By:
December 16, 2004
Previous: 1977 / Next: 1979
Intro and links to the other years in the timeline

TECHNOLOGY

  • The first bulletin board software is written by Ward Christensen and Randy Suess. They call it CBBS or Computer Bulletin Board System.
  • An important step in the development of the Internet takes place when IP (Internet Protocol) is added to TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn designed these important network communication protocols. Between 1978 and 1983 several prototypes of TCP/IP are developed to test its ability to unify different computer network systems. On Jan. 1, 1983, TCP/IP is accepted as the standard protocol for ARPANET and other networks.
  • Intel introduces its 16-bit 8086 processor.
  • The first computer spreadsheet, VisiCalc, is developed by Daniel Bricklin and Robert Frankston. It runs on Apple II personal computers.

THE MEDIA

  • The Bonneville International Corporation receives permission from the FCC to test over-the-air teletext services. Salt Lake City station KSL-TV uses British Ceefax software to broadcast teletext news stories.
  • Britain’s Independent Broadcasting Authority continues to develop and support a videotex / teletext system called Oracle. This ITV service lasts until 1992.
  • The Source, an early online service designed for the general public, is started.
  • News Example:
    October 17, 1978 —
    Polish Cardinal
    Elected Pope,
    New York Times.
    (Abstract available from the Infobank database service.)
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