1980's

1983
Acorn announces the BBC Master
Acorn Launch the ABC Micro
Acorn launches the BBC Master Compact
Acorn releases RISC OS
Acorn releases the Acorn Atom
Acorn releases the BBC Micro
Amstrad Buys Sinclair Research IP
Apple announces the Apple III
Apple floats on the stock market
Apple introduces the Macintosh SE/30
Apple launches the Apple Lisa
Apple launches the Macintosh 128K
Apple launches the Macintosh 512K
Apple launches the Macintosh II
Apple launches the Macintosh Plus
Apple releases the Macintosh Portable
Atari releases the 7800 console
Brain, the first PC virus, is released
Commodore 128 Released
Commodore 16 & Plus 4 Launch
Commodore announces the Amiga A500 & A2000
Commodore introduces the Commodore 64
Commodore releases the Amiga
Commodore releases the VIC-20 in Europe and US
Cray sells the first Cray X-MP supercomputer
Cray X-MP Supercomputer Begins Operation
Dragon Data releases the Dragon 32
First ARM processor powered up
Hermann Hauser leaves Olivetti to start the Active Book Company
Hewlett-Packard releases the HP 110 portable laptop
HP-41 calculator Used In Space Shuttle
IBM and Compaq introduce the IDE interface
IBM announces the IBM 5150, the first IBM PC
IBM introduces the 3480 cartridge tape system
IBM introduces the IBM 5170 PC/AT
IBM introduces the PS/2 series of computers
IBM PC personal computer features in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off
ICL introduces DRS model 40 and 45
Intel introduces the 80286 microprocessor
Intel introduces the 80386 microprocessor
Introduction of IBM 5150 Personal Computer
Japan sets out its 'Fifth Generation' project
Lotus releases spreadsheet software Lotus 1-2-3
Mattel releases the Aquarius
Michael Dell founds the Dell Computer Corporation
Microsoft announces Windows
Microsoft introduces earliest version of Office suite of productivity applications
Microsoft introduces the 2-button mouse
Microsoft moves to Redmond
Microsoft officially incorporates to become Microsoft, Inc.
Microsoft releases Windows 1.0
Microsoft releases Windows 2.0
Microsoft signs contract with IBM to create MS-DOS
Microsoft stock goes public
Nintendo releases the Famicom in Japan
Nintendo releases the Game Boy
Nintendo releases the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Novelist William Gibson invents the term cyberspace
Olivetti buys 49 percent stake in Acorn Computers Ltd.
Osborne Computer declares bankruptcy
Osborne launches the first portable computer, the Osborne 1
Paul Allen leaves Microsoft due to ill health
Philips releases the VG5000
Robert Tappan Morris launches the Morris computer worm
Sega SG-1000 Console Launches
Sinclair launches the ZX Spectrum
Sinclair launches the ZX80
Sinclair launches the ZX81
Space Shuttle uses Intel 8086 and RCA 1802
Steve Jobs hires Pepsi's John Sculley as President of Apple
Steve Jobs leaves Apple to start NeXT
Tangerine announces the Oric-1

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum