1572
A supernova is observed in the constellation known as Cassiopeia by Wolfgang Schuler. It appears as a new star, adjacent to the fainter star seen in the middle of the constellation. Although he isn’t the first to see it, he will later gain a measure of fame when he publishes Stella Nova (Latin: “New Star”). However, it will ultimately be dubbed “Tycho’s Nova” after the better known Tycho Brahe, though he didn’t notice the new star until November 11. For about two weeks, the supernova will be brighter than any other star in the sky and visible during the day, and it will remain faintly visible to the naked eye for about sixteen months, until March 1574.
1862
A direct telegraphic link between New York and San Francisco is established.
1935
Edwin Armstrong presents his paper “A Method of Reducing Disturbances in Radio Signaling by a System of Frequency Modulation,” in which he first proposes FM radio to the New York chapter of the Institute of Radio Engineers,
1944
The Hanford Atomic Facility first produces plutonium. The facility will eventually produce the plutonium used in construction of Fat Man, the atomic bomb that will be detonated over Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.
1957
The Hewlett-Packard Company, Inc. (HP) offer public stock for the first time. Visit the company’s official website.
1962
The International Business Machines (IBM) Data Processing Division (DPD) releases the IBM 1230 optical mark scoring reader, capable of reading and scoring 1,200 test answer sheets an hour of unattended operation.
1971
The United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) tests the largest US underground hydrogen bomb, on Amchitka Island, one of the Aleutian Islands. Code-name: Cannikin
1980
International Business Machines (IBM) and Microsoft sign a formal contract under which Microsoft will develop an alternative to Digital Research’s CP/M operating system along with a simple scripting language for IBM’s upcoming PC line of computers. Microsoft will receive US$200,000 to adapt 86-DOS into MS-DOS for the IBM PC and US$500,000 for BASIC and its compiler. Under the terms of the deal, Microsoft will retain control over DOS (Disk Operating System), a stipulation that will eventually make Microsoft the leading software developer in the world. Initial versions of the software will be delivered in mid-January.
1986
Maurice Wilkes writes to Niklaus Wirth proposing that the Modula-2+ language be revised. Wirth gave the project his blessing, and the Modula-3 committee is born.
1987
The science fiction film Steel Dawn, directed by Lance Hool and starring Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi, Anthony Zerbe, and Brion James, to 290 US theaters. In it, a warrior wandering through a a post-apocalyptic world comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by a murderous who want the water their control. The film will gross US$311,892 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 1 hr 42 mins
1989
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Enemy” first airs. (No. 307) In it, Geordi is trapped on a harsh planet with a hostile Romulan, and the two must work together to survive. Memory Alpha entry
1993
ViaCrypt publishes ViaCrypt PGP 2.4, a commercial version of the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) application.
1994
The science fiction television series Earth 2 premieres on the NBC television network with the episode “First Contact, Part 1″. In the episode, a group of humans leaves the space stations around Earth orbit to travel to a planet twenty-two light years away named G889 in hopes of a better life for sick children afflicted with an illness known only as “the syndrome”. An advance team will prepare the new colony for the remaining 250 families that will arrive in twenty-six months; however, their craft crash-lands. The series will run for one season of twenty-two episodes, ending on June 4, 1995. TV.com entry
1995
3dfx releases Voodoo, the first consumer 3D accelerator, capable of rendering relatively complex scenes in realtime and in hi-resolution. QuakeGL (a GL port of Quake) is the first popular game utilizing this new technology. Other games will soon follow, including Tomb Raider.
1998
Hacker Rajib Mitra is convicted of hacking into the University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin. He will also later be sentenced to eight years in prison for jamming emergency radio bands during graduate school.
Tony Hsieh and Sanjay Madan, cofounders of LinkExchange, cooperatively announce that LinkExchange has joined the Microsoft network of Internet services.
The three millionth domain name (lizzybee.com) is registered.
1999
United States President William Clinton launches the http://www.consumer.gov website as part of a comprehensive campaign to fight telephone fraud.
2000
The European Commission contracts with a consortium of thirty national research networks for the development of GÉANT, Europe’s new gigabit research network meant to enhance the current capability provided by the TEN-155. Visit the network’s official website.
Warner Bros. releases the science fiction film Red Planet, directed by Antony Hoffman and starring Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Benjamin Bratt, and Tom Sizemore, to 2,703 US theaters. Astronauts searching for a solution to save a dying Earth from severe pollution and overpopulation on Mars suddenly find themselves struggling to survive. Among the most notable features of the film is the computer generated robot, AMEE. Produced on a budget of US$80 million, it will gross US$8,721,296 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing MPAA Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1 hr 46 mins
2001
The first issue of Official Xbox Magazine is published in the US. The magazine is published thirteen times a year and covers topics relating to the Xbox video game console. Visit the magazine’s official website.
GNUnet, a free software framework for decentralized, peer-to-peer networking written in C, is first published. The framework offers link encryption, peer discovery, and resource allocation. Visit the application’s official website.
2002
Apple Computer releases upgraded models of its iBook and PowerBook lines of computers. The new systems feature faster processors, more powerful graphics controllers, and the Mac OS X 10.2 “Jaguar” operating system. The new iBooks come equipped with ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics controllers standard.
The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “The Seventh” first airs. (No. 207) In it, T’Pol is reactivated as an intelligence agent as she is assigned to apprehend a fugitive. During the mission, a dark secret from her past is revealed, shattering her emotional control. Memory Alpha entry
2004
The Ansari X Prize, along with a US$10 million cash prize, is awarded to Burt Rutan and Paul Allen of Mojave Aerospace Ventures and their SpaceShipOne at a trophy at ceremony in St. Louis, Missouri. To win the prize, vehicles had to be privately financed and constructed, able fly to an altitude of 100 kilometers with three passengers, and reuse the vehicle twice within a two-week period. Twenty-one teams from five countries registered to compete.
2006
Microsoft announced that AVG Security products will be available directly from the Windows Security Center in Windows Vista.
Version 7.0 of the iMesh filesharing application is released. The version expands the application into a social networking system. Visit the official iMesh website.
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