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Appendix C
Emulation Historical Timeline

     I am deeply indebted to Ken Polsson and his Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers for providing much of the information used as the primary backbone of this document.  There is a lot more in his compilation that I have omitted, and it is recommended reading for anybody who may be researching the history of personal computers.  You can find his excellent timeline at http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson.
     Those of you familiar with Polsson's work will instantly recognize the overall layout and much of the material contained herein.  I have tried to distill it and reorganize it somewhat with regards to five specific concerns of the emulation industry:  computer industry developments, videogame milestones, emulation-related events, Internet concerns, and legal issues.  I know that the emulation community will feel that a lot has been left out in their regard, and I leave it to them to help me fill in the gaps with regards to emulation and its evolution over the years.
 

1972 - Birth of the videogame industry

Computers
    o    The 5.25" floppy disk first appears.
Videogames
    o    Atari is founded by Alan Bushnell.  Their first product is the coin-op arcade game Pong.
 

1973 - Birth of mass storage media

Computers
    o    IBM releases the IBM 3340 hard drive, code named Winchester during development
 

1974 - Birth of the personal computer industry

Computers
    o    Gary Kildall, founder of Digital Research, develops the CP/M operating system for compters based on the Intel
          8080 CPU.
    o    Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie develop the C programming language.
    o    The Altair 8800, the world's first personal computer, is released in kit form.  It is highlighted in the December issue
          of Popular Mechanics, and magazine publisher Les Solomon receives the very first production model.
 

1975 - Mr. Gates gets interested

Computers
    o    BASIC becomes the first programming language to be made available for the fledgling personal computer market.
          The particular version involved is a compiler written by Bill Gates and Paul Allen for the Altair 8800.
    o    Bill Gates and Paul Allen found what would become the Microsoft Corporation (originally spelled Micro-Soft).
    o    MOS Technologies announces the release of its 8-bit MC6501 and MC6502 CPUs.  They are one-sixth the cost
          of the then-dominant CPU, the Intel 8080.
 

1976 - Apples and cartridges; Mr. Gates gets serious

Computers
    o    David Bushnell publishes an open letter from Bill Gates to the microcomputer hobbyists complaining about software
          piracy.  He then writes a second letter three months later, openly condemning it.
    o    The "twin Steves," Wozinak and Jobs, build the very first Apple computer.  The Apple Computer Corporation is
          subsequently founded on 1 April 1976.  They begin shipping "garage-built" Apple I computers almost immediately,
          and Steve Wozinak begins designing for what would become the Apple II.  Wozinak quits his job at Hewlett-
          Packard to devote his full energies to the fledgling Apple computer company.  A prototype of the Apple II is
          demonstrated at the end of the year.
    o    Bill Gates drops out of Harvard to concentrate on making Microsoft a viable computer company.
    o    Commodore Business Machines buys MOS Technologies, makers of the MC6501 and MC6502.  One of their
          employees, Chuck Peddle, designs the Commodore PET computer.
    o    The "twin Steves" make proposals to both Hewlett-Packard and Atari that they develop personal computers.  Their
          proposals are rejected out-of-hand.
Videogames
    o    Fairchild releases the Channel F, the first programmable home videogame console.  It also pioneers the use of the
          plug-in cartridge for videogame software.
Legal
    o    Digital Research copyrights the CP/M operating system.
    o    The word "microsoft" becomes a registered trademark owned by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
 

1977 - PCs on the rise; birth of the home videogame console

Computers
    o    Charles Tandy, president of Radio Shack, is shown a working prototype of the TRS-80 personal computer.  At
          the same time, they reject an offer from Commodore to market the PET computer.  The TRS-80 Model I is formally
          unveiled in August and becomes an instant hit, selling more units than any other personal computer then available.
          Radio Shack opens its first retail store in October.
    o    Commodore shows its PET 2001 prototype at various trade shows in an effort to provoke interest in the machine.
          Its production facilities finally gear up in time for the Summer CES.
    o    Apple unveils the Apple II computer  It is the first personal computer to employ color graphics.  Company president
          Mike Markkula makes it their avowed goal to add an affordable floppy disk drive to the Apple II as soon as
          possible.
Videogames
    o    Bally toys with the idea of entering the personal computer market.
    o    Atari introduces the Atari Video Computer System (VCS), later renamed the Atari 2600.  It is the first widely
          popular home videogame console in North America, with units marketed by many major retail outlets.
Legal
    o    The Apple Computer Company is formally incorporated.
    o    Microsoft is formalized as a business partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
 

