1888
Charles Babbage’s son, Henry Provost Babbage, uses the mill portion of the Analytical Engine he constructed from his father’s drawings to compute multiples of Pi in order to prove that the design is functional.
1920
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a non-profit organization that defends and the constitutional rights of individuals, is formed. The organization will have a significant impact on a number of fundamental issues surrounding the internet, the media, and the communication industry in general. Visit the official ACLU website.
1942
New York Mayor Fiorello Henry LaGuardia bans pinball games in New York City, comparing them to slot machines and labeling them games of chance. LaGuardia will have thousands of the machines busted up and dumped into the ocean. Over seven thousand pounds of scraps material from the machines, including three thousand pounds of steel balls. The ban will continue through to 1976.
1954
The first atomic submarine, the USS Nautilus, is christened by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and launched on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut. The propulsion system of the Nautilus makes the ship the first “true” submarine. Vessel previously termed “submarines” were, in fact, only submersibles powered by diesel engines which consumed vast amounts of oxygen. However, the Nautilus can remain submerged for months on end.
1957
NBC records and later broadcasts the second inaugural ceremonies of US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is the first national broadcast of a previously recorded event.
1966
The International Business Machines (IBM) Data Processing Division (DPD) announces plans to install six IBM System/360 Model 90 supercomputers in 1967 and one per month beginning in January 1968.
1979
Neptune becomes the outermost planet when the elliptical orbit of Pluto brings it closer to the Sun than Neptune’s own orbit.
1985
The January 21st issue of U.S. News & World Report features a story entitled “Consumer Electronics: Smaller, Cheaper, Better”. In the story, it is reported that the Atari ST computers represent “a quantum leap in computer value.”
1986
International Business Machines (IBM) announces the IBM RT (or IBM 6150) series of personal computers, notable for being one of the earliest systems to feature 32-bit RISC (reduced instruction set computer) technology. (The RT in IBM RT, in fact, stands for “RISC technology”.) It also features 1MB RAM, a 1.2MB floppy, a 40MB hard drive, and the AIX (Advanced Interactive eXecutive) operating system. Price: US$11,700
1998
America Online (AOL) acquires Personal Library Software.
The website of Bash Computing is hacked by “LordJon” of “th3 Hacker Alliance”. View an archived version of the defaced website.
The website of Legi-Slate is hacked by the “No|d Crew”. View an archived version of the defaced website.
The website of Umeå Universitet is hacked by “ToxicEdge”. View an archived version of the defaced website.
1999
Eric Haseltine, the senior vice-president of research and development at Walt Disney Imagineering, demonstrates “Monty,” a computer generated character that moves its lips in sync with dialog entered into a laptop computer. Monty is the brain child of Fluent Speech Technologies in Beaverton, Oregon.
Intel announces that it will stamp unique serial numbers on its processors during manufacturing. According to the company, the ID numbers will help facilitate e-commerce, prevent fraud, and promote digital content protection.
Nintendo releases the versus fighting game Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 in Japan. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: E (Everyone)
2000
Hacker Kevin Mitnick, age 36, is released from prison under restrictions that prevent him from using computers for three years. In 1995 Mitnick plead guilty to charges of computer and wire fraud amounting to US$290 million. Visit Kevin Mitnick’s official website.
2001
Artisan Entertainment releases the documentary Startup.com, directed by Jehane Noujaim, to US theaters. The film examines the dot-com start-up phenomenon by following govWorks.com’s founders Kaleil Tuzman and Tom Herman through the bursting of the Internet bubble. IMDB listing MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 1 hr 36 mins
2003
At the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in New York, SuSE announces the release of SuSE Linux Office Desktop, a version of SuSE Linux 8.1 with CodeWeavers’ CrossOver Win32 API, which allows users to run many Windows applications. Price: US$129
Hacker Kevin Mitnick logs onto the Internet for the first time in nearly a decade, following his nearly five year jail sentence and a three year long prohibition against using computers. Visit Kevin Mitnick’s official website.
Microsoft acquires PlaceWare, a developer of web conferencing software, which was originally a spin-off if Xerox Parc. Microsoft re-branded PlaceWare’s core product and marketed it as Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Visit the application’s official website.
Welsh web designer Simon Vallor, age 22, is sentenced to two years in prison for writing three viruses, one of which (“Gokar”) is among the world’s most prevalent and destructive computer viruses in history. The three virus include “Admirer,” “Gokar,” and “Redesi.” All told, the three viruses infected at least twenty-seven thousand computers in forty-two countries.
US District Judge J. Motz issues a preliminary injunction ordering Microsoft to distribute Java from Sun Microsystems with their Windows operating system and to cease distribution of Microsoft’s own Java implementation.
2004
The NASA Mars Exploration Rover – A (MER-A) looses contact with mission control due to a malfunction in the probe’s Flash Memory management, which will be repaired from Earth on February 6th. Visit the official Spirit Rover mission website.
The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Proving Ground” first airs. (No. 313) In it, the Xindi test their new, weapon on an asteroid, and Archer discovers an ally. Memory Alpha entry
2005
The Andromeda episode “Pride Before the Fall” first airs. In it, Peter, Beka’s new love interest, endangers the Maru and Andromeda.
The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Observer Effect” first airs. (No. 411) In it, a race of non-corporeal aliens infect the crew with a virus in order to observe their reactions. Memory Alpha entry
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