- 1990 -
©1997-2002 - Donald A. Thomas,
Jr.
all rights reserved - http://www.icwhen.com/
(Revised 01/02/03)
FACTS and STATS (1990)
n According to a survey conducted for The Conference Board by NFO, Inc. of Greenwich, Connecticut, 22% of United States families own a computer. 68% own a VCR. 15% own a CD player.
n NEC sells 400,000 TurboGrafx game systems in the United States and 2.1 million in Japan.
n Nintendo sells 7.5 million Nintendo Entertainment Systems (NES) plus 70 million compatible software titles. 3.2 million Game Boys are sold.
n Around 600,000 Sega Genesis systems are sold this year in the U.S. One million units are sold in Japan.
n Nine million video game consoles are sold this year totaling $833 million in sales.
n Video game sales including computer-based video games reach $2.2 billion.
n According to figures provided by Nintendo of America, video game sales this year are $3.4 billion.
HISTORICAL BENCHMARKS (1990)
n The first clone chips of Intel’s 386 by Advanced Micro Designs is produced. They are available in optional speeds of 20 MHz, 25 MHz or 33 MHz.
n Mr. An Wang, founder of Wang Laboratories, dies.
n STREET FIGHTER II is unleashed in arcades as a coin-operated video game by Capcom and helps inspire a new era of action gaming; fighting games.
n In a video tape production titled 3-D Soccer produced by Conrad Television Associates Ltd., the Atari logo for Atari Computers is seen as a banner at the edge of one of the European soccer fields.
n Epson introduces the ES-300C 24-bit color, single pass scanner.
n Epson consolidates U.S. operations into a 20,000 sqaure-foot facility in Torrance, California.
n Twenty years following his first application for a patent, Mr. Gilbert Hyatt is granted a basic patent on the microprocessor.
n The LaserJet IIP, introduced by Hewlett-Packard, sets a new low price record of only $1,000 (street price).
n Hewlett-Packard Company, Inc. (HP) open a research facility in Tokyo, Japan.
n Designed for parallel computing applications in the Transputer architecture, the INMOS T-9000 processor is introduced.
n The VIDEO TOASTER by Newtek is a hardware/software package that enables sophisticated broadcast-quality video editing on the Commodore Amiga computer.
n Namco, Ltd. develops a traffic safety simulator in cooperation with Mitsubishi Precision Company, Ltd.
n Citing a violation of the “look and feel” aspects of Lotus’ 1-2-3 spreadsheet software, a U.S. District Judge rules on a suit filed in 1987 that Paperback Software duplicated Lotus’ user interface.
n Mr. Robert Norton Noyce, cofounder of Intel Corporation, passes away.
n Stratus Computer, Inc. announce FTX as a fault tolerant implementation of the UNIX System V operating system.
n Stratus Computer, Inc. signs an OEM agreement with NEC.
n The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) selects Stratus Computer, Inc. systems as their basis for electronic file transfer operations.
n The SPARCstation 2 series, starting at $20,000, is unveiled by Sun.
n Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) form a joint venture with Kobe Steel in Japan to manufacture advanced semiconductors.
n Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) announces the TI-2000.
n Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) refines the silicon-based monolithic spatial light moderator called the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) which was invented by Mr. Larry Hornbeck in 1987.
n Texas Instruments Taiwan wins their first Taiwan National Quality Award.
n Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) introduces the TI-81 as the first graphics calculator developed for math education with a new visual dimension. The large display offers pull-down menus for ease of use. It can define, save and graph four functions or three parametric expressions or enter, edit and manipulate three 6x6 matrices. It also has seven built-in zoom features, 4,632 bytes of memory and more. It sells for $110.
n Western Digital moves corporate headquarters to the Irvine Spectrum and opens a new silicon wafer fabrication facility in Irvine.
n Western Digital introduces the Cavair; the industry’s fastest 3.5” IDE drive designed for premium 386SX AT compatible computers.
n Western Digital introduces the first single VGA chip designed specifically for liquid crystal flat panel displays.
n The World Wide Web is created in Switzerland.
