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Cyberpunk Timeline
Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Timeline
- 2.1 1926
- 2.2 1928
- 2.3 1938
- 2.4 1948
- 2.5 1955
- 2.6 1956
- 2.7 1960
- 2.8 1964
- 2.9 1965
- 2.10 1966
- 2.11 1967
- 2.12 1968
- 2.13 1969
- 2.14 1970
- 2.15 1972
- 2.16 1973
- 2.17 1975
- 2.18 1976
- 2.19 1977
- 2.20 1978
- 2.21 1979
- 2.22 1980
- 2.23 1981
- 2.24 1982
- 2.25 1983
- 2.26 1984
- 2.27 1985
- 2.28 1986
- 2.29 1987
- 2.30 1988
- 2.31 1989
- 2.32 1990
- 2.33 1991
- 2.34 1992
- 2.35 1993
- 2.36 1994
- 2.37 1995
- 2.38 1996
- 2.39 1997
- 2.40 1998
- 2.41 1999
- 2.42 2000
- 3 Colophon
Introduction
The Cyberpunk Timeline is based on the namesake created by Patrick Clarke in his zine Cyber Noodle Soup (CNS). This project is as much a recovery project as it is a starting point for more updates.
Sources
A few old versions have been found:
- http://project.cyberpunk.ru/idb/timeline.html - last entry 2000
- http://web.archive.org/web/20010624113948/http://www.subsitu.com/cns/ - dated September 11th, 2000, last entry 2000
- https://web.archive.org/web/20020809203300/http://heriot.brinkster.net/cns/index.htm - date 2002, last entry 2000
Timeline
1926
Metropolis released.
1928
Early use of the word "punk" to signify a criminal
1938
Dave and Lucile Packard move into house at 36 Addison Avenue, Palo Alto, California. Bill Hewlett rents cottage behind the house and Bill and Dave begin part time work in the garage with $538 in working capital. The company name is decided with a coin toss. The new partnership is known as Hewlett Packard. (June)
1948
The word "cybernetics" coined by Norbert Wiener
1955
The Naked Lunch published
1956
The Stars My Destination (aka Tiger! Tiger!) published
1960
The word "cyborg" coined by Manfred Clynes
1964
Nippon Apattchi-zoku [The Japanese Apache] by Sakyo Komatsu published
1965
MIT researcher Lawrence G. Roberts & Thomas Merrill connected A TX-2 computer in Massachusetts to the Q-32 in Palo Alto, California with a low speed dial-up telephone line creating the first (however small) wide-area computer network ever built. (Jan.)
1966
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress published
1967
Velvet Underground releases White Light/White Heat
1968
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep published
Lawrence Roberts and the DARPA funded community refine the overall structure and specifications for the ARPANET, and bring it live. The Internet is born. (Aug.)
1969
Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie and colleagues at Bell Labs create the Unix operating system on a DEC-PDP-7 microcomputer. (June)
1970
The Stooges release Funhouse
... From the Rise of Dr. Adder to the Fall of Johnny Mnemonic ...
1972
K.W. Jeter completes Dr. Adder (Spring)
1973
"The Girl Who Was Plugged In" published in New Dimensions 3
Gravity's Rainbow published
1975
Microsoft founded
Shockwave Rider published
1976
The Ramones release first album; punk begins
1977
Apple Computers founded (April)
"Fragments of a Hologram Rose" published in Unearth (summer)
Never Mind the Bollocks - Here's the Sex Pistols released; punk gets notorious
The Clash release first album; punk gets serious
The Ophiuchi Hotline published
1978
Generation X, with Billy Idol on lead vocals, releases first album
Survival Research Laboratories begins operations (Nov. 15)
1979
The Clash release London Calling
1980
City Come A-Walkin' published
The Artificial Kid published
1981
"Johnny Mnemonic" published in Omni (May)
Spacetime Donuts published
"The Gernsback Continuum " published in Universe 11
"True Names" published
Sterling introduces Gibson's "Burning Chrome" to the writer's workshop in Austin
Gibson sends Terry Carr at Ace Books a five page outline for a novel to be called Jacked In (Oct. 14)
1982
Gibson sends Carr a 32 page expanded outline for his novel now to be called Neuromancer (Jan. 18)
Sun Microsystems incorporated with four employees. (Feb.)
