Tech Time Warp is a weekly feature that looks back at interesting moments and milestones in tech history.
Tag: Tech Time Warp
Tech Time Warp: Was the Welchia Worm well-intended?
Tech Time Warp: Was the Welchia Worm well-intended?
As the old saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right — especially if the second “wrong” is a computer worm, albeit a benevolent one. In August 2003, hundreds of thousands of PCs were infected by the Blaster worm, which...
Tech Time Warp: Microsoft and Apple play nice
Tech Time Warp: Microsoft and Apple play nice
Let’s face it: You’re either a Mac or a PC user. However, that iconic advertising campaign glossed over some critical information: There’s a good chance Apple wouldn’t exist today, if it weren’t for Microsoft.
Tech Time Warp: A quick and dirty history of MS-DOS
Tech Time Warp: A quick and dirty history of MS-DOS
In the world of tech history, MS-DOS seems archaic and simplistic to the untrained eye — a command-prompt today’s “digital natives” wouldn’t recognize, let alone appreciate. Of course, the GUIs of today wouldn’t exist without MS-DOS, which was born out...
Tech Time Warp: The legacy of the Apollo Guidance Computer
Tech Time Warp: The legacy of the Apollo Guidance Computer
Looking back at the Apollo 11 mission 50 years ago, it might be easy to overlook the lasting impact of man’s first steps on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins captivated not only their fellow Americans, but...
Tech Time Warp: IBM Watson and Wimbledon make a match
Tech Time Warp: IBM Watson and Wimbledon make a match
Few sporting events are as steeped in tradition as Wimbledon, the Grand Slam tennis tournament taking place at the All England Club through July 19. Look past your cup of Pimm’s and the British royalty in attendance, and you’ll note...
Tech Time Warp: Where did Carmen Sandiego come from?
Tech Time Warp: Where did Carmen Sandiego come from?
The same generation of schoolchildren who traveled the Oregon Trail also crisscrossed the globe in hot pursuit of one international supervillain named Carmen Sandiego. Apple’s early investment in the education market meant schools were filled with Apple IIs and children...
Tech Time Warp: The Origin of the Oregon Trail
Tech Time Warp: The Origin of the Oregon Trail
The real Oregon Trail began in Independence, Missouri, but for generations of American schoolchildren, the trail began in a Minneapolis classroom in 1971, when three student teachers combined their penchant for history with their knowledge of BASIC.
Tech Time Warp: “A Logic Named Joe”
Tech Time Warp: “A Logic Named Joe”
If you’re looking for a good tech-related read this summer — something in the genre of Black Mirror — you can’t do any better than “A Logic Named Joe,” a short story published in the March 1946 issue of Astounding Science...
Tech Time Warp: First mobile malware makes its debut
Tech Time Warp: First mobile malware makes its debut
Back in the pre-smartphone days, an international group of hackers set out to prove no technology was safe from malware. In June 2004, the group 29A — 29A being the hexadecimal version of “666” — released the first virus targeting...
Tech Time Warp: Net neutrality debate heats up again and again
Tech Time Warp: Net neutrality debate heats up again and again
Life tends to slow down in early June — unless you’re involved in the net neutrality debate. A surprising number of momentous net neutrality actions have occurred over the years in the month of June, starting with the initial use...
