1941 - Konrad Zuse builds the Z3, the world's first programmable, fully automatic digital computer
1943 - Tommy Flowers and his team build Colossus, the world's first programmable electronic digital computer
1944 - Harvard University builds the Mark I computer, the first machine that could execute long computations automatically
1945 - Vannevar Bush publishes "As We May Think," proposing the concept of a "memex" that could store and retrieve information using a network of links
1945 - John von Neumann writes "First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC," which describes the architecture of a stored-program computer
1947 - William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain invent the transistor at Bell Labs
1948 - Claude Shannon invents the concept of digital circuit design in his paper "A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits"
1949 - The Manchester Mark I computer is developed at the University of Manchester
1950s - Early diagnostic tools and techniques are developed to address problems in early computer systems
1950 - Alan Turing publishes "Computing Machinery and Intelligence," which proposed the Turing Test for evaluating a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior
1951 - The UNIVAC I, the first commercially available computer, is introduced
1952 - Grace Hopper invents the first compiler, which translates high-level programming languages into machine code
1953 - IBM introduces the IBM 701, the first commercially successful general-purpose computer
1953 - The first high-speed printer, the IBM 405, is introduced
1954 - John Backus and his team develop the FORTRAN programming language
1956 - The term "artificial intelligence" is coined by John McCarthy
1956 - John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon organize the Dartmouth Conference, which is considered the birth of AI.
1960s-1970s - Computer scientists begin to develop more structured approaches to troubleshooting, such as the Problem-Solving Cycle and the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) Cycle
1961 - MIT introduces Project MAC, which would become the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).
1961 - Development of the first computer mouse
1962 - The first computer game, Spacewar!, is developed by Steve Russell at MIT.
1964 - IBM introduces the System/360, the first mainframe computer that could run multiple programs simultaneously.
1965 - Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) introduces the PDP-8, the first commercially successful minicomputer.
1965 - Ivan Sutherland creates the first head-mounted display (HMD), which is considered the first VR device.
1969 - The first message is sent over the ARPANET, the precursor to the internet.
1969 - The Xerox 9700, the first commercially successful laser printer, is introduced
1980s-1990s - Troubleshooting methodology becomes a widely recognized discipline, with a range of tools and techniques available to help IT professionals diagnose and resolve issues
1981 - Richard Feynman suggests the possibility of quantum computing
1981 - IBM introduces the IBM PC, which becomes the dominant personal computer in the 1980s
1982 - The first internet-connected device, a Coca-Cola vending machine, is created at Carnegie Mellon University.
1983 - The Domain Name System (DNS) is created, making it easier to navigate the internet by assigning domain names to IP addresses
1983 - ARPANET officially switches to the TCP/IP protocol, which becomes the basis of the modern internet.
1983 - Invention of the computer mouse with a scroll wheel
1984 - The first inkjet printer, the Hewlett-Packard ThinkJet, is introduced
1984 - Apple introduces the Macintosh, which popularizes the graphical user interface (GUI).
1985 - Microsoft releases Windows 1.0, its first graphical operating system.
1986 - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is founded to defend civil liberties in the digital world.
1987 - The first internet domain name, symbolics.com, is registered.
1988 - The Morris worm, the first internet worm to gain significant mainstream media attention, infects thousands of computers.
1989 - Tim Berners-Lee creates the World Wide Web while working at CERN, revolutionizing the way people access and share information online
The World Wide Web and E-Commerce (1990s - 2000s)
1990s-2000s - The rise of networked computing and the internet leads to the development of new troubleshooting tools and techniques, including network analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other specialized tools
1990s - Color laser printers become more widely available and affordable
1990 - The first web page is created by Tim Berners-Lee.
1991 - Linus Torvalds releases the first version of Linux.
1992 - The first audio and video streaming over the internet is demonstrated.
1992 - IBM introduces the first smartphone, the Simon Personal Communicator. It features a touch screen, email capabilities, and a stylus
1993 - The first web browser, Mosaic, is released.
1994 - Netscape Communications is founded by Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark.
1994 - Peter Shor devises an algorithm for quantum computers to factor large numbers, which is crucial for cryptography.
1994 - Creation of the first e-commerce transaction
1995 - Amazon.com is founded by Jeff Bezos, initially as an online bookstore.
1995 - Release of Windows 95 operating system
1996 - Hotmail, one of the first free web-based email services, is launched.
1997 - Release of the first mobile phone with internet access
1997 - IBM's Deep Blue defeats world chess champion Garry Kasparov in a six-game match.
1998 - Google is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, quickly becoming the most popular search engine on the internet
1999 - Napster, a file-sharing service that allowed users to share music files over the internet, is launched.
1999 - Kevin Ashton, a British technology pioneer, coins the term "Internet of Things" while working at Procter & Gamble.
1999 - Nokia introduces the 7110, the first mobile phone with a WAP browser
The World Wide Web and Social Media (2000s - 2010s)
2000s - Photo printers, which specialize in high-quality photo printing, become popular.
2000 - Launch of Google AdWords
2000 - The first phone with an integrated camera, the Sharp J-SH04, is released in Japan
2000 - The dot-com bubble bursts, leading to the collapse of many internet-based companies.
2001 - Apple introduces the iPod, which revolutionizes the music industry.
2002 - Amazon launches Amazon Web Services (AWS), which popularizes cloud computing
2002 - Mozilla Firefox web browser is released.
2002 - Launch of Friendster, the first social networking site
2002 - RIM releases the BlackBerry 5810, the first BlackBerry device with phone capabilities
2003 - The social networking site MySpace is launched, paving the way for the modern era of social media
2003 - Skype is launched, allowing for free voice and video calls over the internet.
