its first calculation on May 6, 1949 and was the computer that ran the first graphical computer game.
See our EDSAC dictionary definition for additional information about this computer.
The first minicomputer
In 1960 Digital Equipment Corporation released its first of many PDP computers the PDP-1.
The first personal computer
In 1975 Ed Roberts coined the term personal computer when he introduced the Altair 8800. Although the first personal computer is considered to be the Kenback-1, which was first introduced for $750 in 1971. The computer relied on a series of switches for inputting data and output data by turning on and off a series of lights.
The Micral is considered the be the first commercial non-assembly computer. The computer used the Intel 8008 processor and sold for $1,750 in 1973.
The first workstation
Although never sold the first workstation is considered to be the Xerox Alto, introduced in 1974. The computer was revolutionary for its time and included a fully functional computer, display, and mouse. The computer operated like many computers today utilizing windows, menus and icons as an interface to its operating system.
The first laptop or portable computer
The first portable computer or laptop is considered to be the Osborne I, a portable computer developed by Adam Osborne that weighed 24 pounds, a 5-inch display, 64 KB of memory, two 5 1/4" floppy drives, and a modem.
IBM PCD later released the IBM portable in 1984, it's first portable computer that weighed in at 30 pounds. IBM PCD later announced in 1986 it's first laptop computer, the PC Convertible, weighing 12 pounds. And in 1994 introduces the IBM ThinkPad 775CD, the first notebook with an integrated CD-ROM.
The first PC (IBM compatible) computer
In 1953 IBM shipped its first electric computer, the 701. Later IBM introduced its first personal computer called the "IBM PC" in 1981. The computer was code named and still sometimes referred to as the "Acorn" and had a 8088 processor, 16 KB of memory, which was expandable to 256 and utilizing MS-DOS.
The first PC clone
The first PC clone was developed by Compaq, the "Compaq Portable" was release in March 1983 and was 100% compatible with IBM computers and software that ran on IBM computers.
See the below other major computer companies first for other IBM compatible computers
The first Apple computer
Steve Wozniak designed the first Apple known as the Apple I computer in 1976.
The first computer company
The first computer company was the Electronic Controls Company and was founded in 1949 by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, the same individuals who helped create the ENIAC computer. The company was later renamed to EMCC or Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation and released a series of mainframe computers under the UNIVAC name.
The first multimedia computer
In 1992 Tandy Radio Shack becomes one of the first companies to release a computer based on the MPC standard with its introduction of the M2500 XL/2 and M4020 SX computers.
Other major computer company firsts
Below is a listing of some of the major computers companies first computers.
Compaq - March 1983 Compaq released its first computer and the first 100% IBM compatible computer the "Compaq Portable."
Dell - In 1985 Dell introduced its first computer, the "Turbo PC."
Hewlett Packard - In 1966 Hewlett Packard released its first general computer, the "HP-2115."
NEC - In 1958 NEC builds its first computer the "NEAC 1101."
Toshiba - In 1954 Toshiba introduces its first computer, the "TAC" digital computer.
Additional information:
See our History page for additional computer related timeline information.
See our computer dictionary definition for additional information about computers as well as related links and information.
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