From Memex to Python: Updating the 200 Years of Digital Milestones
I just updated my 200 Years of Digital Milestones list - from Memex to Python.
The additions I made and why they each matter:
1) Memex (1945): As a pre-digital concept, Vannevar Bush’s "As We May Think" paper introduced the Memex - a machine for storing and linking information. It is often cited as the (conceptual) ancestor of the hypertext link and the modern web.
2) Altair 8800 Context (1975): Did you know that Microsoft's very first product was Altair BASIC? The Altair was a pivotal moment....marking the true beginning of the personal computer industry.
3) DNS (1983): I added more detail, including the foundational RFCs 882 and 920. These standards established the distributed architecture that allows the entire internet to function and scale globally.
4) cURL (1996): This seemingly simple command-line tool is the "engine" behind countless scripts and applications, enabling nearly every piece of software to transfer data and talk to APIs over the internet.
5) Python (1991): Starting out out as a hobby over the Christmas season, it has become a global favorite fundamentally changing how developers build everything from data science models to massive web applications.
Understanding such milestones gives us a clearer picture of the technological and conceptual bedrock of the digital age.
Check out the updated list https://veritythink.com/200-years-of-technology-milestones/
The cover image was generated with Google Gemini. Interesting to see how AI connected things!
Andrej
