1988

• Apple Computer releases its first Ethernet networking product, the EtherTalk NB Card for NuBus equipped Macintosh computers.
• Impulse releases Turbo Silver 3.0 for the Amiga.
• Spectrum Holobyte introduces Tetris for the PC, the first entertainment software imported from the Soviet Union.

• Apple Computer ships A/UX for the Macintosh II, Apple Computer's combination of the Mac interface with UNIX.
• Compaq Computer reports sales for the year reach US$1.2 billion, setting the record as the fastest company to reach that mark.

• Apple Computer sues Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard for copyright infringement regarding Microsoft's Windows 2.03, Hewlett-Packard's NewWave, and the Macintosh OS.
• The Open Software Foundation is founded.

• Tandy announces the Tandy 5000MC, using IBM's MCA bus.
• Dell announces its first PC using IBM's MCA bus.
• Olivetti announces its first PC using IBM's MCA bus.
• Intel introduces the 25-MHz 80386DX microprocessor. Speed is 8.5 MIPS.
• Motorola unveils the 88000 processor.
• Weitek introduces the Weitek 3167 math coprocessor chip as an enhancement to Intel's 386 CPU. The 3167 is a single chip equivalent to Weitek's earlier 1167 circuit board coprocessor.

• WordPerfect ships WordPerfect 5.0 for US$500.
• Microsoft releases Microsoft Excel 1.5 for the Macintosh.
• Lotus Development ships the four millionth copy of Lotus 1-2-3.
• Apple Computer contracts with Quantum Computer Services to create the AppleLink - Personal Edition (later renamed America Online).

• Lotus Development ceases production of Lotus Jazz.
• An article in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine reports that pregnant women who worked with computer screens for more than 20 hours per week were 80% more likely to suffer miscarriage than women who did not use VDTs.
• IBM announces the PS/2 Model 70, as 16-, 20-, and 25-MHz 80386 systems.
• Microsoft ships Windows 2.1 as Windows/286 and Windows/386.
• Microsoft releases MS-DOS 4.0, including a graphical/mouse interface.
• Intel introduces the 16-MHz 80386SX microprocessor, like the 80386 but with a 16-bit data bus. Price is US$219 each, in quantities of 100. Speed is 2.5 MIPS.

• Lotus Development ships Agenda.
• IBM ships OS/2 Extended Edition 1.0.
• IBM ships DOS 4.0. It adds a shell menu interface and support for hard disk partitions over 32 MB.

• Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIc Plus for US$1100.
• IBM introduces the IBM PS/2 Model 30 286, using the AT-bus. It features a 10-MHz 286, 512KB RAM, VGA, and 20MB hard drive.
• Claris releases AppleWorks 2.1.
• 61 companies support the formation of the Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA). Companies include Compaq Computer, AST, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, NEC Technologies, Olivetti, Tandy, Wyse, Zenith, Microsoft.
• Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh IIx computer, using Motorola's 16-MHz 68030 and 68882 processors. Base price is US$7770 with a 1.4 MB SuperDrive floppy drive, and 4 MB RAM, or US$9200 including an 80 MB hard drive.
• Apple Computer releases GS/OS, a 16-bit operating system for the Apple IIGS.
• SPEC is formed, with the aim of producing a benchmark based on a standard set of real-life applications programs.
• Tandy ships the first MCA-bus-based clone PC, the Tandy 5000 MC.
• Compaq Computer introduces its first laptop PC with VGA graphics, the Compaq SLT/286. It has a 12-MHz 286, 640KB RAM, 20-40MB hard drive, 3.5-inch disk drive, and built-in 10-inch grayscale LCD VGA screen. Price is up to US$5800.

• Ashton-Tate releases dBase IV for MS-DOS.
• Microsoft releases QuickBASIC 4.5.
• Symantec ships Q&A for OS/2.
• Apple Computer and Quantum Computer Services launch the AppleLink Personal Edition computer network.
• Microsoft and IBM ship OS/2 1.1 Standard Edition with Presentation Manager.
• Microsoft releases OS/2 LAN Manager for networked PCs.
• Steve Jobs of NeXT Inc. unveils the first NeXT computer, at the Davis Symphony Hall in San Francisco. For US$6500, it features: 25-MHz Motorola 68030 processor and 68882 math coprocessor, 8MB RAM, 17-inch monochrome monitor, 256MB read/write magneto-optical drive, and true object-oriented NextStep operating system.