Software published
Gibson attends ArmadiloCon and reads the opening chapter of his work-in-progress, Neuromancer. "Behind the Mirrorshade: A Look at Punk SF" panel held. (Oct.)
Blade Runner released
Tron released
1983
Cheap Truth begins publication
Software wins the Philip K. Dick award (Mar)
Gibson, Sterling and Shiner visit Rudy Rucker in Lynchburg after Balticon; Virginia hasn't been this hip since Thomas Jefferson was alive
War Games released
The short story "Cyberpunk" by Bruce Bethke published in Amazing Science Fiction Stories; this is, allegedly, the first use of the term anywhere (Nov.)
The word "transrealism" coined by Rudy Rucker who issues "A Transreal Manifesto" in The Bulletin of the SFWA (Winter)
1984
Neuromancer published; "cyberspace" coined
Dr. Adder published
Decoder, a film by Klaus Maeck, released
Frontera published
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution published
In Japan, robots kill four humans in separate incidents
Terminator released
2600 begins publication
VPL Research Inc. founded by Jaron Lanier
Gardner Dozois, reviewing "hot new writers" for The Washington Post, refers to a group called "cyberpunks". The name sticks (Dec. 30)
High Frontiers begins publication
1985
Schismatrix published
20 Minutes into the Future (aka Max Headroom) released
Eclipse published
Neuromancer wins the Philip K. Dick award (Mar.17)
Donna Haraway's "Manifesto for Cyborgs" published in Socialist Review (Apr.)
Neuromancer wins the Nebula award (May 4)
Japanese translation of Neuromancer published (July) [Nyuromansa]
Neuromancer published in France [Neuromancien]
Neuromancer wins the Hugo (Aug.26)
"Cyberpunks" panel convenes at the National SF Convention in Austin. Panelists are Rudy Rucker, John Shirley, Bruce Sterling, Lou Shiner, Pat Cadigan and Greg Bear (Aug. 31)
"Slamdancing in SF" published in REM #2
1986
Burning Chrome published
Hardwired published
"Pakistani Brain" virus infects IBM computers world-wide (Jan.)
Rudy Rucker's "What is Cyberpunk?" appears in REM #3 (Feb.)
Count Zero published (Mar.)
Kim Stanley Robinson's parody "Down and Out in the year 2000" appears in IASF (Apr.)
Norman Spinrad's "The Neuromantics" published in IASF (May)
John Shirley confounds the elders at the Science Fiction Research Association panel "Cyberpunk or Cyberjunk" (June 28)
Cheap Truth ceases publication (Aug.)
Michael Swanwick's "A User's Guide to the Post Moderns" published in IASF (Nov.)
Mirrorshades published (Dec.)
Interzone reprints "the New Science Fiction" by Vincent Omniaveritas (Winter)
Paul Di Filippo completes first draft of Ciphers (Oct. 7)
Neuromancer published in Italy [Neuromante]
Max Headroom Coke commercial debuts (mid-March)
1987
First German translation of Neuromancer published by Heyne
Science Fiction Eye premiers with all cyberpunk issue
Robocop released
Akira released
Bubble Gum Crisis begins in Japan
Decoder magazine begins in Italy
Mirrorshades published in Germany [Spiegelschatten]
Mirrorshades published in France [Mozaert en verres miroirs]
Reality Hackers begins publication
Max Headroom television series (the American version) premiers on ABC (Mar. 31). Thirteen episodes show before the program is cancelled
Max Headroom cover story in Newsweek (Apr. 20)
When Gravity Fails published
1988
In England, Max Dowhham's "Cyberpunk: the Final Solution" published in Vague
Islands in the Net published
Mississippi Review entire issue published devoted to cyberpunk; academic colonization of the Movement begins in earnest
Metrophage published
Shatter graphic novel published
Going GaGa begins publication
bOING bOING begins publication
Wetware published (Apr.)
The Internet worm strikes (Nov.)
Mona Lisa Overdrive published (Nov.)
