Top 100 Tech Innovations Of All Time

Posted by Kyle Eslick on December 7th, 2007 | Category and Tags

If you take a look back at the last 15 years, the advances in technology have been extreme, with technology practically doubling every few years.    I think as we grow, adapt, and get more used to how things are now, we often forget to look back where we came from and how we got to where we are today.  

I’m 29 years old, and I still remember finally getting a CD player and getting rid of all those tapes I had collected growing up.   Not long after, I had visions of a limitless CD so I could keep all of my favorite Tupac songs in one spot without having to switch discs.  Now we have iPods for music, DVD players for movies, Tivo, digital cameras, and computers that are twice as powerful as the year before for the same price.   Looking back at 20 years ago, it almost isn’t real.  How did we survive?

It looks like I’m not the only one that looks to take a stroll down memory lane, as Maximum PC compiled their list of what they feel are the Top 100 PC Tech Innovations of All Time.   Here is what they had to say about the list:

While myriad best-of lists have ranked the greatest gadgets, software products, and videogames ever made, here we turn our attention to advances that have impacted the development, enjoyment, and raw power of the personal computer. Our staff-generated list looks at not just critical machines to come down the pike (#55), but also essential CPUs (#51), operating systems (#15), components (#18), and peripherals (#94), as well as the occasional piece of software (#74) and videogame (#9) that pushed PCs into new territory.

The result is an exhaustive look at the PC from its birth (#7)—and even its conception (#73)—to today (#71), piece by piece. Naturally, the list is skewed toward performance and gaming-oriented technologies. We respect WordStar as much as any high-tech historian, but you try typing a corporate memo when you’ve got a freakin’ Shub-Niggurath (#6) bearing down on your ass.

I really enjoyed looking for the list, so I decided to share it with everyone.  Here are a few that either had a major impact on my life and/or brought back fond memories for me:

  • 97. Control-Alt-Delete (1981)
  • 86. America Online (1985)
  • 55. Apple Macintosh (1984)
  • 45. 3.5-inch Floppy (1983)
  • 9. Doom (1993)
  • 6. Quake (1996)

Click over to check out the rest of the list and see what was #1!

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  1. Comment by Dining Tables on December 7th, 2007:

    More than the inventions and innovations, the speed with which all these things took place is what is astonishing. Let us take something that I read just the other day. Some developing countries can now completely leap frog into modern societies eliminating some of the technologies that all of us went through. For instance, no wire electricity through alternative methods like solar, wind and mini hydroelectricity. Wireless communications with cell phones and computer connectivity. And what is more exciting is that there does not seem to be an end to innovation.

  2. Comment by K-IntheHouse on December 7th, 2007:

    I have to say Firefox has been biggest thing for me. I still admire it and love the possibilities it has opened up for me! Between the FireFox Projects website is looking great! :-)

  3. Comment by Kyle Eslick on December 7th, 2007:

    Thanks K!

    I have really enjoyed writing on Firefox Projects so far, and it has gotten a pretty good response as well. (Its been up about 3 weeks now and has gotten over 150,000 page views already!)

  4. Comment by saintsinner on December 7th, 2007:

    This is a nice one Kyle. I never realized how we’ve gone this far. I actually agree on how computers evolve same with their prices. And that before, I bought my P3 PC which is the price as same with a laptop!! And that was 10 yrs. ago! Man, I’m still using the same PC but have upgraded its parts. :)

  5. Comment by Bush Mackel on December 7th, 2007:

    Socket 939 and AOL are probably my favourites from the list. I remember the days of BEGGING my parents to let me tool around on AOL and the INTERNET on my 2400 baud modem… The huge bills I racked up… Oh, the good ol’ days. (#):)

  6. Comment by Ryan Wagner on December 7th, 2007:

    Solitaire all the way! There are a lot of great things on that list. Oh the memories.

  7. Comment by Kyle Eslick on December 9th, 2007:

    One of the great things about this list as all the different stuff we all look back on and remember fondly. We all had different experiences, so different favorites.

    Ummm solitaire. Where is minesweep? :mrgreen:

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