1978 - An industry in flux

Computers
    o    Apple demonstrates a prototype 5.25" floppy disk drive for the Apple II at the Winter CES.
    o    Intel creates and then subsequently releases the 16-bit 8086 CPU in just three weeks.  It is a replacement for the
          troubled i432 project.
    o    The Altair 8800 personal compuer is discontinued.
    o    Atari formally enters the personal computer market with its Atari 400 and 800 systems, both based on the MC6502.
    o    Commodore successfully establishes its own dealer network for product distribution.
    o    Apple begins work on a new generation of personal computers using bit-sliced architecture.  The prototype is code-
          named Lisa.
    o    Christopher Curry founds Acorn Computer Ltd. in England.
Videogames
    o    Taito, a Japanese videogame company, develops the coin-op arcade game Space Invaders.  It is an immediate hit
          with the Japanese public.
    o    Bally ships its Bally Professional Arcade game.
    o    Cinematronics releases Space War to the arcades.
    o    APF Electronics introduces the MP-1000 videogame unit.
    o    Magnavox releases the Odyssey2 home videogame console.
Internet
    o    The first computerized bulletin board system is started by Ward Christianson and Randy Suess.  It goes online in
          February, and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
 

1979 - Opportunity knocks

Computers
    o    Radio Shack announces the TRS-80 Model II.
    o    Intel releases the 8088 CPU.  It is a scaled-down 8086, operating at 16 bits internally but using a 8-bit data bus in
          order to better work with available hardware.
    o    Texas Instruments releases the TI-99/4A personal computer system.
    o    Motorola releases the 16-bit 68000 CPU.  Its name is derived from the fact that it incorporates 68,000 transistors
          into its design.
    o    Ross Perot offers to buy Microsoft from Bill Gates, but walks away from the reputed asking price of US$40-60
          million.
    o    Alan Shugart founds Seagate Technologies.  He also develops the Shugart Associates System Interface (SASI),
          the direct ancestor of SCSI.
    o    NEC releases the NEC PC 8001 microcomputer.  It is Japan's first personal computer system.
    o    300-baud modems become widely available, although they are still a bit pricey (US$175-$400).
Videogames
    o    Taito releases Space Invaders in the United States.  It proves to be as big a hit as it was in Japan.
    o    Atari releases the coin-op arcade game Asteroids.
    o    Mattel introduces the Intellivision home videogame console.
    o    The Bally Videocade Computer System is offered for sale.
    o    Automated Simulations releases Temple of Asphai for personal computers.
    o    Nolan Bushnell leaves Atari to manage the Pizza Time Theater company.  This is the holding company for the Chuck
          E. Cheese pizza restaurant franchise.
Internet
    o    CompuServe begins the MicroNET service for computer hobbyists.  It is a combination of bulletin boards, databases,
          and on-line games.
Legal
    o    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopts a set of official rules for radio frequency interference
          generated by personal computers.
 

1980 - IBM and Microsoft make their move

Computers
    o    Computer Shopper commences publication.
    o    Commodore founder Jack Trammel announces in a company strategy session that he intends to build and sell a
          personal computer in the U.S. market for the unheard-of price of US$300.
    o    1200 baud modems enter the personal computer market.
    o    Apple unveils the Apple III computer
    o    Seagate sells the first 5.25" Winchester-style hard disk drives.
    o    Radio Shack unveils the TRS-80 Model III, the TRS-80 Color Computer, and the TRS-80 Pocket Computer.
    o    The EDLIN text editor is created as part of Seattle Computer's QDOS 0.10 (Quick and Dirty Operating System),
          Its projected lifetime is approximately six months.  QDOS itself is upgraded several times before it is bought by
          Microsoft as part of an exclusive deal with Seattle Computer.
    o    IBM initiates Project Chess. Its ultimate goal is to produce a viable microcomputer.  Digital Research is approached
          about making CP/M-86 (the latest incarnation of CP/M) available for the project, but declines interest.  Not to be
          daunted, IBM enlists the aid of Microsoft in designing an operating system for their new machine.  At the instance of
          Bill Gates, IBM dumps the Intel 8080 in favor of the 8086 as the heart of the machine.  In the meantime, Microsoft
          buys all the rights to a series of products collectively known as DOS (Disk Operating System) from Seattle Computer
          Products for under US$100,000, with the intent of converting and adapting them into a single package for use as the
          operating system on IBM's new personal computer.
    o    Sony and Philips invent the compact disc (CD).
    o    Intel introduces the 8087 math coprocessor.  It is designed to handle intense floating-point operations, hence the
          alternate name of floating-point unit (FPU).
    o    Commodore of Japan debuts the system that would later be known as the VIC-20.
Videogames
    o    Bill Henieman of Whittier, CA wins the First National US Space Invaders Competition, scoring 165,200.  His prize
          is an Asteroids tabletop unit.
Emulation
    o    Microsoft introduces its first hardware product, the Z-80 SoftCard for the Apple II.  This US$350 product gives the
          Apple II full CP/M capability, greatly adding to its software base and adding to Apple's success.
    o    Microsoft releasex XENIX/OS, a portable commercial version of UNIX.  It is designed to work with systems based
          around the Intel 8086, the Zilog Z8000, Motorola 68000, and the DEC PDP-11.
 