2003 - The first wireless sensor network is deployed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles.
2004 - Facebook is launched, initially only available to college students.
2004 - Google releases Google Maps, which demonstrates the power of browser-based applications
2005 - YouTube is launched, revolutionizing online video sharing.
2006 - Amazon Web Services launches Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), which popularizes cloud computing.
2006 - Twitter is launched, allowing users to send short messages called tweets.
2007 - Apple introduces the iPhone, which features a touch screen, a mobile browser, and a sleek, minimalist design. It quickly becomes a cultural phenomenon.
2007 - Hadoop, an open-source big data framework, is released by Apache
2008 - Google Chrome web browser is released.
2008 - Google launches Google App Engine, which allows developers to build and host web applications on Google's infrastructure.
2008 - The first Android smartphone is released, providing competition to Apple's iPhone
2008 - Satoshi Nakamoto publishes a paper outlining the concept of a decentralized, blockchain-based cryptocurrency called Bitcoin.
Mobile Devices, Social Media, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and AI (2010s - Present)
2010s-present - Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are being used to develop new diagnostic tools and techniques, such as predictive analytics and automated troubleshooting
2010s - Wireless and mobile printing become more common, allowing for printing from smartphones and tablets
2010 - The popular mobile game Angry Birds is released, helping to popularize mobile gaming
2010 - Instagram is launched, focusing on photo sharing.
2010 - The first iPad is introduced, creating a new category of mobile devices known as tablets
2010 - The number of devices connected to the internet surpasses the number of people on earth.
2011 - The Internet of Things becomes a mainstream phenomenon, with the first IoT-specific conference taking place in San Francisco.
2011 - The social networking site Google+ is launched, but ultimately fails to gain widespread adoption
2011 - Google releases Android 4.0, which is designed specifically for tablets and includes a range of new features and capabilities
2011 - IBM's Watson computer defeats two champions in the game show Jeopardy!
2012 - Google launches Google Glass, a wearable computer that uses augmented reality to display information in the user's field of vision.
2012 - SpaceX launches the first private spacecraft to the International Space Station.
2012 - Google's DeepMind Technologies is founded by Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg, and Mustafa Suleyman.
2013 - Edward Snowden leaks classified information revealing the extent of government surveillance programs.
2014 - Apple introduces the Apple Watch, a new product category for the company.
2014 - The selfie stick becomes a popular accessory for smartphones, leading to a rise in selfie culture
2014 - Google acquires Nest, a maker of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, for $3.2 billion.
2015 - Virtual reality technology becomes more mainstream with the release of the Oculus Rift headset
2015 - NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies by Pluto, providing the first close-up images of the dwarf planet.
2015 - The Ethereum blockchain is introduced, which enables the development of decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.
2015 - The number of connected devices surpasses 15 billion.
2016 - AlphaGo, an AI system developed by Google's DeepMind, defeats world champion Go player Lee Sedol in a five-game match.
2016 - Pokémon Go becomes a worldwide phenomenon, popularizing augmented reality technology
2016 - A massive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack against Dyn, a DNS provider, is carried out using a botnet composed of IoT devices.
2016 - The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) releases the first 5G specifications.
2016 - Google announces that it has built a quantum computer capable of solving problems that classical computers cannot.
2017 - Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies experience a surge in popularity and value, leading to increased interest in blockchain technology
2017 - Equifax announces a data breach affecting 147 million people.
2017 - OpenAI's bot defeats top professional players in Dota 2, a multiplayer online battle arena game.
2017 - The iPhone X is released, featuring facial recognition technology and an edge-to-edge OLED screen
2018 - Google introduces Duplex, an AI assistant that can make phone calls and carry out conversations on behalf of users.
2018 - The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect, giving individuals more control over their personal data.
2019 - Microsoft surpasses Apple as the world's most valuable publicly traded company.
2019 - The social networking site TikTok becomes a global sensation, particularly among younger generations
2019 - Microsoft Azure introduces Azure Arc, which enables enterprises to manage resources across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments.
2019 - Facebook announces plans to launch its own cryptocurrency, called Libra, which faces regulatory hurdles.
2019 - The first commercial 5G networks are launched in several countries, including the United States and South Korea.
2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the trend towards remote work, virtual meetings, and online education and collaboration.
2020 - The COVID-19 pandemic drives increased demand for VR/AR technologies, particularly for remote collaboration and training.
2020: The COVID-19 pandemic leads to increased reliance on mobile devices for remote work, education, and communication
2020 - Launch of the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S, the latest generation of gaming consoles featuring faster load times, better graphics, and new exclusive games.
2020 - OpenAI releases GPT-3, a language model that can generate human-like text and complete a variety of language-related tasks.
2021 - Introduction of the M1 chip in the iMac and iPad Pro, marking the first time Apple has used its own custom-designed chip in these devices.
2021 - Release of the Windows 11 operating system, featuring a new design, improved performance, and new productivity features.
2021 - Launch of the Amazon Sidewalk, a low-bandwidth network that enables certain devices to stay connected even when they're outside of their owners' homes.
2021 - Jeff Bezos steps down as CEO of Amazon, which he founded in 1994.
2021 - Apple releases its first 5G-enabled iPhones, driving increased adoption of 5G technology.
2022 - ChatGPT, an AI language model trained by OpenAI, is introduced as a successor to GPT-3. ChatGPT is capable of more advanced natural language processing and can hold conversations with users.
Present day - 3D printing technology continues to evolve and become more accessible for personal and commercial use