This accessible compendium examines a collection of significant technology firms that have helped to shape the field of computing and its impact on society. Each company is introduced with a brief account of its history, followed by a concise account of its key contributions. The selection covers a diverse range of historical and contemporary organizations from pioneers of e-commerce to influential social media companies. Features: presents information on early computer manufacturers; reviews important mainframe and minicomputer companies; examines the contributions to the field of semiconductors made by certain companies; describes companies that have been active in developing home and personal computers; surveys notable research centers; discusses the impact of telecommunications companies and those involved in the area of enterprise software and business computing; considers the achievements of e-commerce companies; provides a review of social media companies.

Dr. Gerard O'Regan is a CMMI software process improvement consultant with research interests including software quality and software process improvement, mathematical approaches to software quality, and the history of computing. He is the author of such Springer titles as Giants of Computing, Mathematics in Computing, A Brief History of Computing, Introduction to Software Quality, Introduction to Software Process Improvement, and Mathematical Approaches to Software Quality.

Background

Adobe Systems

Amazon.com

Amdahl Corporation

Apple Inc.

Atari Inc.

Bell Labs

Cisco Systems

Commodore Business Machines

Dell Inc.

Digital Equipment Corporation

Digital Research Inc.

eBay Inc.

EMCC, Sperry and Unisys

Ericsson

Facebook

Google

HP

IBM

Intel

LEO Computers Ltd.

Microsoft

Motorola

Netscape Communications

Oracle Corporation

Philips

Rational Software

Samsung

SAP SE

Software Engineering Institute (SEI)

Sinclair Research Ltd.

Texas Instruments

Twitter

Unimation

Xerox PARC

Zuse KG

Epilogue