Jeffrey Powers @geekazine

About Jeffrey Powers @geekazine

http://www.geekazine.com

I love tech history. I enjoy how we evolved from computers that fill a room to computers we wear on our bodies. I have put a full archive of tech history together at Wikazine. You can also talk history at Google +. I am also a podcaster and V-caster at Geekazine and a Podcast Coach at How to Record Podcasts. You can also sign up for a Helpout

Posts by Jeffrey Powers:

DNS

/

June 23, 1983: First successful test of the Domain Name System (DNS)

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

DNS
DNS

1983 – Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel run the first successful test of the distributed Domain Name System (DNS). This automated process was to take over failing Arpanet and CSnet protocols because those relied on address books.

DNS uses a hierarchical distributed naming system for the Internet or any private network. It associates the domain names with numerical IP addresses.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • Nintendo 64 is launched
  • The Typewriter is patented
Kodachrome Film

/

June 22, 2009: The End of Kodachrome Color Film

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Kodachrome Film
Kodachrome Film

2009 – Kodak announced they would ended the production of Kodachrome color film. Once the leftover film is distributed, there will be no more made. That lasted until December, 2010.

Kodak created their iconic Kodachrome film in 1935. This is a non-substansive, color reversal film was used in still photos and cinematography. It used the subtractive color method – which required a complex chemical system to make the negative.

Kodachrome was invented by John Capstaff, who worked for a competitor until Eastman bought the company out.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • Dean Fox leaves Atari
  • IBM and NNSA announce Blue Gene/L
  • Kodak ends production of Kodachrome film
Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM)

/

June 21, 1948: Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine Runs First Program

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM)
Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM)

1948 – What was first expected to be a practical use computer, the SSEM, or Small-Scale Experimental Machine became the first stored-program computer. Basically, it stores program instructions into it’s electronic memory. This 32-bit word length, cathode-ray tube computer was designed to only run subtraction and negation through hardware. Other functions could be run, but only through software.

The first program was run on this day. It was written by Professor Tom Kilbum. The seventeen-instruction stored-program took 52 minutes to run. The program was tasked to find the highest proper factor of 218 (262,144).

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • Start of the Summer Solstice
  • Congress Robot Caucus
  • SSEM runs first program
  • Final Cut Pro 10 was released to very negative reviews
  • Google and Nest Acquire Dropcam
Microsoft Logo

/ /

June 20, 2014: Smartphone Kill Switch

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Microsoft Logo
Microsoft

2014 – Microsoft and Google agree to the Kill switch technology. In a California bill SB-967, Smartphones built after July 1, 2015 will consist of a hardware or software option to “kill” the phone. Further, a $500 to $2,500 fine will be issued to anyone selling a stolen phone.

Once switched, the device will not be able to turn on, even during a hard reset.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • 1926 – First wireless phone is demonstrated
  • 1989 – Lotus 1-2-3 version 3.0 is released
  • 2000 – IBM 1GB Microdrive
  • 2003 – Wikimedia Foundation is founded
  • 2009 – Nokia purchases Nortel
X Window System

/

June 19, 1984: X Window System

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

X Window System
X Window System

1984 – Jim Gettys and Bob Scheifler announced collaboration of a new operating system in the X Window System. This gives the basic framework for a GUI. Currently, it is refered to as X11, R7.7.

I’ve spent the last couple weeks writing a window
system for the VS100. I stole a fair amount of code
from W, surrounded it with an asynchronous rather
than a synchronous interface, and called it X. Overall
performance appears to be about twice that of W. The
code seems fairly solid at this point, although there are
still some deficiencies to be fixed up.

We at LCS have stopped using W, and are now
actively building applications on X. Anyone else using
W should seriously consider switching. This is not the
ultimate window system, but I believe it is a good
starting point for experimentation. Right at the moment
there is a CLU (and an Argus) interface to X; a C
interface is in the works. The three existing
applications are a text editor (TED), an Argus I/O
interface, and a primitive window manager. There is
no documentation yet; anyone crazy enough to
volunteer? I may get around to it eventually.

Anyone interested in seeing a demo can drop by
NE43-531, although you may want to call 3-1945
first. Anyone who wants the code can come by with a
tape. Anyone interested in hacking deficiencies, feel
free to get in touch.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • AOL Software glitch
  • Apple iPhone 3G S is released
  • X Window System is released
Terry Semel

/

June 18, 2007: Terry Semel of Yahoo Step Down

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Terry Semel
Terry Semel

2007 – Terry Semel was under pressure  by the board because of dissatisfaction of his compensation. Terry was brought in to create a partnership with Hollywood, which really didn’t happen. He handed the reigns over to Jerry Yang, who started promising revitalized talks with Microsoft. There are a few that even speculate that was when the buyout of Yahoo began. Jerry Yang stepped down in 200

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • 1999 – Palm announces the m100
  • 2009 – Jammie Thomas-Rasset was found guilty of copyright infringement and ordered to pay 1.92 million to the RIAA.
  • Microsoft announced the Surface Tablet
Head of the Statue of Liberty: Paris World's Fair, 1878

/

June 17, 1885: Statue of Liberty is Delivered

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Head of the Statue of Liberty: Paris World's Fair, 1878
Head of the Statue of Liberty at the Paris World’s Fair, 1878

1885 – Arriving in over 200 crates, the Statue of Liberty is fully delivered to New York City. French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, along with Gustave Eiffel, created this statue for America to be a symbol of freedom and friendship between the US and France.

Yet, it almost didn’t get assembled due to an argument on who would pay for the pedestal at Ellis Island. President Cleveland finally dedicated the statue on October 28, 1886.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • Linus Torvolds announces he will leave Transmetta to work for the Open Source Development Labs
  • Flickr co-founders leave the company
  • Compaq announces the Armada line of computers
Compaq Deskpro 4000N - the first NetPC

/

June 16, 1997: NetPC Announced

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Play

Subscribe! Spotify | RSS | More

Compaq Deskpro 4000N - the first NetPC
Compaq Deskpro 4000N – the first NetPC

1997 – Several computer companies banded together to help create the NetPC. A disk-less computer that got all information, including install – from a corporate server or the Internet.

Basically, these would be similar to thin clients or “Dumb terminals” for work computers. No CD drive, no floppy disc and limited disk space. Cases were sealed so nobody could get inside to reconfigure the computer. Installs would be handled via the Internet, therefore, no personal software could be installed.

Microsoft and Intel unveiled the system at the PC Expo trade show. NetPC would work with Compaq, Dell, IBM, HP, Acer, Gateway 2000, Mitac, Misubishi, NEC, Pionex, and Groupe Bull computer companies to make the first group of NetPC computers.

The sub-$1,000 computer was a great idea that would work better today than in 1997. IBM dropped out of the project before the first NetPCs came out. They decided to make something their customers would use.

Microsoft finally pulled the plug at the Windows Engineering Conference in 1998 when John Frederiksen, lead project manager for thin clients acknowledged the phase-out process.

Subscribe to the Day in Tech History

Subscribe to Day In Tech History:

RSS Feed - iTunes - Android - Spotify - iHeartRadio

Facebook - 

- RSS Bandwidth by Cachefly Get a 14 Day Trial

- Join me on Patreon and support Day in Tech History

  • 1657 – The first Pendulum Clock
  • 1884 – Coney Island’s first gravity powered Roller Coaster
  • 1988 – Intel releases the i386DX
  • 1999 – Windows 98 SP1 is released
  • 2008 – Google Docs gets PDF Support
  • 2009 –iPhone OS 3.0
‹ 1 2 3 4›»