INDUSTRY I/O’s (1990)
n Acuris, Inc. is founded.
n A.D.A.M. Software, Inc. is founded.
n Altura Software, Inc. is founded.
n American Education Publishing is founded.
n American Laser Games, Inc. is established.
n American Softworks Corporation is founded.
n ASCII Entertainment Software, Inc. is founded.
n Big Hand Productions is founded.
n Bora Ventures Publishing is founded.
n Braun Media Services, Inc. is founded.
n Cambrix Publishing is founded.
n Mr. Steven Weiss, a former Bally Manufacturing programmer, forms Casino Data Systems to make and market electronic slot machines to Las Vegas casinos.
n Comm Graphics is founded.
n Communication Bridges is founded.
n Communication Wave (C-Wave) is founded.
n Concepts to Operations, Inc. is founded.
n Consult Dynamics is incorporated by Mr. Keith Duncan as a consulting company in Delaware.
n Cowboy Maloney/Electric City is founded.
n Dynamix, Inc. is founded.
n EMJ America, Inc. is founded.
n Gale Research, Inc. is founded.
n General Magic, Inc. is founded.
n GTE Interactive Media is founded.
n Honig’s Appliance Center is founded.
n Honor International, Inc. is founded.
n Hyperbole Studios, Inc. is founded.
n IMPAC Technology, Inc. is founded.
n Joshua Distributing Corporation is founded.
n Media In Motion is founded.
n MediaShare Corporation is founded.
n MediaWay, Inc. is founded.
n Microprose Software, Inc. is founded.
n Micu Distributors, Inc. is founded.
n Multiwave Innovation, Inc. is founded.
n The Music Bakery is founded.
n Namco, Ltd. founds Namco Hometek, Inc. as a United States distribution base for home video game software.
n New Media Corporation is founded.
n Now What Software is founded.
n Paradigm Simulation, Inc. is founded.
n PhotoDisc, Inc. is founded.
n Plextor Corporation is founded.
n Prodigy rolls out as a nationwide service for the first time.
n The Skornia Law Firm is founded by Mr. Thomas A. Skornia.
n Sound Minds Technology, Inc. is founded.
n Tag Systems is founded.
n Thompson & Thompson, Inc. is founded.
n THQ, Inc. is founded.
n Thrustmaster, Inc. is founded.
n Transparent Language, Inc. is founded.
n Virtus Corporation is established.
n Willoughby’s is founded.
n Xaos Tools, Inc. is founded.
MERGES, PURGES and ASSIMILATIONS (1990)
n Namco America, Inc. acquires Atari Operations, Inc. to commence amusement arcade operations. They also begin direct sales of coin-operated arcade games in the United States.
FISCAL FINANCIALS (1990)
n Apple Computer enjoys fiscal sales of over $5.5 billion.
n Best Buy Company, Inc., a leading computer, appliance and electronics retailer, reports revenues for the year at $512.850 million and net earnings of $5.683 million.
n Net sales for Soft Warehouse reach 300.4 million (10 stores). In March 1991, the chain will change their name to CompUSA.
n Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. is founded.
n Hewlett-Packard Company, Inc. (HP) has net revenues of $13.2 billion with 91,500 employees.
n Handheld LCD games generate $20 million in fiscal sales for Konami Inc. Annual sales for the entire company exceed $235 million.
n Microsoft has net revenues for the year of $1.183 billion with a net profit of $279 million and 5,635 employees worldwide. Microsoft is the first software company to reach $1 billion in gross sales.
n Nintendo Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan generates a fiscal revenue of $1 billion. Consolidated net income is $489 million for the year. Consolidated earnings per share are $4.65. Consolidated sales are $3.34 billion.
n Revenues for Texas Instruments, Inc. (TI) reach $6.6 billion (70,318 employees).
