calendar

A calendar of computing birthdays and notable events

Just like our families and friends, computers have birthdays too. The only important ones are for the vintage computers of course - the young whipper-snappers don't deserve any recognition. It's not just about celebrating the release dates of arbitrary electronics of course. There are thousands of real computing people and thousands of milestone events that are worthy of recognition.

1910

The "Mundaneum" 🌍

1933

First telex network

1937

The “Model K” Adder

1939

30/10

"Elektro" appears at the New York World's Fair. 🌍

02/07

Hewlett Packard (HP) Founded

1940

Complex Number Calculator (CNC)

1941

Konrad Zuse Z3
The 'three laws of robotics'
First bombe completed

1942
The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC)

1943
A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity (Neural networks)
The Bell Laboratories Relay Interpreter
Curta Calculator

1944
First Colossus operational at Bletchly
Harvard Mark I completed

1945
First draft report on the EDVAC by JVN
First algorithmic programming language, Plankalkül (Plan Calculus)
First computer bug
"Memex" desk

1946
"A Logic named Joe" published in March issue of "Astounding Science Fiction"
Project Worldwind
Unveiling of the ENIAC

1947
Manchester Mark I Williams-Kilburn Tube

1948
"Cybernetics" (Norbert Wiener)
"The Mathematical Theory of Communication" (Claude Shannon) - first mention of 'bit'
First computer program runs on the SSEM in Manchester
SSEC goes on display

1949
Birth of the modem at Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC)
CSIRAC runs first program
EDSAC completed
IBM switches to electronics
MADDIDA developed
Magnetic core memory
Manchester Mark I completed

1950
ERA 1101 introduced
Grey Walter's "Elsie"
"I, Robot" Isaac Asimov
Magnetic drum memory
NPL Pilot Ace
Plans to build 'Simon 1' relay computer published in Radio Electronics
SEAC and SWAC Completed

1951
CSIRAC plays Colonel Bogey March
Ferranti Mark I sold
First UNIVAC 1 delivered to US Census Bureau
LEO-1
Nimrod displayed at the Festival of Britain.
Squee : The Robot Squirrel
Turing Test
UNIVAC UNISERVO tape drive

APRIL

Harwell Dekatron Computer became operational

1952
OXO for EDSAC
Grace Hopper completes A-0
IAS Computer operational
IBM 726 Magnetic Tape Drive
UNIVAC computer predicts the election

1953
Grimsdale and Webb - "Manchester TC"
IBM Model 701 Electronic Data Processing Machine
John Backus Speedcode
RAND Corporation Johnniac Computer
Whirlwind Core Memory

1954
Alan Turing dies
IBM 650 magnetic drum calculator

1955
"Logic Threorist" Newell, Simon, Shaw
English Electric DEUCE - Digital Electronic Universal Computing Engine

1956
Direct keyboard entry
"Illiac Suite" created using the Illiac I Computer
Librascope LGP-30
TX-0
RAMAC
Robby the Robot

1957
DEC Founded
FORTRAN released
First scanned computer image on SEAC
MATH-MATIC commercial compiler

1958
Digital phone lines
Tennis-for-two
LISP
RCA 501
SAGE Air Defense System

July

The Perceptron algorithm demonstrated on an IBM 704.

November

The Mark I Perceptron invented at Cornell University by Frank Rosenblatt.

1959
Automatically Programmed Tools (APT)
Bryant Chucking Grinder Company Magnetic Disk Drive
Nelson, Engelbart suggest hyperlinks
SRI ERMA (Electronic Recording Machine, Accounting)

1960
"Libraries of the future" Licklider