• ReadySoft demonstrates its AMAX Macintosh emulator for the Amiga at the World of Commodore show.
• Ashton-Tate sues Fox Software and Santa Cruz Operations for infringing copyrights on the dBase language.
• The Ami word processor for Windows is released.
• Microsoft releases MS-DOS 4.01.
• Byte by Byte releases Sculpt Animate 4-D for the Amiga.

• Commodore announces the A2286D Bridgeboard for the Amiga 2000. The A2286D contains an 8-MHz Intel 80286 and a 1.2 MB 5 1/4-inch disk drive.

• Apple Computer pays AT&T Microelectronics to develop a low-power, second-generation version of AT&T's C-machine Reduced Instruction Set Processor (CRISP), for use in Apple Computer's pen-based system.

• Aldus has a prototype of Flintstone running, a word processing package for Windows.

• Researchers at Apple Computer begin investigating using Acorn Computer's Acorn RISC Machine microprocessor in future Apple Computer products.

• Microsoft's Bill Gates shows Aldus' Paul Brainerd a prototype of Word for Windows. Brainerd decides to cancel Aldus' Flintstone word processor project.

• Ventura Publisher 2.0 for DOS is released. Price: US$895.

• Solbourne Computer Incorporated is the first vendor to produce a Sun-compatible SPARC-based computer.

• Compaq Computer and other companies form the "Gang of Nine", to improve on the AT-bus, rather than take IBM's approach of abandoning it.

• Digital Research transforms CP/M into DR DOS.

• Toshiba introduces the T1600 16-MHz 286 portable.

• Digital Equipment and Apple Computer agree to integrate Macintosh and Vax computers.

• Intel ships the i960KB, a quasi-RISC processor.

• Digital Equipment begins development of a 64-bit microprocessor. The chip will debut as the 150-MHz Alpha 21064 in 1992.

• Ashton-Tate releases the Full Impact spreadsheet program for the Macintosh.

• ComputerLand co-founder John Martin files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming US$1.6 bilion in debts.

• Quote from Intel General Manager Richard Bader: "The market is confusing, although it provides us with some sort of job security."

• Quote from WordPerfect CEO and President Alan Ashton: "If we continue to be solid, careful, and flexible, and give good service, it'll be pretty hard for someone to uproot us, unless we become too proud".

• Quote from IBM Chairman John Akers: "We're trying to change the habits of an awful lot of people. That won't happen overnight, but it will bloody well happen."

• AutoDesk buys Xanadu Operating Company.

• Quote from Compaq Computer President and CEO Rod Canion: "If people are going to buy Micro Channel, they're going to buy it from IBM."

• The bus standard used on IBM AT compatibles is given the name Industry Standard Architecture (ISA).

• W.H. Sim founds Creative Labs, Inc., in California, USA, a subsidiary of Creative Technology.

• Atari sues Nintendo, accusing it of engaging in monopolistic practices.

• U.S. Robotics introduces the Courier Dual Standard modem, supporting both v.32 and HST protocols, and the Courier v.32 modem. Prices are US$1600 and US$1500, respectively.

• Tandy announces Thor CD, an erasable compact disk system for music, video, or data.

• Hewlett-Packard introduces the HP DeskJet inkjet printer. Price: US$1000.

• Tandy acquires GRiD Systems.

• Adobe ships Adobe Illustrator 88 for the Macintosh.

• Aldus ships Aldus FreeHand for the Macintosh.

• Novell ships NetWare for the Macintosh.

• NEC Technologies introduces the 4.2-pound NEC UltraLite laptop PC, the first "subnotebook". It features a stylus for input, and handwriting recognition.

• Ashton-Tate releases Framework III.

• Syquest introduces its SyQuest storage cartridge system to the Macintosh market.

• Microsoft's Bill Gates gives a special sneak preview of Microsoft Word 3.0 to several hundred Apple Macintosh computer users, in an auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

GO BACK