Chronology
of
Personal Computers
1972
- (month unknown)
- Federico Faggin urges Intel management to allow him to begin
development
of a successor to the 8008 processor. Management decides to wait to see
how reception of the 8008 goes first. [1038.150]
- April
- Intel introduces its 200-KHz 8008 chip, the first commercial
8-bit
microprocessor, part of the MCS-8 product family of chips. It accesses
16 KB of memory. It uses 3500 transistors, based on 10-micron
technology.
Speed is 60,000 instructions per second. The processor was originally
developed
for Computer Terminal Corporation (later called Datapoint). [9]
[106.104]
[208.66] [266.13] [296] [62] [556.10] [900] [953.28] [1038.150]
[1064.246]
(1971 [208.70] [266.xiv]) (1973 [1146.50])
- (month unknown)
- At Xerox PARC, Alan Kay proposes they build a portable personal
computer,
called the Dynabook, the size of an ordinary notebook. PARC management
does not support it. [716.84] (1971 [910.218] [1141.67])
- Xerox PARC engineers Chuck Thacker and Butler Lampson ask Alan
Kay
if they could try building the Dynabook. (They proceed, but the
result
is the Alto, a large desktop workstation.) [1141.67]
- Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie develop the C programming
language.
(C becomes perhaps the most popular language for professional
software
development, and is the basis for the C++ object-oriented extensions
ten
years later.) [176.121] [865.48] (1974 [9]) (1975 [132])
- Wang Laboratories introduces its first small business
computers, the
2200 series. [202.185]
- Intel management allows Federico Faggin to begin work on an
improved
8008 processor. [1038.150]
- August
- Scelbi Computer Consulting Company begins design work on what
would
be the Scelbi-8H microcomputer. [208.71]
- (month unknown)
- The People's Computer Company is founded. [266.xiv]
- Xerox decides to build a personal computer to be used for
research.
Project "Alto" begins. [263.58] [266.267] [716.85]
- Canada's Automatic Electronic Systems introduces the world's
first
programmable word processor with a video screen, the AES 90. The
computer
system uses magnetic disks for storage, and a custom-built
microprocessor.
[615.94]
- Gary Kildall implements PL/I on the Intel 4004 processor.
[266.xiv]
- Rockwell announces the PPS-4 microprocessor family, similar to
Intel's
MCS-4 (with 4004 processor). [1038.150]
- Traf-O-Data develops a primitive microcomputer based on Intel's
8008
microprocessor for recording automobile traffic flow on a highway.
[266.xiv]
[346.12]
- 5 1/4 inch diskettes first appear. [346.28] (1978 [971.F9])
- October
- The first issue of People's Computer Company magazine is
released.
[353.172]
- November
- Researchers at PARC begin work on a prototype Alto personal
computer.
[716.93]
- (month unknown)
- At Texas Instruments, Gary Boone and Michael Cochran create the
TMS1000
one-chip microcomputer. It integrates 1 KB ROM and 32 bytes of RAM with
a simple 4-bit processor. [556.11] [1064.246] (1974 [110])
1973
- January
- Intel files a patent application for a "memory system for a
multichip
digital computer". [556.30]
- March
- The first prototype Alto workstation computer is turned on at
Xerox'
Palo Alto Research Center. Its first screen display is a bitmapped
image
of the Sesame Street character Cookie Monster. [203.59] [716.14,93]
(completed
in 1974 [266.267])
- April
- The first operational Alto computer is completed at Xerox PARC.
[714.95,167]
- (month unknown)
- In France, R2E introduces the Micral microcomputer, powered by
an Intel
8008 microprocessor. It is the first commercial non-kit computer based
on a microprocessor. The term "microcomputer" is first used in
print in reference to the Micral. [900] [1112.146]
- June
- At the Lakeside prep school in Washington state, Bill Gates
tells a
friend "I'm going to make my first million by the time I'm 25.".
[1149.51]
- (month unknown)
- Gary Kildall creates the PL/M programming language for the
Intel 8008,
based on PL/I. [266.137]
- IBM introduces the IBM 33FD floppy disk drive. The drive can
read and
write both sides of an 8-inch disk, storing atotal of 400 KB. Code name
during development was Igor. [1089.392]
- IBM introduces the IBM 3340 hard disk unit, known as the
Winchester,
IBM's internal development code name. The recording head rides on a
layer
of air 18 millionths of an inch thick. It uses four 8-inch diameter
platters,
giving it a capacity of 70 MB. [202.170] [838.S3]
- Shugart Associates announces the SA901 disk drive, an 8-inch
floppy
drive compatible with the IBM 33FD. [1089.392]
- Shugart Associates announces an 800 KB version of its SA901
8-inch
floppy drive. [1089.392]
- Scelbi Computer Consulting Company offers the first computer
kit in
the U.S. using a microprocessor, the Intel 8008-based Scelbi-8H, for
US$565,
with 1 KB programmable memory. An additional 15 KB is available for
US$2760.
[9] [208.66]
- At Xerox PARC, Bob Metcalfe invents the Ethernet computer
connectivity
system. [156]
- December
- At Intel, the first fabrication run of the 8080 processor is
made.
[1038.150]
- (month unknown)
- Gary Kildall writes a simple operating system in his PL/M
language.
