1990

• Motorola announces the availability of its 32-bit 25-MHz microprocessor, the 68040. The 68040 incorporates 1.2 million transistors, integrates the FPU, and includes instruction and data caches.
• Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh II.
• Sun Microsystems signs an agreement to transfer the SPARC trademark to SPARC International.
• Hayes Microcomputer Products wins a US$1.4 million lawsuit against Everex, Ven-Tel, and Omnitel, regarding the validity of Hayes' patent on the +++ escape sequence.
• Commodore gives a sneak preview of a proposed "interactive graphics player", based on a variant of the Amiga 500, with 1MB of RAM. The machine includes an integrated CD-ROM drive, but no keyboard.
• Intel releases the 80387SX math coprocessor.
• Intel releases the 10-MHz 287XL and 287XTL (designed for laptop computers) math coprocessors. These coprocessors operate faster than previously released versions.

• Jean-Louis Gassee resigns as president of Apple Products.
• Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3/G.
• Commodore offers Amiga 1000 owners US$1000 to trade in their Amiga on a new Amiga 2000.
• Cyrix introduces the FasMath 83S87 math coprocessor, pin-compatible with Intel's 387SX.
• Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh IIfx. It features a 40-MHz 68030 processor, 68882 math coprocessor, 4 MB RAM, 80 MB hard drive, 1.4 MB SuperDrive, 32 KB cache, 44.1 KHz stereo audio, and choice of 8-bit to 24-bit graphics. Price is US$98000.
• Adobe publishes the specifications for its Type 1 fonts.
• Jasmine Technologies files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
• IBM introduces the PS/2 Model 65, with a 16-MHz 80386SX, 2 MB RAM, and 60 MB SCSI hard drive.
• In a patent-infringement suit between Motorola and Hitachi, the judge imposes a temporary sales ban on Motorola's 68030 processor.

• Crate Technologies, a maker of Apple hard drives and tape backup systems, files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
• Microsoft introduces Russian MS-DOS 4.01 for the Soviet market.
• Outbound releases the Outbound Mac-compatible portable.

• Intel introduces the 33-MHz 486 microprocessor. Speed is 27 MIPS.
• The lawsuit of Xerox against Apple Computer regarding use of Xerox's graphical user interface is thrown out of court.
• The ComputerFest trade show (formerly called AppleFest) debuts in New York city.
• Microsoft introduces and ships Microsoft Windows 3.0. Microsoft spends US$3 million for opening-day marketing, as part of a US$10 million promotional campaign.
• The DPMI Committee releases the DPMI version 0.9 specification.
• Toshiba unveils the first SPARC laptop, the SPARC LT.
• Digital Research releases DR DOS 5.0.
• The PCMCIA card specification v1.0 is released.

• Neon Software releases the NetMinder Ethernet network-analysis program for AppleTalk networks.
• Salient Software is incorporated.
• Duo Computers announces the Duo FC, incorporating a PC-AT compatible and a Nintendo game system in one case.
• Apple Computer announces that Claris shares would not be offered to the public, but that the company would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Computer.
• A US District Court judge rules that Paperback Software's duplicating the menu interface of Lotus 1-2-3 was a violation of copyright (the "look and feel" lawsuit was filed in 1987).
• Jon Shirley resigns as President of Microsoft. He is replaced by former Boeing executive Michael Hallman.
• Commodore ships the Amiga A3000 computer.
• Nolan Bushnell unveils Commodore's CDTV at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show. Code name during the product's development was "Baby".
• The US Federal Trade Commission begins an investigation of Microsoft Corp., for alleged monopolistic practices in the PC software market.

• Microsoft's sales revenues hit US$1 billion for the past year, the first personal computer software company to do so.
• Lotus Development files lawsuits against Borland International (maker of Quattro) and Santa Cruz Operations (maker of SCO Professional) claiming copyright infringement of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet software. Borland International files a lawsuit against Lotus Development first, hoping to have the trial in California rather than Boston.
• Macintosh hard drive manufacturer Jasmine Technologies emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
• Acer Incorporated buys Altos Computer Systems for US$94 million.

