<img width="3000" height="2400" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hs-1996-09-a-print1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Hubble Telescope photos of Pluto" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hs-1996-09-a-print1.jpg 3000w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hs-1996-09-a-print1-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hs-1996-09-a-print1-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hs-1996-09-a-print1-1024x819.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" />

1996 – Even though Pluto was first seen in 1930, we didn’t have the ability to take a decent picture of the furthest planet… er… dwarf planet… er… (dang you Neil deGrasse Tyson!!!). The Hubble telescope finally was powerful enough to take photos of Pluto’s surface. They spent over 6 days taking snapshots and learning all about this distant neighbor.

Astronomers found that Pluto had a complex surface, just like Earth. Many basins and craters were discovered during that six day photo session.

<img width="408" height="599" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/408px-Hacker_troll1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/408px-Hacker_troll1.jpg 408w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/408px-Hacker_troll1-204x300.jpg 204w" sizes="(max-width: 408px) 100vw, 408px" />

EDITOR NOTE: I received documentation that shows this event actually happened on March 5th. This will be corrected on Wikazine.com and changed for next year.

1986 –  Fremont, California police set up a BBS called “Phoenix Fortress” in order to do one thing – catch cyber criminals. Sgt. Dan Pasquale was the online contact with the handle “Revenger”. He continued to stay in contact with hundreds of of hackers and pirates in seven states through the BBS until they collected enough information to make an arrest.

Stolen credit card numbers, long distance codes, selling weapons, hacking information and more were divulged through this BBS. A lot of the arrests were misdemeanors and many arrests were made against teens – ranging from 15 to 19 years old.

Those who were convicted lost their computer equipment. The original warrants were issued on Feb 26th, so some arrests may have been made in the first few days of March.

<img width="528" height="375" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ZX81_Sinclair_Research_advert1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Sinclair ZX81" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ZX81_Sinclair_Research_advert1.jpg 528w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ZX81_Sinclair_Research_advert1-300x213.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px" />

1981 – The successor to the Sinclair ZX80, Britain’s most popular home computer – the Sinclair ZX81 was launched by Sinclair Research – a Timex Corporation. It was a popular computer mostly because of the price – £69.95 ($99) or £49.95 in kit form.

The cheap computer had only a fraction of components that an Apple II did. Yet the Apple II was around £699. The Sinclair ZX81 only had 1 kB RAM with option to upgrade to 16 kB. The graphics were only in monochrome and the Z80 CPU ran at 3.25 MHz – 8-bit. This was actually faster than the Apple II processor (1.08 MHz) and only outbested by the IBM PC (4.77 MHz at 16-bit). The TI99/4A procesor was a 3Mhz 16-bit chip.

You could get a tape drive and printer, bringing the system up to about £160 ($250). The computer was succeeded by the ZX Spectrum.

<img width="2720" height="3300" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PS2-Fat-Console-Set1.png" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Playstation 2" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PS2-Fat-Console-Set1.png 2720w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PS2-Fat-Console-Set1-247x300.png 247w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PS2-Fat-Console-Set1-768x932.png 768w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PS2-Fat-Console-Set1-844x1024.png 844w" sizes="(max-width: 2720px) 100vw, 2720px" />

2000 – The Playstation 2 was released in Japan to rival Sega’s Dreamcast system and Nintendo Game Cube. The Playstation 2 had an “Emotion Engine” processor at 294 MHz (later 299 MHz with 128 bit capabilities), 32 MB RAMBUS memory, Graphics synth at 147 MHz, USB 1.1, Ethernet connection and 2 memory card slots which could accept up to 8 MB cards.

The Sony Playstation 2 didn’t hit the US market until October, 2000. Some say PS2 caused Dreamcast to falter and eventually close down. Many believed this was because the PS2 was backwards compatible with games from the original Playstation.

Sony’s game console sat unopposed for 6 months after Dreamcast stopped production. That is, until Nintendo released the Game Cube and Microsoft released XBox.

<img width="488" height="626" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pioneer_10_Construction1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Pioneer 10" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pioneer_10_Construction1.jpg 488w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Pioneer_10_Construction1-234x300.jpg 234w" sizes="(max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px" />

1972 – NASA launched the Pioneer 10 (a.k.a. Pioneer F) from Cape Canaveral, FL. This was the first spacecraft to traverse an astroid belt. The craft collected the environmental information around Jupiter. This included solar wind, cosmic rays and other events.

Pioneer 10 successfully reached Jupiter in November 1973. It took 60 days to collect multiple pieces of information as the craft was in range of the planet. It continued on an unknown journey – passing Saturn in 1976, Uranus in 1979 and Neptune in 1983. The craft continued to send data even after the mission had officially ended in 1997.

In 2003, Pioneer 10’s signal was too weak to retrieve data – 12 billion KM away. No response has been received, so we don’t know if the spacecraft continues on its course or was destroyed.

<img width="1280" height="905" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1280px-D_inside1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Delphi Software" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1280px-D_inside1.jpg 1280w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1280px-D_inside1-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1280px-D_inside1-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/1280px-D_inside1-1024x724.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />

1995 – Programming language Delphi was released by Borland. Delphi is an object oriented derivative of the Pascal programming language meant for Windos and Mac OS in 32-bit and 64-bit. It was the successor to Borland Pascal.

Delphi is still in release – XE7. It has ported over to current desktop and mobile devices including Android devices. Software such as Oracle SQL Developer, MySQL Admin tools, Skype, WinRAR, Nero Burning Rom, Partition Magic, Media Monkey, Ultimate Paint, Age of Wonders and multiple emulators were all written on Delphi at one point in time.

<img width="582" height="580" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Steve Jackson Games" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1.jpg 582w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1-320x320.jpg 320w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/19137_298525931006_6808988_n1-1-65x65.jpg 65w" sizes="(max-width: 582px) 100vw, 582px" />

1990 – The secret service and Austin TX police raided Steve Jackson Games, along with the home of Loyd Blankenship, writer of GURPS Cyberpunk. Four computers, two laser printers and all of the companies’ hardware was seized. This was a part of a nationwide data piracy investigation.

It was a very sketchy reason for why the roleplaying and gaming company got raided this hard. This also brought on a six month battle to get back their hardware, which they finally were able to retrieve all but one hard drive. Finally, on October 21, 1990, Steve Jackson Games got to look at the warrant and reason why they were raided.

It turned out Blankenship was doing research for his book. He visited and talked alot about questionable topics at his home and at his work – Steve Jackson Games.

This incident sparked the creation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation –  a nonprofit dedicated to the constitutional rights of computer users.

<img width="265" height="190" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/FCC-day-in-tech-history.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="FCC" decoding="async" />

<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-21042 alignleft" data-tf-not-load src="http://vid.geekazine.com/dith/uploads/2013/02/FCC-day-in-tech-history.jpg" alt="FCC" width="186" height="133" /> February 28, 1966: FCC creates Right to Privacy[/caption]

During non-leap years, this Day in Tech History episode will be for the 28th and 29th.

1966 (Feb 28) – With all these ways to listen in on a conversation, the FCC has to make a ruling to protect the rights of US citizens. They create the Right to Privacy act which bands evesdropping or direct and indirect use of radio – controlled devices.

<img width="300" height="326" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="Apple Newton" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history.jpg 300w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history-276x300.jpg 276w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-21046 alignleft" data-tf-not-load src="http://vid.geekazine.com/dith/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history-276x300.jpg" alt="Apple Newton" width="193" height="210" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history-276x300.jpg 276w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/apple-newton-day-in-tech-history.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 193px) 100vw, 193px" /> February 27, 1998: Apple Newton is discontinued[/caption]

1998 – After Steve Jobs takes the role of Acting CEO (After the firing of Gil Amelio) he decides to trim some of the product fat. In result, the Apple Newton – it’s attempt at a PDA – was officially discontinued after 5 years.  But not all was lost off this, for the mobile applications got shifted into their other Mac OS technologies. Cyberdog and OpenDOC were two other Apple programs that were discontinued after Jobs took the helm again.

<img width="400" height="417" data-tf-not-load src="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="WorldWideWeb" decoding="async" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history.jpg 400w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history-287x300.jpg 287w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />

<img decoding="async" class="wp-image-21044 alignleft" data-tf-not-load src="http://vid.geekazine.com/dith/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history-287x300.jpg" alt="WorldWideWeb" width="230" height="240" srcset="https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history-287x300.jpg 287w, https://dayintechhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/worldwideweb-day-in-tech-history.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px" /> February 26, 1991: Sir Tim Berners Lee Shows the WorldWideWeb via Browser[/caption]

1991 – Sir Tim Berners-Lee showed everyone the first web browser and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML editor. The Browsers’ name was called “WorldWideWeb”, but was later changed to “Nexus”. Berners-Lee ran it on the NeXTSTEP platform and worked with not only the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), but the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Nexus is not in production anymore.