Mirrorshades published in Brazil [Reflexo do Futuro]
Mirrorshades published in Japan (Spring)
Interplay releases the Neuromancer Game; a computer role-playing game for the Apple II, Commodore C64, and Amiga
Saibapanku Amerika [Cyberpunk America] by Tatsumi Takayuki published in Japan
Neuromancer computer game released by Interplay for Apple, Commodore and Amiga systems
1989
Wetware wins the Philip K. Dick Award
"Fiction 2000" conference held in Leeds (June)
Mondo 2000 begins publication
Neuromancer: The Graphic Novel published
The Cuckoo's Egg published
Semiotext(e):SF published
Cherry [comix] special cyberpunk issue published
Crystal Express published
Tetsuo:The Iron Man released
Timothy Leary interviews William Gibson
Phrack #24 distributed containing the E911 document hacked from BellSouth (Feb. 24)
Shadowrun computer game released
German jazz band, Blauer Hirsch, release their album Cyberpunk on FMP Records years before Billy Idol
1990
The Difference Engine published
Hardware released
EFF founded
Secret Service raids Steven Jackson Games in Austin (Mar. 1)
Harper's Magazine publishes "Is Computer Hacking a Crime?", a transcript of a WELL conference during which Phiber Optik hacks the TRW database and distributes John Barlow's credit history (Mar.)
Operation Sun Devil (May 7-9)
Paul Di Filippo's "Ribofunk" published in bOING bOING #2 (Winter)
In England, The Hardcore special "Cyberpunk is Dead" issue published (Winter)
alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo begins
Finnish edition of Mirrorshades [Peililasit] published
Infocom releases "Circuit's Edge," a computer role-playing game/Graphic Adventure for PC/DOS based on Effinger's When Gravity Fails.
Neuromancer published in Hungary [Neuromanc]
Cyberpunk video released by Mystic Fire
1991
Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism published
Storming the Reality Studio published
Synners published
Terminator 2 released
The Silicon Man published
Transreal! published
U.S. intelligence agents reportedly cripple Iraqi air defense computers with a virus during the Gulf War (Jan)
Lewis Shiner announces in the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times that he has resigned from cyberpunk (Jan.7)
Steven Jackson Games sues the Secret Service (May 1)
"Michelangelo" virus media panic begins (Dec.)
Finnish edition of Neuromancer [Neurovelho] published
La Primera Calle de la Soleda by G.H. Porcayo published in Mexico
1992
EFF moves to Washington D.C. and is immediately compromised
The Hacker Crackdown published
Snow Crash published
Mondo 2000: A User's Guide to the New Edge published
Lawnmower Man released
"Michelangelo" doomsday; nothing happens (Mar. 6)
Jaron Lanier loses his patents to his creditors (Nov)
Future Sex begins publication (Nov)
Freejack released
Tetsuo: Body Hammer released
1993
Wired begins publication
Virtual Light published
Fringe Ware Review begins publication
Nemisis released. Gibson will later praise the film as "sort of early Gibson meets Terminator 2 ... it has a few bits that are just brilliant Cyberpunk."
Bubble Gum Crisis released in the West
Time Magazine "Cyberpunk" cover story; real cyberpunks outraged (Feb. 8)
Court rules in favor of Steven Jackson Games, Secret Service ordered to pay damages (Feb.)
Wild Palms premiers (May 16)
Billy Idol's new album Cyberpunk released; real cyberpunks outraged (July)
Flame Wars; The Discourse of Cyberculture published
Deus X published (Jan)
Shirow Masamune's "Ghost in the Shell" appears in the Japanese magazine Young Jump
Sony releases Johnny Mnemonic Game for PC/MAC - Full Motion Video Game.
1994
The Hacker and the Ants published
Data Trash published
Cyberia published
"VNS Manifesto" published in Unnatural: Techno-theory for a Contaminated Culture
Phiber Optic begins serving a 13 month sentence for computer intrusion and conspiracy (Jan.)
In Paris, "Cyber SM" gives first public demonstration of virtual sexuality, S&M style (Jan.)
Line Noiz e-zine distributes results of its opinion poll "Does Cyberpunk Still Exist?"; no conclusions, as usual (Aug. 12)
Western news media reports two thirds of Russian computer users have encountered viruses, 85% of those viruses were Russian made (Nov.)
Crypt Newsletter begins
10th anniversary edition of Neuromancer published (July)
Neuromancer published in Israel [Noiromanser]
Mirrorshades published in Israel [Mishkefe shemesh kesufim]
1995
Diamond Age published
EFF retreats to San Francisco
The Cyberpunk Handbook published; cynical opportunism reaches new low
Synthetic Pleasures released
The Net released
Hackers released
From Australia, Geekgirl debuts on the Net (Jan.)
Kevin Metnick arrested by the FBI for numerous computer crimes (Feb. 15)
Italian police raid BITS Against the Empire BBS accusing the computer group of subversion (Feb. 28)
Wired UK edition begins (March)
The Steampunk Trilogy published (Apr.)
VR 5 premiers (May 24)
Virtual Futures conference meets at Warwick University (May 26-28)
Johnny Mnemonic released (May 26)
Silencio en la Memoria anthology published in Mexico
... Post-Johnny ...
Arthur & Marilouise Kroker publish "Johnny Mnemonic: The Day Cyberpunk Died" in Ctheory (June)
Gibson’s screenplay for Johnny Mnemonic published (June)
Western news sources identify Bulgaria as the leading exporter of computer viruses
Bruce Bethke's Head Crash published (September)
Strange Days is released (Oct.)
K.W. Jeter's Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human published-- to the consternation of all (Nov.)
1996
Escape Velocity; Cyberculture at the End of the Century published
Clinton signs Communications Decency Act into US law (Feb. 8)
Future Sex goes online
Ramones break up
Ribofunk! collection published (Mar.)
Head Crash wins the Philip K. Dick Award (Apr. 5)
Datableed - the second Virtual Futures conference meets (May)
Wired magazine, as a preliminary action to a planned IPO, files a prospectus with the SEC valuing itself at $447 million -- 17 times greater than its actual revenues. Much derision follows in the financial press (May 30)
Sex Pistols reunion tour begins at Hollola, Finland (June 21)
Holy Fire Published (July)
Idoru published (Sept.)
Kyoko Date, the virtual girl, activated
Hacking the Future by Arthur & Marilouise Kroker published
Wired magazine's IPO tanks (Oct. 24)
Blade Runner 3: Replicants Night by K.W. Jeter published -- for no good reason (Nov)
Ghost in the Shell opens in the US
1997
In Bulgaria, Kirtchev proclaims a new "Cyberpunk Manifesto." English and Spanish translations soon appear (Feb. 14)
Wired UK edition folds (Feb)
Freeware published (April)
US Supreme Court rules Communications Decency Act unconstitutional (Jun 26)
Blade Runner [computer game] released by Westwood (Nov)
First authorized Russian translation of Neuromancer [Neiromant] published by Terra Fantastica
Ciphers published
Saiba Panku Handobukka: Nihonban, a Japanese translation of the loathsome The Cyberbpunk Handbook, published – though God knows why
1998
Gibson / Maddox episode, "Kill Switch" premiers on The X-Files (Feb 15)
Burning Chrome stage adaptation opens in Chicago (Feb 6)
"Post/Cyberpunk Symposium" appears in Nova Express (Spring)
Abel Ferrara's film, New Rose Hotel, opens at the Venice Film Festival (Sept. 9)
Tea from an Empty Cup published
Terra Virtual: Navegantes del Milenio anthology published in Mexico
El Holograma Irlandes published in Mexico
The Cyberpink Project and Cyberpunk Information Database begins (Nov)
1999
Norwegian edition of Neuromancer [Nevromantiker] published Paul Di Filippo's "As Through a Pair of Mirrorshades Darkly" published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (Feb.)
"Melissa" computer virus strikes (Mar. 26)
Matrix released (Mar. 31)
eXistenZ is released (Apr)
Sangue Sintetico: Anthologia del Cyberpunk Italiano published
All Tomorrow's Parties published (Oct.)
Y2K apocalypse enters final countdown. (Dec. 31)
2000
Earth's computer systems do not crash. The world does not end. (Jan. 1)
Gibson episode "First Person Shooter" airs on The X-Files (Feb. 27)
"I Love You" virus wrecks havoc on the world's computers (May 4)
Rudy Rucker's Realware published (May 12)
Colophon
A lot more formatting is coming up.