JANUARY (1990)
n On Saturday, January 6 through Tuesday, January 9, over 1,350 total exhibitors are booked at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show consists of 750,000 square feet devoted to 95 product categories.
n On Saturday, January 6 Atari Corporation demonstrates the handheld Atari Lynx video game system. It was designed by the same engineers behind the development of the Commodore Amiga home computer (Mr. R.J. Mical and Mr. Dave Needle). It is introduced with a retail price of $149.
n On Thursday, January 18 and Friday, January19, the Chicago Task Force raids an alleged computer hacker known as Knight Lightning in St. Louis.
n On Wednesday, January 24, U.S. Secret Service agents raid and the New York Police raid alleged computer hackers known as Phiber Optik, Acid Phreak and Scorpion in New York City.
n The Macintosh II is discontinued by Apple Computer.
n Mr. Michael Spindler, president of Apple Europe, is promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Apple Computer. Mr. Allan Loren resigns from Apple. Apple Sweden and Europe North’s vice president, Mr. Sören Olsson, is promoted to president of Apple Europe.
n Darek Mihocka releases his shareware hit, QUICKST, as a commercial product for Atari computers.
n Gateway 2000, Inc. moves from their original location in Sioux City, Iowa to Nort Sioux City.
n The availability of the 32-bit 25mhz 68040 microprocessor is announced by Motorola. This new microprocessor integrates 1.2 million transistors and the FPU as well as instruction and data caches.
n ZMAGAZINE and ST*ZMAGAZINE combine to form Z*NET ONLINE published weekly as an online publication.
FEBRUARY (1990)
n On Thursday, February 1, the U.S. Secret Service raid an alleged computer hacker known as Terminus in Maryland.
n On Saturday, February 3, the Chicago Task Force raids the home of Mr. Richard Andrews as an alleged computer hacker.
n On Tuesday, February 6, the Chicago Task Force raids the place of business of Mr. Richard Andrews as an alleged computer hacker.
n On Tuesday, February 6, the U.S. Secret Service arrest computer hackers known as Terminus, Prophet, Leftist and Urvile.
n On Friday, February 9, the Chicago Task Force arrest an alleged computer hacker known as Knight Lightning.
n On Wednesday, February 21, the Chicago Task Force raids the home of Mr. Robert Izenberg, an alleged computer hacker in Austin.
n Blaming slow growth in the United States, Apple Computer lays off 400 persons within the General and Admistration Departments as well as Apple’s U.S. Sales and Marketing areas.
n Apple Computer reduces the prices of the Macintosh SE, Macintosh SE/30 and LaserWriter II printers.
n Cisco Systems offers public shares of its company for the first time.
MARCH (1990)
n On Thursday, March 1, the Chicago Task Force raids Steve Jackson Games, Inc.. Reportedly, workers, known as Mentor and Erik Bloodaxe, had ties to a hacker group that the Justice Department was investigating. Finding a rulebook to a game called G.U.R.P.S. CYBERPUNK, raiders interpreted the findings as a tutorial on computer hacking and proceeded to seize equipment and documents found at the site. Steve Jackson Games, Inc. prevailed in an ensuing legal battle, however their equipment was never returned in its entirety. The incident would later become inspiration for a game called HACKER.
n The 40MHz Macintosh IIfx is introduced by Apple Computer as the fatest computer ever developed by Apple to date.
n Apple Computer releases A/UX 2.0 and a family of of state-of-the-art display cards.
n Mr. Jean-Louis Gassée resigns as president of Apple Products at Apple Computer.
n The Research and Development (R&D) department of Apple Computer begins to report to Mr. John Sculley.
n Apple Computer extends the warranty of products to an entire year.
n Most of Xerox’s claims filed in December of 1989 against Apple Computer are dismissed by United States District Court. The suit challenged the validity of Apple’s copyrights for the Macintosh and Lisa computers.
n Atari Corporation demonstrates UNIX SYSTEM V Rel 3.2 running on a TT system at the CEntrum fuer Buero und Informations Technologie (CeBIT) show in Hanover, Germany.
n Atari Corporation lays off 15% of their Sunnyvale employees in a cost cutting measure. Most affected are Accounting and warehouse personnel.
n The final big bulk of Atari Corporation’s The Federated Group of Electronics Stores is sold to SILO electronics stores. The deal includes Atari's acquisition of SILO's stock.
n IBM agrees to license GO's PENPOINT operating system after learning GO's success to impress State Farm to work with them.
n ISD, based in Canada, begins shipping CALAMUS OUTLINE ART.
