1975 (1) The first commercially available microcomputer, the Altair 880, is the first computer to be called a "personal computer." It has 64km of memory and an open 100line bus structure. Selling for about $400, the Altair 880 comes in a kit to be assembled by the user. Two young college students, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, unveil the BASIC language interpreter for the Altair computer. 1976 (2) Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak build the Apple I computer. It is less powerful than the Altair, but it is also less expensive and less complicated. 1977 (3) The Apple II computer is unveiled. It comes already assembled in a case, with a built-in keyboard. Users must plug in their own TVs for monitors. Fully assembled microcomputers hit the general market, with Radio Shack, Commodore, and Apple all selling models. 1978 (4) Intel releases the 8086 microprocessors, a 16-bit chip that sets a new standard for power, capacity, and speed in microprocessors. 1979 (5) Intel introduces the 8088-microprocessor featuring 16-bit internal architecture and an 8-bit external bus. Motorola introduces the 68000-chip used in early Macintosh computers Micropro International introduces WordStar, the commercially successful processing program for IBM-compatible microcomputers. 1980 (6) IBM chooses Microsoft to provide the operating system for its upcoming PC Microsoft purchases a program developed by Seattle Computer Products called Q-DOS and modifies it to run on IBM hardware. 1981 (7) IBM introduces the IBM-PC, with a 4.77 MHZ Intel 8088 CPU. 16KB of memory. a keyboard and monitor for price lag of $2.495 Xerox Unveils the Xerox Star computer its high price dooms the computer to commercial failure, but its features inspire a whole new direction in computer design. Its little box on wheels (the first mouse) can execute commands on screen. 1982 (8) AutoCAD, a program for designing 2-D and 3-D objects is released. AutoCAD will go on to revolutionize the architecture and engineering industries Work begins of the development of TCP/IP. The term internet is used for the first time to describe the worldwide network of computers. 1983 (9) Apple introduces the l.isa, the first commercial computer with a purely graphical operating system and mouse. The industry is excited, but Lisa's $10.000 price tag discourages buyers. 1984 (10) Adobe systems release its PostScript system, allowing printers to produce crisp print in a number of typefaces, as well elaborate graphical images. Apple introduces the friendly Macintosh microcomputer and satellite Software international introduces the WordPerfect word processing program. 1985 (11) Aldus release PageMaker for the Macintosh, the first desktop publishing software for microcomputers Microsoft announces the Windows 1.0 Operating environment, featuring the first graphical user interface for PCs. 1986 (12) IBM delivers the PC convertible. IBM'S first laptop computer and the first el-based computer with a 3.5inch floppy disk drive. Microsoft sells its first public stock for $21 per share, raising $61 million in the initial public offering. 1987 (13) The Macintosh II computer aimed at the desktop publishing market is introduced by Apple. It features an SVGA monitor. 1988 (14) Apple Computer files the single biggest lawsuit in the computer industry against Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard. Claiming copyright infringement of its operating system A virus called the "Internet Worm" is released on the internet, disabling about ten percent of all Internet host computers. 1989 (15) Tim Berners-Lee develops software around the hypertext concept. Enabling users to click on a word or phrase in a document and jump either to another location within the document or another file with the doc or to another file. This software provides the foundation for the development of the World Wide Web, and it is the basis for the first Web browsers.
What is the name of the first personal computer?