History of the internet

By Elijah_Watt049
  • Launch of Arpnet

    Launch of Arpnet

    The first message is sent Via ARPNET, created as a system for researchers to communicate and share resources and Ideas.
  • The first email

    The first email

    Ray Tomlinson sends the first networked email
  • First Online Game

    First Online Game

    Maze War was he first online game, playable via ARPANET
  • First Spam Email

    First Spam Email

    Gary Thuerk sends the first unsolicited emailed to 393 ARPANET users.
  • Invention of the GIF

    Invention of the GIF

    Steve Wilhite at CompuServe developed the GIF image format, alongside the first GIF

  • Dawn of the World Wide Web

    Tim Berners-Lee submits “Information Management: A Proposal” at CERN.
  • The First Search Engine

    The First Search Engine

    Alan Emtage releases Archie, the first ever search engine.

  • The Web Goes Worldwide

    CERN announces World Wide Web technology will be public domain
  • Dawn of the World Wide Web Consortium

    Dawn of the World Wide Web Consortium

    Standards body formed to ensure web accessibility
  • Period: to

    Social media goes mainstream

    SixDegrees.com introduces profiles, friend lists, and social connections. These features paved the way for modern social media platforms.
  • The first smartphone

    The first smartphone

    The Nokia 9000 combined PDA features with mobile calling and limited internet. It was bulky but represented a major leap in mobile computing.
  • The first pop-up ad

    The first pop-up ad

    Ethan Zuckerman uses JavaScript to create the first pop-up advertisement. While innovative, it quickly became one of the web’s most disliked features
  • Wi-Fi as we know it

    Wi-Fi as we know it

    The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (now Wi-Fi Alliance) is formed to standardize wireless networking
  • The broadband revolution

    The broadband revolution

    Broadband officially surpasses dial-up in U.S. households, cementing itself as the household wifi mainstay
  • iPhone introduced

    iPhone introduced

    Apple released the first iPhone in the U.S.
  • Internet in space

    Internet in space

    NASA successfully tests Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) on the Deep Impact spacecraft.
  • Social media as dissent tool

    Social media as dissent tool

    The Arab Spring, an act of defiance and protest, spread with the help of Facebook Twitter.
  • Period: to

    Machine learning

    Advances in big data, computing power, and algorithms make machine learning practical. AI applications from image recognition to chatbots begin reshaping the digital world.

  • Smartphones are everywhere

    Pew Research reports 56% of U.S. adults own smartphones, highlighting what a vital part of everyday life they have become... [today](Pew Research reports 56% of U.S. adults own smartphones) it is over 98%
  • Smart speakers & virtual assistants

    Smart speakers & virtual assistants

    Amazon launches the Echo with Alexa in the U.S., followed by Google Home. These devices popularize hands-free voice commands and bring AI assistants into homes.