APRIL (1990)
n On Sunday, April 1, through Tuesday, April 3 the Spring European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) is held at Business Design Centre in London, England. 2,700 attend.
n Following the layoffs in March, Atari Corporation consolidates Atari Explorer magazine and is compelled to layoff Mr. David Ahl and Ms. Betsy Staples; chief editors. The spring issue is recalled before distributed by Atari due to articles the editors placed in the issue expressing their disgruntled disposition.
n IDG Books is founded. The company will become famous for its DOS for Dummies and similarly titled publications.
n Michtron releases FLEET STREET PUBLISHER 3.0 for Atari 16-bit computers.
n Mr. Michael R. Hallman is announced by Microsoft to take over the role as president and chief operating officer when Mr. Jon Shirley retires on Saturday, June 30, 1990.
n Russian MD-DOS version 4.01 is released as the first Microsoft product localized for the Soviet market.
MAY (1990)
n On Monday, May 7 through Wednesday, May 9, the United States Secret Service and the Arizona Organized Crime and Racketeering Bureau implement Operation Sundevil computer hacker raids in Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Tucson, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco.
n On Tuesday, May 22, the release WINDOWS 3.0 is formally announced by Microsoft at the City Center Theater in New York City. Ten million dollars will be spent by Microsoft to promote it with $3 million of that spent just on the first day.
n The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) interview Mr. John Perry concerning an underground group of hackers known as the NuPrometheus League and their distribution of proprietary software illegally obtained from Apple Computer in June of 1989.
n In the May-July issue of Borealis magazine (Canadian Parks and Wilderness) a word search puzzle is found on page 57 by Ms. Elaine Butler. The puzzle was created using Artisan Software's WORD QUEST. The entire magazine uses CALAMUS page design software on an Atari 16-bit computer.
n Mr. Jim Fisher of Atari Corporation is appointed the new Editor of Atari Explorer magazine. Jim is Atari's V.P. of marketing in the United States.
n Mr. Ray Musci, Mr. Jon Woods and Mr. David Ward found Ocean of America, Inc. Their first product, ROBOCOP will be released in November for the Nintendo GameBoy handheld game system.
n The premier issue of ST Journal is published.
JUNE (1990)
n On Friday, June 1, Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger opens in theaters. The movie capitalizes on some of mankind’s fears of computers and technology in a scenario where vacations can be virtually implanted in the mind.
n On Friday, June 15, Namco, Ltd. announces that they have ended a five-year relationship with Atari Games; the coin-op company. By selling its 4.6 million shares of stock (43.8% of the company) back to Atari Games, Namco hopes to improve their sales of coin-op machines in the United States. Namco also purchases Atari Operations; a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atari Games which operates 40 arcade game locations in the West and Southeast.
n The first quarterly issue of the 2600 Connection is published by Mr. Timothy P. Duarte. The issue includes material written by amateur game historian, Mr. Russ Perry, Jr.
n At PC Expo Apple Computer announces that it will license APPLETALK, Macintosh networking software.
n At Digital World, Apple Computer unveils HyperCard 2.0 integrating over 100 new features.
n Apple Computer appoints Mr. Robert Puette as president of Apple USA. Puette is a 24-year veteran of Hewlett-Packard Company, Inc. (HP).
n Mr. Elie Kenan arrives from Atari France and prepares to take control of Atari Corporation’s U.S. operations.
n Limited numbers of the STACY laptop computer and the STe computer begin shipping.
n Bantam Books publishes Father, Son & Co.: My Life at IBM and Beyond by Mr. Thomas J. Watson, Jr.
n Mr. Jon Shirley, president of Microsoft, resigns. A former Boeing executive, Mr. Michael Hallman, replaces Shirley.
n Secretly, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate possible collusion between Microsoft and International Business Machines (IBM).
