Computer history
The Computer Hope computer history timeline provides a detailed listing of key events that occurred during the evolution of computers, the Internet, and related technologies. This timeline includes births and deaths of famous computer pioneers, inventions, discoveries, dates when computer companies were established, when popular websites came online, and much more. The timeline helps illustrate how computers have evolved and when computer technologies were introduced.
This page provides links to events in history related to computers. If you're looking for information about Internet browser history and how to clear it, see the links on our history definition.
While we would like to believe our research is 100% accurate, Computer Hope cannot claim 100% accuracy. If you know about something we missed or found something that is incorrect, please contact us and let us know.
Today in computer history
1888 - Nikola Tesla patented the rotating field motor. The invention helps create and transmit AC power and today is still a method for generating and distributing AC power.
1893 - Nikola Tesla helps power the worlds first fair powered by AC electricity in Chicago.
1918 - Bashir Rameyev was born.
1924 - Evelyn Granville was born.
1957 - Steve Meretzky was born.
1964 - John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz at Dartmouth College introduce the original BASIC programming language.
1969 - AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) was founded.
1978 - The first spam e-mail was sent by Gary Thuerk, an employee at Digital who was advertising the new DECSYSTEM on ARPAnet.
1992 - AdLib filed for bankruptcy.
2002 - David Smith aka Kwyjibo was sentenced for the Melissa Virus.
2006 - Riverstone (RNI Wind Down Corporation) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.
2007 - Fitbit was founded.
2011 - The MMO TERA was first released in North America.
Computer history timeline
The following list is each of the years from B.C. to 2020 of computer-related events that have occurred. Because early years in the timeline did not have many computer-related events, we've combined these years into one page for easier browsing. More recent years only list computer events for each year.
- BC - 1000 AD
- 1000's to 1400's
- 1500's
- 1600's
- 1700's
- 1800's
- 1900 - 1940
- 1900 - 1901 - 1902 - 1903 - 1904 - 1905 - 1906 - 1907 - 1908 - 1909 - 1910 - 1911 - 1912 - 1913 - 1914 - 1915 - 1916 - 1917 - 1918 - 1919 - 1920 - 1921 - 1922 - 1923 - 1924 - 1925 - 1926 - 1927 - 1928 - 1929 - 1930 - 1931 - 1932 - 1933 - 1934 - 1935 - 1936 - 1937 - 1938 - 1939 - 1940
- 1940 - 1960
- 1940 - 1941 - 1942 - 1943 - 1944 - 1945 - 1946 - 1947 - 1948 - 1949 - 1950 - 1951 - 1952 - 1953 - 1954 - 1955 - 1956 - 1957 - 1958 - 1959 - 1960
- 1960 - 1980
- 1960 - 1961 - 1962 - 1963 - 1964 - 1965 - 1966 - 1967 - 1968 - 1969 - 1970 - 1971 - 1972 - 1973 - 1974 - 1975 - 1976 - 1977 - 1978 - 1979 - 1980
- 1980 - 2000
- 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000
- 2000 - 2020
- 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - 2020
- 2020 - Today
Browse history by category
- Laptop history
- MS-DOS history
- Microsoft Windows history
- Apple operating system history
- Unix, Linux, and variant history
- Internet history
- Motherboard history
- Processor history
- Memory history
- Hard drive history
- Data storage history
- Computer USB history
- Computer monitor history
- Printer history
- Computer networking history
- Cell phone history
- Programming language history
- Game history
- Computer virus history