1981 - Portables, PCs, and the Beatles

Computers
    o    The Osborne I portable computer is introduced, weighing in at 24 pounds.  It uses the CP/M operating system.
          Other components include a Zilog Z80 CPU, 64K RAM, 2 5.25" single-sided floppy disk drives, and an internal
          modem.  10,000 units are sold in a single month, far exceeding projections.
    o    The Atari 400 personal computer is discontinued.
    o    The IBM 5150 Personal Computer (IBM PC) is introduced into the market. It ships with 64K RAM at the
          insistence of Bill Gates.  A single 5.25" floppy disk drive is standard, but provisions are allowed for other kinds of
          data storage.  Another option is the Color Graphics Array (CGA), a 16-color video card.  The IBM PC begins
          production immediately and units are shipped to buyers ahead of schedule - a first for the industry.
    o    Across the ocean, Acorn Computer Ltd. introduces the BBC Minicomputer System.
    o    National Semiconducter releases the 32000 CPU, the world's first 32-bit processor.
    o    The ANSI X3T9 standards committee adapts SASI as a working model for a new system interface, which will be
          formalized some five years later as the SCSI standard.
Videogames
    o    Bally enters into a licensing arrangement with Commodore whereby Bally arcade games are ported to the VIC-20.
          They are released as plug-in cartridges.  Similar arrangements are made with Bally and other companies for
          Commodore's new home computer project; among these is Walt Disney Software.
    o    Astrovision releases the Bally Computer System.
Legal
    o    Microsoft reorganizes into Microsoft, Inc., and several months later changes its name again to Microsoft
          Corporation.
    o    Apple Computer signs a secret agreement with Apple Records, the label of the Beatles pop rock band.  As part of
          the deal, Apple gets to retain use of the name while promising not to market any audiovisual products with recording
          or playback capabilities.
    o    Intel and AMD agree to collaborate on the design and production of new products.
 

1982 - The clone wars commence; a legend is born

Computers
    o    Commodore unveils a working prototype of the Commodore 64 (C64) personal computer at the Winter CES in
          January.  It is the first personal computer with integrated sound synthesis technology, and its SID audio processor
          garners much attention.  Actual productions modes begin shipping that summer, along with the VIC-1540 5 1/4"
          floppy disk drive.  The drive uses a serial bus, effectively limiting its use to the VIC-20 and C64.
    o    Apple reveals to Microsoft the existence of several prototypes for a new personal computer system that uses a
          graphic user interface (GUI) instead of the common command-line approach.  Microsoft is given one of these
          prototypes in order to develop compatable software.
    o    Microsoft MS-DOS is released for the IBM PC.
    o    Columbia Data Products releases the first working clone of the IBM PC.
    o    Digital announces the dual-processor DEC Rainbow 100.  It has both Z80 and 8086 processors, thus allowing it
          to run both CP/M and MS-DOS programs.
    o    Franklin Computer unveils the Franklin Ace 1000, the first working clone of the Apple II.
    o    Intel unveils the 80286 processor.
    o    Compaq Computer Corporation unveils the Compaq Portable PC.  It uses the Phoenix BIOS so as not to infringe
          on IBM's copyrighted BIOS code.
    o    Andrew Fluegelman releases PC-Talk, a communications program, free of charge.  It is the world's first shareware
          computer program.
    o    Hard disk drives become available for the IBM PC from several third-party vendors.
    o    Mouse Systems introduces the first mouse for the IBM PC.
Videogames
    o    Atari releases the Atari 5200 home videogame console
    o    General Consumer Electronics introduces the Vectrex, the first-ever home videogame system with a built-in display.
    o    Milton Bradley buys General Consumer Electronix.
    o    Mattel releases the Intellivision II.
    o    Emerson releases the Emerson Arcadia 2001.
    o    Coleco releases the ColecoVision.  It is actually a scaled-down Japanese computer system in disguise.
    o    Astrovision renames the Bally Computer System as the Astrocade.
Emulation
    o    Intel unveils the 80286 processor.  Little noticed at the time was its inclusion of "real 8086 mode" for full back-
          compatability with 8086 and 8088 oriented software.
    o    Xedex Corporation introduces the Baby Blue card for the IBM PC.  It is a Z80 processor on a plug-in card, thus
          allowing the system to use software developed for CP/M systems.
    o    Coleco provides a special adaptor that will let the ColecoVision play Atari 2600 games.
Legal
    o    Atari sues Coleco over its Atari 2600 videogame cartridge adaptor.  The courts eventually rule in favor of Coleco,
          as Atari's technology cannot be shown as being unique in any way.
    o    Intel and AMD sign a 10-year technology exchange agreement centering on Intel's x86 processor architecture.
 

1983 - More legends, more lies, and cartoons-to-go

Computers
    o    Mattel introduces the Aquarius personal computer.
    o    Apple officially unveils the Lisa personal computer, with an estimated development cost of US$150 million overall.
          It is considered slow, but innovative.  It is the first GUI-based personal computer, built around a Motorola 68000
          CPU, and includes a 5 MB disk drive.  Although only 100,000 units will be sold, it will serve as the basis for Apple's
          next machine, whose only major difference in overall design will be the number and kind of floppy drives used.  To
          quote Apple executive Steve Jobs, "We're prepared to live with Lisa for the next ten years."
    o    Apple releases the Apple IIe personal computer.
    o    Atari rolls out the Atari 1200XL personal computer.  It subsequently cancels it several months later due to
          production problems.
    o    Commodore releases the SX-64, the first portable computer with a color display.
    o    Lotus Development releases Lotus 1-2-3 for MS-DOS based systems.
    o    IBM releases the IBM PC-XT.  It is the first product in the IBM PC line to adopt the 8-slot design for expansion
          cards, and also the first IBM personal computer to include a hard drive (10 MB).
    o    As part of a nationwide sales and rebate blitz, the Commodore VIC-20 becomes the first personal computer with a
          color display available for under US$100 at the retail level.
    o    Microsoft gives a "smoke and mirrors" demonstration of a new program dubbed Interface Manager that appears to
          be multitasking various programs.  In fact it is not, but it represents the first known public demonstration of what would
          become Microsoft Windows.
    o    Sony introduces the 3.5" floppy disk drive.  Previous efforts by other companies with 2.5" and 3.25" formats had
          failed to gain widespread acceptance.
    o    Radio Shack unveils the TRS-80 Model IV.
    o    Microsoft sells its first Microsoft Mouse.
    o    The Coleco Adam is introduced by Coleco at the Summer CES.  It restores the more obvious personal computer
          elements to the ColecoVision hardware that were deleted prior to its release.
    o    IBM announces, along with several other systems, the PCjr.  It instantly becomes the subject of much vitriol by both
          retailers and users alike due to its poor design.
    o    Having sustained consistent losses for some time, Texas Instruments abandons the personal computer system market.
    o    Microsoft officially announces the impending release of its Windows GUI.  Nobody is interested, and nobody really
          cares, either.
    o    Apple redesigns the Lisa and dubs the new system as the Macintosh.  It runs the now-famous "1984" add ahead of
          schedule in an obscure Midwestern market for the sole purpose of making it eligible for awards during that year.
    o    Commodore releases the Datasette and VIC-1541 floppy disk storage devices for its personal computers.
    o    Borland International is founded by Phillipe Kahn.
    o    Sony and Philips develop CD-ROM technology for personal computer systems, an extension of audio CDs.
    o    Bjarn Stroustrup creates the C++ extension to the C programming language.
    o    Microsoft, SpectraVideo, and 14 Japanese computer companies collaborate to develop the MSX standard for 8-bit
          personal computers.
Videogames
    o    Mattel announces the Intellivision III, and then quietly abandons it several months later.
    o    Atari demonstrates an add-on computer unit for the Atari 2600 called The Graduate.
    o    Starcom releases Dragon's Lair to the arcades.  It is the world's first laserdisc-based coin-op arcade game.  Principal
          animation for the game is done by Bluth Studios, founded by former Disney animator Don Bluth.
    o    Atari ceases production of the Atari 5200 home videogame console.
    o    Dan Silva founds Electronic Arts.
    o    A Japanese videogame company named Nintendo releases the Famicom home console system in Japan.  This, with
          slight alterations, would become known in North American markets as the NES.
Emulation
    o    Atari provides a special adaptor for its new Atari 5200 that will let the system play Atari 2600 games.
    o    Video Technology demonstrates the Laser 2001, a dual-purpose videogame console that works with both
          ColecoVision and Atari VCS game cartridges.
    o    Taiwan Happy Home Computer Company shows the MultiSystem microcomputer at the Summer CES.  It is
          compatable with both the Apple II and the IBM PC.
Internet
    o    Tom Mack releases RBBS for MS-DOS, the first shareware BBS program.
Legal
    o    Apple files suit against Franklin, claiming copyright infringment of propretary Apple microcode stored within system
          ROM.  The courts rule in favor of Apple, and Franklin is forced to cease production of its clones.
 

1984 - The year of the 16-bit PC

Computers
    o    Apple formally unveils the Macintosh personal computer, re-running its "1984" ad during that year's Super Bowl game.
          The machine is almost identical to the Lisa except that it is smaller, twice as fast, and uses 3.5" floppy disks drives.  Its
          marketing slogan is, "Never trust a computer you cannot lift."  It is an instant success, with over 70,000 sold within the
          first 100 days on the market.  At the same time, Canon secures the Japanese distribution rights to the Macintosh from
          Apple.
    o    Seiko displays the first wristwatch computer.
    o    Commodore becomes the first personal computer company to break US$1 billion in sales for a single model - in this
          case, the C64.
    o    Jack Tramiel, founder and president of Commodore, resigns his post and leaves the company for good.
    o    IBM ships the PCjr.
    o    Apple retires the Apple III product line, and at the same time unveils the Apple IIc.  It also proves quite popular with
          the masses.
    o    Over at Microsoft, Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer write an internal applications strategy memo regarding the company's
          commitment to GUI-based systems such as the Macintosh and its then-developing Windows.
    o    Commodore releases the Plus/4 and C16 personal computers, and discontinues the VIC-20.  The Plus/4 is the first
          personal computer to include applications software in ROM.
    o    A small startup company named Amiga demonstrates a prototype personal computer, code-named Lorraine.
    o    Jack Traimel buys a controlling interest in Atari's personal computer products from Warner for US$240 million.
    o    Impressed by their showing at the Summer CES, Commodore buys Amiga - lock, stock, and barrel.
    o    IBM announces the release of the IBM PC-AT, running on Intel's 80286 CPU inside a redesigned system utilizing
          16-bit architecture and 16-bit expansion card slots that are back-compatable with older IBM PC and PC-XT
          hardware.  At the same time, it announces the Enhanced Graphics Array (EGA) for the new machine, supporting up to
          16 simultaneous colors on screen at 640x350 resolution.  A 20 MB hard drive is offered as an option, and Microsoft
          makes sure the MS-DOS 3.0 is ready in time to ship with the new system.
    o    2400 baud modems become available.
    o    Mattel sells off the Aquarius computer to Radofin Electronics.
    o    Hewlett-Packard introduces the first LaserJet printer.
    o    Philips offers the first CD-ROM drive for personal computers.  It is a single-speed device adapted from existing audio
          CD drive technology.
Videogames
    o    Sierra On-Line releases the first game in the King's Quest series
    o    The home console market goes bust as most folks, irritated by a constant barrage of low-quality games, turn to the
          superior offerings to be found on personal computer systems.  Almost every major player bails out of the market.
    o    Atari introduces the 7800 ProSystem.
    o    Milton Bradley discontinues the Vectrex.
    o    The Odyssey and its derivatives are officially discontinued.
    o    subLogic releases the very first version of Flight Simulator for the Commodore 64.
Emulation
    o    NEC successfully clones Intel's 8-bit 8088 and 16-bit 8086 processors via reverse engineering.  The low-cost
          NEC V20 and V30 CPUs subsequently find their way into many IBM PC and PC-XT clones.
Internet
    o    Tom Jennings creates the FidoNET BBS network.
Legal
    o    IBM wins a copyright lawsuit against Corona Data Systems for infringing on the IBM PC BIOS.
    o    Federal judge Harold Green orders the breakup of the Bell System.  AT&T is split off as an independent company,
          and the "Baby Bells" are created from the old Bell System's various regional divisions.
 