He calls it CP/M (Control Program/Monitor). [266.138] (Control Program
for Microcomputer [346.50]) (Control Program / Microprocessor
[1076.18])
(1974 [443.433])
1974
- April
- Intel releases its 2 MHz 8080 chip, an 8-bit microprocessor. It
can
directly access 64 KB of memory via 2-byte memory addressing. It
incorporates
6000 transistors, based on 6-micron technology. Speed is 0.64 MIPS. [9]
[41] [108] [176.74] [266.30] [296] [346.19] [879.116] [953.28] (1973
[208.70])
(March [1038.150])
- (month unknown)
- Rockwell introduces the PPS-8 microprocessor family, similar to
but
slower than Intel's 8080 processor. [1038.150]
- In a desperate act to save his failing calculator company, MITS
company
owner Ed Roberts begins building a small computer based on Intel's new
8080 chip, with plans to sell it for the unheard-of price of US$500.
Roberts
is able to buy 8080 chips from Intel for $75 each in large volume.
[185.109]
[266.31] [1149.72]
- June
- Intel receives a patent for a "memory system for a multichip
digital
computer". [556.30]
- (month unknown)
- Southwest Technical Products Company introduces the TVT-11 kit
for
US$180, and ASCII keyboard kit for US$40. [208.67]
- National Semiconductor introduces the 16-bit IMP-16
microprocessor.
[1064.246] (1972 [208.70])
- Gary Kildall, of Microcomputer Applications Associates,
develops the
CP/M operating system for Intel 8080-based systems. [9] [176.64]
[258.224]
- RCA releases the 1802 processor, running at 6.4 MHz. It is
considered
one of the first RISC chips. [32] [556.12]
- Engineer David Ahl suggests Digital Equipment produce an
inexpensive
version of its PDP-8 minicomputer, for US$5000. Top management call the
idea foolish. [203.10]
- July
- Radio Electronics magazine publishes an article on building a
Mark-8
microcomputer, designed by Jonathan Titus, using the Intel 8008
processor.
[208.67]
- (month unknown)
- Federico Faggin and Ralph Ungermann leave Intel to form a
competing
microprocessor company. [1038.150]
- August
- MITS completes the first prototype Altair 8800 microcomputer.
His original
name for the computer is "PE-8", in honor of the Popular Electronics
magazine. [744.2] [900]
- Bill Mensch, Chuck Peddle, and others leave Motorola to work
for MOS
Technology. [824]
- (month unknown)
- Ed Roberts decides that the programming language of his new
microcomputer
should be BASIC. [1149.74]
- David Bunnell, MITS technical writer, suggests the name "Little
Brother" for the new MITS computer. [1149.72]
- September
- Creative Computing, the first magazine for home computer users,
is
founded. [9]
- Hal Singer starts the Micro-8 Newsletter for enthusiasts of the
Mark-8
microcomputer. [208.67]
- Bravo is developed for the Xerox Alto computer. It is the first
WYSIWYG
program for a personal computer. [477.158]
- Despite being US$300,000 in debt, Ed Roberts is able to borrow
an additional
US$65,000 from the bank to complete work on what would become the
Altair
computer. [266.33]
- (month unknown)
- Gary Kildall and John Torode begin selling the CP/M disk
operating
system for microcomputers. [266.xv] [1149.175]
- Motorola introduces its 6800 chip, an early 8-bit
microprocessor used
in microcomputers and industrial and automotive control devices. The
6800
was designed by Chuck Peddle and Charlie Melear. [556.11] [1038.150]
[1146.50]
- November
- Hal Chamberlin and others begin publishing The Computer
Hobbyist magazine.
[208.67]
- Zilog is founded. [1038.150] (1975 [233.194])
- (month unknown)
- Railway Express loses Ed Robert's only prototype Altair
computer, en
route to New York for review and photography for publishing by Popular
Electronics. [266.34] [353.190] [1149.73]
- MITS engineers create an empty Altair box with switches and
lights
on the front, send it to Les Solomon for display on the cover of
Popular
Electronics. [1149.73]
- Lauren Solomon, 12 year old daughter of Les Solomon, publisher
of Popular
Electronics, suggests the name "Altair" for Ed Robert's new
microcomputer.
Altair was the name of where Star Trek's Enterprise was going that
night
on TV. [266.34] [353.190] [930.31] [1149.72]
- December
- Scelbi sells its last Scelbi-8H, discontinuing hardware to
concentrate
on software. [208.71]
- Popular Electronics publishes an article in its January 1975
issue
by MITS announcing the Altair 8800 computer for US$397 in kit form, or
US$439 assembled. It features a 2-MHz Intel 8080 processor, and 256
bytes
of RAM. The Altair pictured on the cover of the magazine is actually a
mock-up, as an actual computer was not available. [9] [106.104] [123]
[185.109]
[192.3] [208.67] [218] [205.18] (US$397 [266.35] [346.19] [353.190]
[415.15])
- Paul Allen sees the Popular Electronics issue with the Altair
story,
and tells Bill Gates that the microcomputer revolution is just
beginning.
[346.21] [1149.67]
- Bill Gates and Paul Allen contact Ed Roberts, saying they have
a BASIC
for the Intel 8080 processor. They propose licensing it for use on the
Altair in exchange for royalty payments. (They then spend the next
eight
weeks writing the software.) [1149.74]
- (month unknown)
- Intel introduces the 3000 series of microprocessor chips.
[949.361]
