Chronology of Workstation Computers

The characteristics of a typical workstation help determine if a particular system is or is not a workstation. The main characteristics I have found are as follows. A 'Workstation Computer' typically:

• runs Unix, or a similar operating system,
• has leading-edge processor power,
• has a large graphics display,
• has more memory and disk space than other desktop computers,
• is used for scientific research, CAD, real-time simulations, animation, and, as a result of the above,
• costs more than most high-end desktop computers.

1968

(month unknown)

• In California, IBM scientist John Cocke and others complete a prototype scientific computer called the ACS. It incorporates some RISC concepts, but the project is later cancelled due to the instruction set not being compatible with IBM's System/360 computers. [95.40]

1969

(month unknown)

• At Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie write a primitive operating system in assembly language on the PDP-7. This becomes the Unix operating system. [110.148] [127.168] [50.116] [51.10] [67.24] [156.ss8]

1970

(month unknown)

• Brian Kernighan suggests naming the operating system written by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie's "Unix", as a pun on Multics, the operating system that it was to replace. [156.ss8]

1972

(month unknown)

• Xerox decides to build a personal computer to be used for research. Project "Alto" begins. [52.58] [54.267] [109.85]

November

• Researchers at PARC begin work on a prototype Alto personal computer. [109.93]

1973

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. [40.59] [109.14] [109.93] (completed in 1974 [54.267])

April

• The first operational Alto computer is completed at Xerox PARC. [108.95,167]

1974

(month unknown)

• Xerox releases the Alto computer. [54.xv]
• IBM scientist John Cocke completes a prototype high-reliability, low-maintenance computer called the ServiceFree. It incorporates a RISC architecture, achieving at least 80 MIPS, 50 times faster than IBM's fastest mainframe at the time. However, the project is later cancelled due to the massive "Future Systems" project consuming much of IBM's resources. [95.40]

1975

June

• At Xerox, John Ellenby proposes they build the Alto II personal computer, a modified Alto, making it easier to produce, more reliable, and more easily maintained. His request is approved. [109.205]

1976

(month unknown)

• Xerox management rejects two proposals to market the Alto computer. [109.174]

1977

(month unknown)

• Xerox renames its Janus workstation project to Star. [109.231]

1978

(month unknown)

• At the University of California at Berkeley, programmers add virtual memory control to the Unix operating system. [174.348]
• IBM scientist John Cocke produces the 801 computer, a RISC prototype named after the laboratory building it was built in. This minicomputer is often considered the invention of RISC processing. [95.42]

1979

September

• Motorola introduces the 68000 16-bit microprocessor. It uses 68,000 transistors, giving it its name. [38.75] [71.136] (1980 [20])

1980

(month unknown)

• IBM's Austin Laboratory in Burlington, Vermont, creates a microprocessor called ROMP (Research/Office Products MicroProcessor) based on Jon Cocke's 801 RISC design. This is the first completed RISC microprocessor. Speed is about 5-10 times faster than any other chip on the market. [95.42]
• Apollo introduces a line of workstations using the Motorola 68000 processor. [40.90]
• The term RISC (reduced instruction set computer) is coined by Professor David Patterson of the University of California in Berkeley. He designs a microprocessor called RISC I. [23] [95.40]

1981

(month unknown)

• College professor James Clark found Silicon Graphics, Incorporated. [28] (1982 [79.9])

1982

February

• Sun Microsystems is founded. "SUN" originally stood for Stanford University Network. [47] [110.149,152]

May

• Sun Microsystems begins shipping the Sun 1 workstation computer. [110.152]

November

• At the COMDEX show, Victory Computer Systems announces the Victory Factor series of computers, using the Motorola 68000 processor and the Unisoft Uniplus System 3 Unix operating system. [128.268]

(month unknown)

• Toshiba introduces the Tosbac UX-300. It features a Toshiba 88000 processor, 512 KB RAM, 1 MB 8-inch floppy drive, 10 MB hard drive, and runs UNIX, for US$9300. [74.113]

1983

January

• AT&T announces UNIX System V. [76.133]

(month unknown)

• IBM's Austin Laboratory begins project Olympiad, to develop a scientific workstation based on the ROMP microprocessor. [95.45]
• Fortune Systems introduces the Fortune 32:16 computer system. It features a 6-MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 256 KB RAM, and runs Unix v7. Price is US$5000-11,000. [128.84]
• Commodore Business Machines announces it will include the Coherent Unix-like operating system on a new series of Z8000-based computers called the Next Generation. [135.7]

1984

April

• Silicon Graphics begins shipping its first 3-D graphics workstations. [28]

June

• Motorola introduces the 16-MHz 68020 processor, a 32-bit version of the 68000, in CMOS, with on-board cache. [1] [140] (1986 [20])

(month unknown)

• MIPS Computer Systems is founded, and begins developing its RISC architecture. [29]
• Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla resigns. [110.153]
• Scott McNealy is appointed president of Sun Microsystems. [110.153]

1985

(month unknown)

• Sun Microsystems begins work on its SPARC processor. [29]

September

• Steve Jobs and five former senior managers of Apple Computer Inc. found NeXT Incorporated. [33.66] [46] [42.289] [65.213]

1986

January

• Sun Microsystems first sells shares to the public. [110.219]
• IBM announces the IBM RT Personal Computer, using RISC-based technology from IBM's "801" project of the mid-70s. It is one of the first commercially-available 32-bit RISC-based computers. The base configuration has 1 MB RAM, a 1.2 MB floppy, and 40 MB hard drive, for US$11,700. With performance of only 2 MIPS, it is doomed from the beginning. [6] [19] [41.114] [61.129]
• NeXT and Apple Computer reach an out-of-court settlement on Apple Computer's lawsuit against NeXT. [110.99]

March

• Silicon Graphics decides to switch from the Motorola 68000 processor line to MIPS Technologies' RISC processors. [29]

(month unknown)

• MIPS Technologies unveils the 8-MHz R2000 32-bit CPU. With 110,000 transistors, it achieves a speed rating of 5 MIPS. [38.75] (1985 [42.124])
• MIPS Technologies begins volume shipments of the 8-MHz R2000 processor. [29]

June

• Systems incorporating MIPS Technologies' R2000 processor begin shipping. [89.13] [187]

(month unknown)

• IBM begins work on a new line of Unix-based workstations. (They will become the IBM RS/6000 series.) [26]
• Motorola begins work on the 88000 processor. [29]

September

• Steve Jobs decides to use erasable optical disk drives for the first NeXT computer. [33.66]

November

• The TV show, "The Entrepreneurs" airs nationally on PBS in the US. One segment shows Steve Jobs and his NeXT employees discussing business at a company retreat. [110.97]