JULY (1990)
n On Tuesday, July 24 through Friday, July 27, an alleged computer hacker known as Knight Lightning is tried.
n Apple Computer introduces the Personal LaserWriter SC and the Personal LaserWriter NT economical printers.
n Atari Corporation’s United States division investigates East Coast relocation potential; possibly near Boston, Massachusetts.
n General Magic is formed by Apple Computer alumni; Mr. Bill Atkinson, Mr. Andy Hertzfeld and Mr. Marc Porat. Apple Computer is a minority investor.
n GO announces their new alliance with IBM.
AUGUST (1990)
n On Thursday, August 9, MIDIFest '90 was held at the Beverly Garland Hotel. At the show, Mr. Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Mr. Jimmy Hotz and Mr. Paul Haslinger (Tangerine Dream) demonstrate the Hotz MIDI Translator; a pro-audio product of Atari.
n Mr. George Miller resigns Michtron and joins Abacus Software, Inc.; a book and software publisher based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gordon Monnier formally announces Mictron is available for sale.
n A whopping 42,000 people attend the Atari Messe (Fair) in Dusseldorf, West Germany.
n Mr. Frank Foster resigns from Atari Corporation.
n Mr. Charles Cherry resigns from Atari Corporation.
n About 10,000 people attend GENCON in Milwaukee and Atari participates with a major presence on the floor. GENCON is a respected gaming trade and public show.
n The Consulting Services Group is formed at Microsoft to assist large corporate customers build complex information systems while using Microsoft products.
n Mr. Richard Tsukiji hosts the World of Atari (WOA) show for the first time in San Jose. It is attended by 1,500 people.
SEPTEMBER (1990)
n Acer acquires Altos Computer Systems.
n Apple Computer lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for the first time.
n Atari Corporation invests in a $20,000 budget to help promote the Glendale Atari Fest. It becomes the largest U.S. Users' Group show ever with 2,500 in attendance. Gribnif starts selling NEODESK 3 at the show.
n Mr. William Rehbock joins Atari Corporation as director of technical services.
n Atari Corporation formally announces that the TT030 will be a 32MHz machine instead of a 16MHz machine as earlier promised.
n The Microsoft Windows Computing Marketing Program is launched by Microsoft as the largest single marketing campaign ever launched by Microsoft to date.
n START magazine skips this month issue to combine its coverage in a larger issue combined with Antic magazine in October.
OCTOBER (1990)
n On Monday, October 1, GEnie online service updates its marketing and billing system. One of the new key features for members is a list of services designated as Star Services and available nightly with one low $4.95 monthly fee.
n Apple Computer discontinues several computers including the Macintosh Plus, Macintosh SE, Macintosh SE/30 and Macintosh IIx. Meanwhile, Apple unveils the $1,000 Macintosh Classic computer, the Macintosh LC as well as the Macintosh IIsi.
n ARIS Corporation is formed by Mr. Paul Song in his home located in Kent, Washington.
n Mr. Elie Keenan, Atari's acting head of Atari Corporation’s U.S. division, offers support for Users' Groups shows with the 3rd annual DC ATARIFEST held by WAACE. Around 2,000 people attend.
n After returning from a trip to Boston, Mr. Elie Keenan leaves Atari Corporation’s U.S. division and returns to Atari France by mutual agreement with Mr. Jack Tramiel. Rumors abound that the departure is connected to Elie's disappointment over denied relocation requests. Mr. Greg Pratt, previously Atari's Chief Financial Officer, is assigned to take over Atari U.S.
n Mr. Jim Fisher resigns Atari Corporation. He had worked on concepts to form a direct-to-consumer computer sales company featuring PC clones and was instrumental with the launch of the Portfolio handheld computer.
n International Business Machines (IBM) joins the VESA group and makes the XGA specification publicly available. The XGA MCA graphics card introduced by IBM (as a replacement for VGA) supports resolutions of 640x480 and 1,024x768 with up to 65,536 colors in the 640x480 mode.
n Mr. William Henry Gates, III, of Microsoft, is noted to predict that DOS will “have a significant role to play” within at least the “next ten years”.
n RIO Computers, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, releases version 1.4 of the SUPERCHARGER emulation software which enables Atari ST computer users to run IBM compatible software on their machines.
