J.S. Billings, then director of what was to become the National Library of Medicine, suggests to Herman Hollerith that a mechanical system based on cards be used to tabulate the Census. Hollerith develops a punch card system used with the 1890 Census.
Timeline: Digital Technology and Preservation
1881
1928
IBM introduces a rectangular hole punch card that becomes the industry standard.
1971
The 8" floppy disk appears. It doesn't seem large at the time.
1972
Laserdiscs are introduced.
1976
The first 5.25" floppy disks are introduced. When this product reaches the PC market it causes an explosive growth in digital information storage.
1978
Philips releases the laserdisc player.
1980
Laserdiscs begin to develop "Laser rot" due to oxidation of the aluminum layer.
1981
Sony introduces the first 3 1/2" floppy drives and diskettes.
1982
Sony and Philips introduce the first CD player.
Compact Disk-Digital Audio (CD-DA) is introduced to the market jointly by Philips and Sony.
1983
The QIC Standard becomes the first standard in computer history for tape drives.
1984
Philips and Sony introduce CD-ROM technology.
1986
Philips and Sony join forces to create the CD-Interactive or CD-I format.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) is introduced.
1988
CDs outsell vinyl records.
1989
Science Citation Index® is published on compact disk.
1990
1991
Philips introduces Compact Disc Interactive (CD-I) player for music and video.
1992
The digital Sony Mini-Disc is introduced.
CDs outsell cassette tapes.
1997
Rosetta disk is announced.
DVD discs and players become commercially available.
HD-ROM is announced by Norsam Technologies.
1998
MP-3 players for downloaded Internet audio appear.
2000
A commercial Digital Video Recording (DVR) system is developed by TiVo, Inc. Reruns of Columbo can now be recorded digitally, saved, and viewed anytime.
2004
Apple's family of personal music players, the iPod, dominates the market with over 5.7 million units sold since their debut in late 2001.
2005
USB Flash Drives flourish. The solid state, inexpensive, pocketable storage media are taking all kinds of shapes and sizes (pens, watches, little fuzzy creatures, and even sushi).