On This Day

Ethernet specifications are published by Xerox in collaboration with Intel and Digital Equipment Corporation [1]

Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s. The company was co-founded by Ken Olsen and Harlan Anderson in 1957. Olsen was president until he was forced to resign in 1992, after the company had gone into precipitous decline.

The company produced many different product lines over its history. It is best known for the work in the minicomputer market starting in the early 1960s. The company produced a series of machines known as the PDP line, with the PDP-8 and PDP-11 being among the most successful minis in history. Their success was only surpassed by another DEC product, the late-1970s VAX "supermini" systems that were designed to replace the PDP-11.

Historical Significance

Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Key People

Andrew Grove

Events Before

  1. International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

    International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

  2. Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

    Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

  3. BBC landmark nature series "Life on Earth" presented by David Attenborough first shown on BBC One

    Life on Earth: A Natural History by David Attenborough is a British television natural history series made by the BBC in association with Warner Bros. Television and Reiner Moritz Productions.

  4. Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile

    Ruhollah Khomeini's return to Iran on 1 February 1979, after 14 years in exile, was an important event in the Iranian Revolution.

  5. Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

    Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

Events After

  1. Greece becomes the 10th country to join the European Economic Community

    Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia...

  2. Police drama "Hill Street Blues" premieres on NBC

    "Hill Street Station" is the first episode of the first season of the American serial police drama Hill Street Blues.

  3. Ronald Reagan is inaugurated as the 40th President of the United States

    The first inauguration of Ronald Reagan as the 40th president of the United States was held on Tuesday, January 20, 1981, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

  4. Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks be

    Twenty-year-old Edmonton center Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score five career hat tricks before age 21, scoring five goals and two assists in a 9-2 Oilers home win against St. Louis

  5. George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ro

    George Harrison is ordered to pay ABKCO Music $587,000 for "subconscious plagiarism" of his song "My Sweet Lord" from Ronnie Mack's song "He's So Fine"

More from the 1980s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 30, 1980?
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s. The company was co-founded by Ken Olsen and Harlan Anderson in 1957. Olsen was president until he was forced to resign in 1992, after the company had gone into precipitous decline.
Why is Ethernet specifications are published by Xerox in collaboration with Intel an... significant?
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ), using the trademark Digital, was a major American company in the computer industry from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Who was involved in Ethernet specifications are published by Xerox in collaboration with Intel an...?
Key figures include Andrew Grove.

Explore More