NOVEMBER (1990)
n On Thursday, November 1, Mr. Normen B. Kowalewski joins Atari Computer GmbH (Raunheim, Germany) as an Operating System Specialist.
n On Monday, November 12 through Friday, November 16, COMDEX is held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The computer industry show spotlights 1,850 exhibitors from around the world and attracts about 126,000 visitors. New technologies shown at the event are the Motorola 68040 microprocessor, Micropolis’ SCSI hard drives, SCO’s Open Graphics Operating System, Microsoft WINDOWS 3.0, IBM’s 486-based PS/2 90 and 95, Silicon Graphic’s Work Stations, Chinon’s color scanners and Oracle DB servers for OS/2 and UNIX. Mr. William Gates, founder of Microsoft, keynoted “information at Your Fingertips”.
n On Tuesday, November 13, President George Bush presents Mr. Jack St. Clair Kilby and nine others the National Medal of Technology for the “well-being of the nation through the development or application of technology”. Kilby was recognized primarily for his invention of the Integrated Circuit (IC).
n Apple Computer discontinues the Apple IIc Plus and Mr. Michael Spindler is appointed president
n Atari Corporation’s stock (ATC) dips to $1.75 on the American Stock Exchange.
n Atari Corporation unveils the 16MHz MEGA/STE computer at COMDEX. List price for a four megabyte version is $1,800 and includes keyboard, mouse, 4,096 color palette, stereo sound, SIMM memory, double sided 3.5-inch disk drive, 50 megabyte hard drive, standard serial, parallel and MIDI ports, cartridge port, DMA port and eight-MHz VME bus.
n Computer Shopper magazine drops regular Atari computer coverage.
n Michtron, an Atari 16-bit software publisher, is sold by Mr. Gordon Monnier in Michigan to a software group from Newark, Delaware. Mr. James A. Dorsman assumes the role of president of the new East Coast Michtron and promises equaled and improved service to Michtron customers.
n Microsoft and International Business Machines (IBM) stop their cooperative operating system development work. The work performed up until now is divided between the two companies.
n One third of all video game hardware sales at specialty and upscale retailers were NEC’s 16-bit TurboGraphX system.
n Ocean of America, Inc. release ROBOCOP for the Nintendo GameBoy handheld video game system.
DECEMBER (1990)
n On Monday, December 3, Mr. Mike Fulton starts work at Atari Corporation.
n On Thursday, December 6, amidst a number of rumors, Ms. Leslie Schmick resigns from Atari Corp. By mid year 1991, Ms. Schmick will file a suit against Atari Corp. and Mr. Gregory Pratt alleging that she was coerced into a sexual relationship with Mr. Pratt to keep and enhance her career.
n Nintendo of America employs about 1,400 people in their Redmond, Washington headquarters according to an article written by Ms. Lorianne Denne in the December 17 issue of The Puget Sound Business Journal. According. to the same article, 70% of all American homes with children between ages 8 and 15 have Nintendo products. Reportedly, in 1989, 16 cents of every dollar spent on toys went to Nintendo.
n Mr. Michael Spindler becomes president of Apple Computer, Inc.
n Apple Computer, Inc. introduces HYPERCARD for the Apple IIGS, the first version of HYPERCARD to incorporate color.
n The suit filed by Ashton-Tate against Fox Software and Santa Cruz Operations in 1988 for alleged copyright infringement of the DBASE language is dismissed in court.
n START magazine publishes the Revolution Handbook on their cover disk in their December issue. Also featured is an article featuring the author/developer of the REVOLUTION (a grass roots Atari support campaign), Donald A. Thomas, Jr. The article titled The Ultimate Atarian was written by E.J. Koch.