History of Computers & Internet

Links covering the history and development of computer technology and online access.

Resources in this category:

Atari 8-Bit Computers: Frequently Asked Questions
http://faqs.cs.uu.nl/na-dir/atari-8-bit/faq.html

A collection of Usenet discussion group postings and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Atari 8-Bit Computers (400, 800, and 1200) models, popular in the 1990s.

A Brief History of Algebra and Computing: An Eclectic Oxonian View
http://vmoc.museophile.com/algebra/

A detailed history of algebra and computing that provides many hypertext links to the people and places that were important in its development. The author also includes many good resources to related sites and a list of print references with links where available.

CHAC History Pages
http://www.chac.org/chac/chhistpg.html

This site has a comprehensive listing of articles on computer history and electronic calculator history. The computer history section includes hardware (mainframes, micros, minis, etc.) as well as software.

A Chronology of Digital Computing Machines (to 1952)
http://www.davros.org/misc/chronology.html

"The computer, as we now understand the word, was very much an evolutionary development rather than a simple invention. This article traces the sequence of the most important steps in that development, and in the earlier development of digital calculators without programability." The author also includes a bibliography of books he used in doing his research.

Chronology of Personal Computers
http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/comphist/

A timeline covering the evolution of computers from 1947-present. "This list is a collection of product announcements and delivery dates from various sources, mainly computer magazines and newspapers. References are indicated in [brackets], which are listed at the end of this document. A [number.number] format gives the page within that reference."

The Computer Museum History Center
http://www.computerhistory.org/

Learn about the history of computing at this museum site that includes a rich timeline (with photographs) of five decades of computing and two online exhibits. Information about the museum is also provided.

ECHO: Exploring and Collecting History Online
http://echo.gmu.edu/

Thousands of "websites concerning the history of science, technology, and industry."

Explore the Internet Now!
http://smithsonian.yahoo.com/index.html

This website by the National Museum of American History provides information about the birth of the Internet, the world wide web, the people and organizations that use the Internet, news and issues related to the Internet, and an Internet glossary.

Ghost Sites: Where Dead Web Sites Live On
http://www.disobey.com/ghostsites/

Online graveyard of dead websites. Features .jpg images of defunct sites.

A History of Apple Computers
http://apple-history.com/

Apple-history.com is "intended to provide a broad history of Apple Computers, inc., from the invention of the Apple I in 1976 to the troubled times of the present... for both novice and expert computer users." Includes bibliography, links to resources, and directory organized by computer model, processor type, and year.

The History of Computing Project
http://www.thocp.net/

Information on computer history includingHistory of Computing Foundation biographies, a timeline, and information on companies, hardware and software.

History of the Internet, Internet for Historians
http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/history/ivh/frame_theorie.htm

A narrative of Internet history, divided into five chapters: The Development of Computers till 1960's; From ARPANET to World Wide Web; History of Electronic Mail; Search Engines; Basic Netdata.

Internet Timeline
http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/

An Internet chronology highlighting some of the key events which helped shape the Internet as we know it today.

Making the MacIntosh
http://library.stanford.edu/mac/

"'Making the Macintosh' is an online project documenting the history of the Macintosh computer. The exhibit features primary documents, such as memos tracing the evolution of the Macintosh mouse; images, such as technical drawings, stills from commercials, notes from user tests; and interviews with members of the Macintosh development team, technical writers, and founders of user groups." A great site to visit for primary historical documents, articles and essays on the history and significance of the MacIntosh computer.

The Media History Project
http://www.mediahistory.umn.edu/

Promoting "the study of media history from petroglyphs to pixils," find an excellent timeline of media history covering art, music, television, the internet, and video games from pre-history to today, along with an article archive on media resources.

Search Engine History
http://www.searchenginehistory.com/

A detailed timeline and history of search engines and directories from 1945 to 2007, with focus on Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. Explains how search engines should work and gives suggestions for further research.