sequential, optional, and iterated elements. The original aim was IBM 5155 Feb. 16th to make COBOL batch file Feb. 16, 1984 processing easier to implement. The IBM 5155 Portable PC was JSP was joined by "Jackson IBM’s response to the Compaq John Thomas System Development" (JSD; Portable [Nov 4], which had 1982) for entire systems, and in been released a year earlier, and Gilmore, Jr. the 1990’s by the “Problem had sold well despite “portable” Frames Approach” which Born: Feb. 16, 1929; being a somewhat misleading extended his methods beyond Dorchester, Massachusetts label for a suitcase-sized device. Died: Jan. 17, 2015 information systems. The 5155 transplanted a PC/XT Jackson's two rules of program Gilmore played an important motherboard [March 8], into a optimization: 1. Don’t do it. 2. role in the programming of early Compaq-style luggable case, (For experts only) Don’t do it computers at MIT, including the along with a built-in 9" amber yet. Whirlwind [April 20], TX-0 [Nov monitor and two floppy drives. 20], and TX-2 [Feb 26]. In Oct. The combo weighed 30 pounds 1959, he and Charles Adams (13.6 kg), and didn’t include a [Feb 6], co-founded the first CBBS hard disk or batteries. software consulting firm, Charles W. Adams Associates, Feb. 16, 1978 and Adams and Gilmore also created the first interactive CBBS was the first public dialup computer game, involving a ball bulletin board system, created bouncing around the by Ward Christensen and Randy Whirlwind’s screen. Suess because of Chicago’s notoriously bad weather. In Gilmore wrote the first symbolic particular, due to the “Great assembler in 1951, which Blizzard of 1978” which lasted allowed programs to be written from Jan. 24 to 29. as a series of short, readable commands rather than as Christensen and Suess were numbers or punch codes. members of CACHE, the Chicago Nathan Rochester's [Jan 14] Area Computer Hobbyists’ The IBM 5155; the disk drive on better-known assembler Exchange, and Christensen had the right was installed later. Photo debuted in 1952. recently created a file transfer protocol called MODEM. by Hubert Berberich. CC BY-SA In the mid 1950’s, his utility 3.0. programs for the TX-0 included Snowed in, Christensen and FIND, which could search for Suess talked over the phone As a Compaq-beater, the 5155 keywords in other programs. His about building a computerized was disappointing, essentially "Scope Writer" utilized a light answering machine and message offering the same hardware but pen to mark dots on the screen, center for CACHE members. at a higher price. Also, the and its successor on the TX-2, Notably, it would allow them to Compaq was advertised as being "Lincoln Writer", could draw communicate without having to 100% IBM compatible, and mathematical and Greek risk hyperthermia by going to weighed slightly less. The 5155 symbols. It became a popular actual meetings. was superceded by the IBM tool on the PDP-1 and SAGE Christensen worked on the 5140 Convertible [April 3] two machines [June 26]. software (amounting to about years later. 20,000 lines of CP/M [June 22] The 5155 wasn’t IBM’s first assembly) and Suess built the venture into portable Michael Anthony hardware (around an Intel 8080 computing; that was the 5100, [April 18] and a 300-baud Hayes released in [Sept 9] 1975. Jackson (not the singer) [Jan 30] modem). The system was up and running within two Born: Feb. 16, 1936; weeks, operational on this day. Birmingham, UK For more bulletin board GSM Spec. "Jackson Structured systems, see [May 11], [Nov 28], Feb. 16-20, 1987 Programming" (JSP) was a [Dec 10]. The first GSM (Global System for popular methodology for designing programs in the late Mobile Communications) 1970's. It focused on a problem's technical specification was input and output, designing a agreed upon on this day at the program that processed that European Telecommunications data using a hierarchy of Standards Institute (ETSI). It

1 focused on supporting a digital The reality was that OpenDoc drum pads. The two games could 2G network optimized for voice components were invariably be linked for use in “session telephony, although it later large and slow. Also, the idea of play”. shifted towards data compound documents only communications (triggered by seemed to be useful in a few the rise of texting). specific cases, such as documents with graphics, and On July 1, 1991, the Finnish spreadsheets with charts. Prime Minister, Harri Holkeri, made the world’s first GSM call Apple was on the ropes over a privately operated financially at the time, and network; he spoke to Vice Mayor needed to cut back on Kaarina Suonio in Tampere, expenditure. Unsurprisingly, southern Finland. OpenDoc was scrapped, with Steve Jobs [Feb 24] explaining By 2014, GSM was the de facto that they “put a bullet through global standard for mobile (Cyberdog’s) head”. communications - with over a 90% market share, and Cyberdog derived its name from operating in over 200 countries. a cartoon in The New Yorker But more changes were on the magazine captioned “On the way. Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog” [July 5]. The Cyberdog icon The first 3G networks were was Susan Kare’s [Feb 5] introduced in Japan in 1998, dogcow [Oct 15], standing on a increasing data transmission globe. speeds up to a maximum of around 2 Mbps. This reflected the need for smartphones to be GuitarFreaks v4. Photo by able to transfer larger amounts GuitarFreaks tweisbach. CC BY-SA 2.0. of data (e.g. videos of cats) in reasonable amounts of time. Released GuitarFreaks laid the 4G’s introduction in Norway in Feb. 16, 1999 foundations for later music- 2009 increased speeds to based games, such as "Guitar between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps, GuitarFreaks was an arcade Hero" (2005) and "" so making the live-streaming of game produced by , (2007). Gradually , "Guitar cat activities a possibility. where the two controllers were Hero" became more popular, in the shape of electric guitars. perhaps because of its great The US Federal Communications The players competed by being selection of licensed music. In Commission (FCC) approved the graded on their note-by-note 2008, Konami responded by spectrum for 5G on July 14, accuracy when belting out a suing the developer. 2016. 5G incorporates features given song. The game included a for supporting the growing dozen tracks, predominantly importance of the Internet of rock and roll, and J-pop. Things (IoT [Sept 21]). This will make it feasible for your cat to Each guitar ‘neck’ housed three wear a camera 24/7. colored buttons, and a pick lever on the face of the guitar was

used to simulate picking and strumming. A metal knob near Cyberdog the pick was used to add effects, Released such as a chorus or delay. This game ran on Feb. 16, 1996 System 573 hardware, the same as used by Konami’s “Dance Cyberdog was Apple's OpenDoc- Dance Revolution” [Nov 18] based software suite, including BEMANI began as the brand an email and news reader, a web name for Konami’s lineup of browser, address book, and Rhythm Games, standing for drag-and-drop FTP [April 16]. . In fact, the first Its unique selling point was that BEMANI game was “Beatmania” OpenDoc components could be (1997), a “DJ simulator” . reused and embedded in other documents. For instance, a With the next release of Cyberdog web page could be GuitarFreaks (called the 2nd embedded in a slide Mix), Konami introduced presentation. DrumMania, a five-piece set of

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