Ten key moments that shaped IT

The relatively short history of IT is already peppered with important events, but picking out the true watersheds is tricky, says Jack Wallen.

It is unlikely everyone will ever agree on the most important dates in the history of IT. I know my IT timeline has a personal and professional bias, but I have tried to be objective in examining the events that have served to shape the modern computing landscape.

Some of the milestones on my list are debatable, but others I believe are clear cut. Read on and see what you think.

1. The development of Cobol, 1959
There are many languages, but none has influenced as many others as Cobol. A measure of Cobol's significance is the number of machines still chugging along, running Cobol applications.

Of course, these apps could — and possibly should — be rewritten to a modern standard. But for many IT administrators, those who do not have the time or resources to rewrite legacy apps, these programs can keep on keeping on.

2. The development of the Arpanet, 1969
It is undeniable that the Arpanet was the predecessor of the modern internet. The Arpanet began in a series of memos, written by JCR Licklider and initially referred to as the 'intergalactic computer network'. Without the development of the Arpanet, the landscape of IT would be drastically different.

3. The creation of Unix, 1970
Although many would argue that Windows is the most important operating system ever created, Unix should hold that title.

Unix started as a project between MIT and AT&T Bell Labs. The biggest initial difference, and most important distinction, was that it was the first operating system to allow more than one user to log in at a time. Thus was born the multi-user environment. Note: 1970 marks the date the name 'Unix' was applied.

4. The first clamshell laptop, 1979
William Moggridge, working for Grid Systems Corporation, designed the Compass Computer, which finally entered the market in 1991.

Tandy quickly purchased Grid, because of the 20 significant patents it held, but then resold Grid to AST, retaining the rights to the patents.

5. The beginning of Linus Torvalds's work on Linux, 1991
No matter where you stand on the Linux versus Windows debate, you cannot deny the importance of the flagship open-source operating system.

Linux brought the GNU General Public License, or GPL, and open source to the fore, and in doing so helped draw attention to monopolistic practices while raising the bar for competition.

Linux was also the first operating system that allowed students and small companies to think in much bigger ways than their budgets had previously permitted.

6. The advent of Windows 95, 1995
Without a doubt, Windows 95 reshaped the way the desktop looked and felt. When Windows 95 hit the market, the metaphor for the desktop became standardised with the toolbar, start menu, desktop icons and notification area. All other operating systems would begin to mimic this new de facto standard desktop.

7. The dot-com bubble, 1990s
The dot-com bubble of the 1990s showed that a great idea had legs and could become a reality. Companies such as Amazon and Google not only survived the dot-com burst, but grew to become megapowers that have significant influence over how business is run in the modern world.

But the dot-com bubble did more than bring us companies — it showed us the significance of technology and how it can make daily life faster, better and more powerful.

8. Steve Jobs rejoining Apple, 1996
All I need say here is one word: iPod. Had Jobs not come back to Apple, the iPod would probably never have been created. Had the iPod not been created, Apple would have withered away.

Without Apple, OS X would never have seen the light of day. And without OS X, the operating system landscape would be limited to Windows and Linux.

9. The creation of Napster, 1999
No matter where you stand on the legality of the issue, you cannot deny the importance of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing. Without Napster, file-sharing would have taken a very different course.

Napster and the original P2P protocols heavily influenced the creation of the BitTorrent protocol. Torrents now make up nearly one-third of all data traffic and make sharing of large files easy. Napster also led to the rethinking of digital rights, which to some has negative implications.

10. The birth of Wikipedia, 2000
Wikipedia has become one of leading sources of information on the internet — and with good reason. It is the single largest collaborative resource available to the public.

It is one of the most often cited sources on the planet. Although many schools refuse to accept wiki resources, questioning their legitimacy, Wikipedia is without a doubt one of the largest and most accessible collections of information.

It was even instrumental in the 2008 US presidential election, when the candidates' wiki pages became the top hits for voters seeking information. These presidential wiki pages became as important to the 2008 election as any advertisement.

What's missing?
Were there other important events in the timeline of IT? Certainly. But I think few, if any, had more to do with shaping modern computing than the 10 I have chosen. If you had to list 10 of the most important events or inventions of modern computing, what would they be?