Significant new inventions in computing since 1980

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The Internet itself pre-dates 1980, but the World Wide Web (“distributed hypertext via simple mechanisms”) as proposed and implemented by Tim Berners-Lee started in 1989/90.

While the idea of hypertext had existed before (Nelson’s Xanadu had tried to implement a distributed scheme), the WWW was a new approach for implementing a distributed hypertext system. Berners-Lee combined a simple client-server protocol, markup language, and addressing scheme in a way that was powerful and easy to implement.

I think most innovations are created in re-combining existing pieces in an original way. Each of the pieces of the WWW had existed in some form before, but the combination was obvious only in hindsight.

And I know for sure that you are using it right now.

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