Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1940 to Present
Matthew Jones
1940s
1941: Konrad Zuse builds the worlds first
program-controlled calculator, the Z3.
1946: ENIAC, first electronic, digital,
reprogrammable computer, turned on.
1947: Brittain, Bardeen, and Shockley
invent the transistor, igniting the
microprocessor revolution.
1950s
1951: EDVAC, first binary digital computer,
turned on.
1956: Reynold Johnson developes the
first hard disk.
1960s
1961: First operating system, CTSS, is
developed.
1962: First computer game developed.
1964: First computer mouse developed.
Moores Law
Published by Gordon E. Moore in 1965.
States that the number of transistors one
can place on silicon for minimum cost
doubles every two years.
Subsequently, the speed of processors will
double every two years.
Datapoint 2200
Developed by Computer Terminal
Corporation in 1970.
Originally designed to interface with
several mainframes.
Enterprising companies realized it
functioned well on its own, and used it as
a standalone computer.
First resemblance of a home computer.
1970s
1970: Development of Unix started.
1971: Gary Starkweather modifies a Xerox
copier and creates the first laser printer.
1971: Intel releases the worlds first
commercial microprocessor, the 4004.
1977: There is no reason anyone would
want a computer in their home.
1979: The compact disc is invented.
1980 1990
1981: Microsoft buys exclusive rights to
1991 Present
1991: Linus Torvalds releases the LINUX
operating system.
1993: Intel releases the Pentium.
1993: Doom releases. First consideration
of the PC as a gaming platform.
As of 2004, a chip of silicon measuring
0.02 inches holds about the same data as
the ENIAC, which was the size of a large
room.
References