• The first CD-ROM magazine is published: Nautilus.
• Gilbert Hyatt is granted a patent for a "single-chip integrated-circuit computer architecture", 20 years after his first application for the patent.

• IBM and Metaphor Computer Systems create the Patriot Partners company, to create an operating environment allowing a single program to run on a variety of platforms.
• The IEEE approves the 10BASE-T Ethernet specification.
• Texas Instruments sues Dell for patent infringement. Dell countersues, accusing Texas Instruments of fraud and unfair competition.
• NewTek ships the Video Toaster, a hardware/software video effects tool for the the Commodore Amiga 2000, for US$1600.
• IBM and Microsoft end cooperative work on operating systems, dividing up work-to-date between them, in a series of cross-licensing agreements.
• NeXT announces the Nextstation.
• The PCMCIA card specification v2.0 is announced.

• Group Technologies releases Aspects 1.0 for the Macintosh.
• Intel introduces the 20-MHz 80386SL microprocessor, designed for use in portable and laptop computers. It uses 855,000 transistors (1-micron), a 32-bit internal data path, and a 16-bit external data path. Price is US$150 each, in quantities of 1000. Speed is 4.21 MIPS.
• Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh Plus.
• Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh SE.
• Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh SE/30.
• Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh IIx.
• Apple Computer unveils and ships the Macintosh Classic. It uses an 8-MHz Motorola 68000 microprocessor, an integrated 9-inch B/W monitor, and a 1.4 MB floppy drive. Base price for a 1 MB system is US$1000. The Macintosh Classic replaces the Macintosh Plus and the Macintosh SE.
• Apple Computer unveils the Macintosh LC. It uses a 16-MHz Motorola 68020 microprocessor, and comes with 2 MB RAM, 40 MB hard drive, and 1.4 MB SuperDrive. Weight is 8.5 pounds. Base price with 2 MB RAM and a floppy drive is US$2400.
• Apple Computer unveils the Macintosh IIsi. It uses a 20-MHz Motorola 68030 microprocessor, and comes with 2 MB RAM, 40 MB hard drive, video port, and 1.4 MB SuperDrive, for US$3769. Or with 5 MB RAM and 80 MB hard drive for US$4569.
• Microsoft Bill Gates quote: "Even for the next ten years, [DOS] will have a significant role to play."
• IBM introduces the XGA MCA graphics card, as a replacement for VGA. Resolutions of 640x480 and 1024x768 are supported, with up to 65,536 colors in the 640x480 mode. At the same time, IBM joins the VESA group, making the XGA specification publicly available.
• Advanced Micro Devices officially acknowledges that it is working on cloning Intel's 386 CPUs.
• Lotus Development introduces the Lotus MarketPlace: Business database application for the Macintosh. The Business edition is on one CD-ROM for US$695. Information on 7.5 million businesses is included.
• Lotus Development introduces Lotus MarketPlace: Households, for the Macintosh. The Households version is a nine CD-ROM set, for US$695 for the first CD-ROM. Information on 80 million households and 120 million consumers is included.
• An arbitrator between Intel and Advanced Micro Devices rules that Intel breached its agreement with Advanced Micro Devices by refusing to share designs of the 386 CPU.
• Intel releases new versions of the 16-, 20-, and 25-MHz 80387 math coprocessor chips. These versions use the new, faster technology employed on the 33-MHz chip.

• Apple Computer discontinues the Apple IIc Plus.
• PC/GEOS, with GeoWorks Ensemble, ships.
• Michael Spindler becomes president of Apple Computer.
• AT&T makes a US$6 billion hostile takeover bid for NCR.
• LSI Logic announces the availability of SparcKIT, a SPARC chipset at speeds of 20-MHz and 25-MHz.
• Sun Microsystems unveils its SPARCstation 2 series, starting at roughly US$20,000.
• Fall '90 Comdex is held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Motorola ships the 25-MHz 68040 processor.
• The DPMI Committee releases the DPMI version 1.0 specification.
• The Multimedia PC Marketing Council sets the minimum configuration required of a PC to run MPC-class software: 10-MHz 286 processor, 2MB RAM, 30MB hard drive, 16-color VGA, mouse, 8-bit audio card, 150KBps CD-ROM drive.