1985 - A new wave builds

Computers
    o    Commodore unveils the Commodore 128 (C-128) at the first of the year.  It is actually three computers in one - a
          fully functional C64 mode for back-compatability, a new 128K operating mode (with 80x25 display text capability),
          and a CP/M mode.  It also unveils the 1571 double-speed, double-sided 5.25" floppy disk drive, the 1670 modem
          (1200 baud), and the 1902 combination chroma-luma/CGA monitor as accessories.
    o    Atari unveils its new Atari ST line of personal computers, developed with the backing and aid of Jack Traimel.
    o    Coleco divests itself of the Adam and leaves the personal computer business.
    o    Apple officially redesignates the Lisa as the Macintosh XL.  It is dropped from the product line three months later.
          Around the same time, Steve Jobs is dismissed from his executive position at Apple and is eventually forced to leave
          the company.
    o    IBM discontinues the PCjr.
    o    Microsoft releases Microsoft Windows 1.0 for the IBM PC.  Nobody notices, and nobody really cares.
    o    Commodore unveils the Amiga personal computer at a special showing in New York.  On hand is famous pop artist
          Andy Warhol to promote the machine.  It features the first true multitasking, multithreading GUI-based operating
          system for a personal computer.  The model that debuted on that day would later be renamed the Amiga 1000
          (A1000).
    o    Intel introduces the 80386 CPU.  It is a pure 32-bit processor through and through, and attracts the immediate
          attention of the PC clone makers.
    o    Commodore attempts to cease production of the C64 several times during the year, but is forced to restart each and
          every time due to popular demand.
    o    Intel introduces the 80287 FPU.
    o    Commodore releases the C-128D in Europe, a special version of the C-128 with a detachable keyboard and internal
          1571 disk drive.  It is unable to release the machine in the United States due to its failure to gain FCC certification.
Videogames
    o    Epyx releases Summer Games II for the Commodore 64.
    o    Broderbund releases Karateka and Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? for the Commodore 64.
    o    Activision releases Hacker for the Commodore 64.
    o    Nintendo begins marketing its Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America.
Emulation
    o    Mimic Systems introduces the Spartan, an accessory for the Commodore 64 that transforms it into an Apple IIe.
Internet
    o    General Electric begins the GEnie on-line service.
    o    QuantumLink, a Commodore-specific telecommunications network, begins operations.
 

1986 -

Videogames
    o    Sega releases the Sega Master System
    o    Atari begins marketing the 7800 ProSystem
 

1987 -

Videogames
    o    S
 

1988 -

Videogames
    o    NEC releases the PC Engine in Japan
 

1989 -

Videogames
    o    The NEC PC Engine is market in North America as the Turbo Grafx 16
    o    Sega releases the Sega Genesis
    o    Nintendo releases the first version of its Gameboy handheld console
    o    Atari releases the Atari Lynx.
 

1990 -

Videogames
    o    SNK debuts the NeoGeo System
    o    Sega releases the handheld GameGear system.
 

1991 -

Videogames
    o    Under pressure from soaring sales of the Sega Genesis, Nintendo ports the Super Famicom to the North American
          market.  It is released as the Super Nintendo, but most folks call it the Super NES or SNES for short.
 

1992 -

Videogames
    o    Philips unveils its CDi system.
 

1993 -

Videogames
    o    Panasonic unveils the 3D0, the first videogame console to use the CD-ROM delivery format for its games.
    o    Atari releases the Atari Jaguar.
 

1994 -

Videogames
    o    Sega introduces the 32X upgrade for its Genesis home videogame console
 

1995 - Windows of opportunity

Videogames
    o    Sega unveils a portable version of its Genesis console called the Nomad.  It is similar to the GameGear system, but
          slightly large and can handle standard Genesis cartridges.
    o    Nintendo unveils the dismal Virtual Boy.
    o    Miffed by Nintendo's dalliance over developing a CD-player for the SNES, Sony takes what it has learned and
          developed and releases its own home videogame console, the Sony Playstation.
    o    Sega releases the Sega Saturn ahead of schedule.  The move causes the premature death of the 32X.
 

1996 -

Videogames
    o    Amid much hoopla, Nintendo finally releases its eagerly awaited N64 home videogame console.
 

1997 -

Videogames
    o    S
 

1998 -

Videogames
    o    S
Emulation
    o    Generator is the first Genesis emulator with open source code.
 

1999 -

Videogames
    o    S
Emulation
    o    UltraHLE earns the dubious distinction of being the first working N64 emulator.  Nintendo promptly threatens the
          authors with legal action, but is unable to stop the widespread distribution and use of the program.