1970 — Intel Dynamic RAM

Intel, founded in 1968, quickly became a global force in the computer industry. Intel proved this claim in 1970 with the release of the 1103, the world's first dynamic RAM chip. This chip, with a capacity of 1024 bits (one kilobit), effectively placed Intel at the top of prominent computer companies and challenged companies like IBM to compete. This invention laid the foundation for all modern memory found in every device today.

1971 — Birth of the Microprocessor

Just one year after entering the scene with the first dynamic RAM, Intel made headlines again with the release of the first commercially available microprocessor. A 4-bit processor equipped with 2,300 transistors. This microprocessor, known as the Intel 4004, could process nearly 60,000 instructions per second with a maximum clock speed of 740 kHz. This small chip changed the computer world forever.

And about processors; a story that began with the Intel 4004. For a comprehensive introduction to the world of processors — from these earliest microprocessors to the legendary Z80 — I have published the book "Z80 Story" online. This book is a comprehensive reference for anyone wanting to delve deeper into processor architecture. These same processors later became the beating hearts of computers like the ZX Spectrum 48 and Commodore 64.

Email; The Idea That Endured

Sometimes an idea is far ahead of its time, but with email, the opposite happened. Ray Tomlinson, using ARPANET, could send messages back and forth between two different computers — something never seen before. Until then, two users could log into a single system remotely and communicate, but connecting two distant computers was a new idea. The email idea was immediately embraced and has never disappeared since.

The Decade of Printing Changes

While Xerox's copy machine had only been built a few years earlier, the company's researchers in 1972 identified a completely new method for creating images: using lasers. Unlike how Tomlinson's email idea was received, Xerox PARC managers weren't interested in making changes when the copy machine was working so well. Physicist Gary Starkweather and his colleagues, understanding the potential of their idea, decided to build their laser printer on their own — away from those who said "no." Ultimately their invention quickly became successful, and Xerox owed them a big apology.

1972 — Let the Games Begin

In Chapter One, I mentioned that 1972 witnessed the founding of Atari and the release of Pong — two great steps toward the massive success of video games that awaited the world just a few years later. The Atari 2600 with Pong showed that video games weren't just a passing fad; they were a real industry.

The Fourth Generation of Computers

While the exact starting point of the fourth generation of computer history is not defined, many experts consider 1972 as the official benchmark. But the classification of this generation relates less to time and more to technology. Anything using large-scale integration (LSI) or microprocessors is considered a fourth-generation computer. Typically, fourth-generation technology has between 500 and 10,000 components on a single chip.

1973 — We Shrank the Computer

Even though supercomputers were still a notable technology, the early 1970s saw growing interest in microcomputers. In 1973, the Micral N appeared. This invention, developed by the French company R2E, was officially introduced as the world's first microcomputer. The Micral N proved that computers could move from large rooms to desktops.

Logging In

From the development of the TCP/IP protocol suite to the invention of Ethernet, 1973 was the most important year for the future of the internet to date. Whether France's CYCLADES, Europe's EIN, Britain's NPL, or ARPANET, TCP/IP and Ethernet allowed these networks to link with other networks and create an internetwork — known as the internet.

1974 — Enter Alto

Many know Xerox only as a printer and scanner maker, but interestingly, Xerox played a major role in creating the computer we know today. The Xerox Alto, released to the public in 1974, was equipped with a mouse, local networking with other Altos, a window-based graphical interface, and file sharing and printing capabilities. Many concepts we take for granted in computers today — from windows to the mouse — were first seen on the Alto.

1975 — Altair 8800

For those interested in learning how computers work, the MITS Altair 8800 allowed enthusiasts to order a computer kit and assemble it personally. While these hobby computers were very limited in programming language, storage, and application, their low price and appeal for personal work made them a great success in 1975. The Altair 8800 was the spark that ignited the personal computer revolution.

Microsoft Is Founded

Also in 1975, two men named Bill Gates and Paul Allen succeeded in doing something new: implementing the BASIC programming language on a microcomputer — specifically the MITS Altair. With this seemingly simple act, Gates and Allen had formed Microsoft. The rest of Microsoft's story, as they say, is history, and at that moment IBM was no longer the only titan in the game. Interestingly, this same BASIC was later used in the Commodore 64 — the computer that made the history of the best-selling computer in the world.

1976 — The Birth of Apple

Less than a year after Bill Gates and Paul Allen formed Microsoft, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs took the stage and founded Apple Computer, Inc. to sell their single-board computer — the Apple I. The Apple I was simple, but it laid the foundation for the empire we know today.

Supercomputers Endure

Even as more companies shifted focus to microcomputers, home computers, and personal computers, the need for supercomputers remained. At a time when everyone was shrinking, the Cray-1 supercomputer mainframes had no fear of being big. The Cray-1, famous for its horseshoe-shaped mainframe design, made vector processing a reality and delivered unprecedented computational power.

1977 — New and Advanced Technology

In 1977, several companies had a good and precise vision for their product lines and made major advances from there. Apple released the Apple II with greatly improved design. Intel introduced the Intel 8086 — a 16-bit instruction set architecture that became one of the most successful and widely used microprocessors in PC history. Radio Shack, through Tandy, revised its desktop computer with a new microprocessor, improved memory, video display, and better programming language.

1978 — Computers Reach the White House

Despite funding various computer research and development in previous decades, the Carter administration was the first presidential administration to install a computer in the White House. Carter and staff received HP 3000s along with a Xerox Alto and an IBM laser printer for the Oval Office. This symbolic event showed that computers were no longer just laboratory tools; they had reached the highest level of power.

1979 — The Dawn of Disks

While disks marked with "k" had been a key component of computer technology for several decades, in the late 1970s, disks marked with "c" appeared on the scene. From laser disks to CDs, the invention of these new storage media for the first time threatened the idea of tape storage.

Alone Together

Throughout the 1970s, many devices were designed to bring people and their technology together in a network. This ultimately resulted in a unique set of pros and cons: what if you didn't want to connect with others? What if you just wanted to do some work offline? These pros and cons led to many new computers — like the Atari 400 and 800 microcomputers or Texas Instruments' TI-99/4 microcomputers — being equipped with both online and offline capabilities. It was Atari that later revolutionized the world of home gaming with the Atari 2600.

Motorola 68000

In 1979, Motorola released the 68000 microprocessor — the first entry in the 68k series and ultimately a key component of the highly successful Amiga, Apple, and Atari products of the next decade. This 16-bit processor with its powerful architecture became the foundation for a generation of computers that would later change the world — including the Amiga 500, whose history we have already reviewed, and the Amiga 1200, whose history I have also published.