• Microsoft begins shipping the first version of the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) library for Windows
• Ashton-Tate's lawsuit regarding the copyright on the dBase language is dismissed in court. US District Court judge Terry Hatler rules that the dBase language is not copyrightable, because it originated from a public domain program: JPLDIS from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

• Wells American computer company closes.

• Sharp Electronics introduces the PC-6220 notebook computer. It weighs less than four pounds, and features a 12-MHz 80C286 processor, 2.5-inch 20 MB hard drive, B/W backlit triple supertwist 8x6-inch LCD VGA 640x480 resolution screen, 1MB RAM (expandable to 3 MB), and a socket for a 80C287 math coprocessor.

• Ed Esber is forced to resign as president of Ashton-Tate.

• Apple Computer, VLSI Technology, and Acorn Computer create the Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. company, to work on processor designs.

• Fairfield Software releases the ClearAccess v1.21 data-management software tool for the Macintosh.

• Ashton-Tate releases the Full Impact 2.0 spreadsheet program for the Macintosh.

• Claris releases the FileMaker Pro 1.0 database program for the Macintosh.

• 3G Graphics releases the Accents & Borders collection of images.

• Reality Technologies releases the WealthBuilder by Money Magazine v1.0 financial management package for the Macintosh.

• Softsync/BLOC releases the Accountant, Inc. 2.0 accounting package for the Macintosh.

• Teleware releases the Mind Your Own Business 2.0 accounting system for the Macintosh.

• Global Village Communication releases the TelePort A300 2400bps modem for the Macintosh.

• Prometeus Products releases the ProModem 9600M Plus 9600bps v.32 modem and fax modem for the Macintosh.

• Timeworks releases the Publish It! Easy 2.0 page-design program for the Macintosh.

• Apple Computer's AppleLink - Personal Edition is expanded and renamed America Online.

• IBM unveils its new RISC-based workstation line, the RS/6000. Development work had been done under code name "America" for the RISC chip research, and "RIOS" for systems using the America technology. The architecture of the systems is given the name POWER, standing for Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC.

• Commodore Business Machines releases the C286-LT microcomputer, featuring 20 MB hard drive, 1 MB RAM, 12.5-MHz 286 CPU, 640x480 LCD screen, and MS-DOS 4.01, for CDN$4495. Weight is 7 pounds.

• U.S. Robotics introduces the Courier v.32bis modem.

• John Dvorak quote: "I think Windows 3.0 will get a lot of attention; people will check it out, and before long they'll all drift back to raw DOS. Once in a while they'll boot Windows for some specific purpose, but many will put it in the closet with the Commodore 64.".

• Motorola announces a new line of single-chip RISC processors, the first of which is be the 88110.

• Hewlett-Packard's introduction of the LaserJet IIP breaks the US$1000 street price barrier.

• The INMOS T-9000 processor, designed for parallel computing in the Transputer architecture, appears.

• IBM introduces the 10-MHz 80286-based IBM PS/1 systems, with built-in VGA and monitor. Prices range from US$1000 to US$2000.

• INTV Corp. discontinues production of the Intellivision.

• Walt Disney Computer Software releases The Animation Studio for the Amiga, for US$179.

• Commodore announces the Amiga 3000, at the Palladium in New York City. The system features a Motorola 16- or 25-MHz 68030, 68881 or 68882 math coprocessor, new Enhanced Chip Set, Zorro III bus, 2MB RAM, 40- or 100-MB hard drive, AmigaDOS v2.0, and AmigaVision authoring system. Prices start at US$4100 with a monitor.

• A judge rules that competitors to Intel can use the x86 designation for their processors. Intel decides to find another name for its new processors.

• US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker throws out 5 of 6 claims in Xerox' suit against Apple Computer of the Star's system.

• Kaypro Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

• Hard drive maker Miniscribe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

GO BACK