Chronology of Personal Computer Software

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URL: https://pctimeline.info/software/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2022 April 29.

2000

February 4
  • Electronic Arts releases The Sims game for the PC. (Almost one million copies sell in the first two months. 16 million copies of all versions are sold through 2006.) [1247.52] [1651.48] [2369.30] [2583.150]
February 17
  • In San Francisco, California, Microsoft unveils the Windows 2000 operating system. Upgrade price is US$189 from Windows 95 or Windows 98, or US$129 from Windows NT. (1.5 million copies are sold in the first two months.) [1031.14] [1036.22] [1233.135] [1236.98] [1249.32] [1464.116] [1559] [1624.238] [1636.54] [1648.53] [1734.66] [1739.20] [1897.132]
April
  • Corel acquires four applications from MetaCreations: Painter, Bryce, Kai's Power Tools, KPT Vector Effects. [2226.18]
June 29
  • Havas Interactive releases the game Diablo II for personal computers. (One million copies sell in the first two weeks, making this the fastest-selling computer game to date. Total sales in its lifetime: 15 million copies.) [1729.35] [2369.30] [2407.125]
December (month)
  • Top selling computer game in the USA during the month: The Sims. [2535.32]
Year
  • Top selling personal computer game of the year: The Sims, 1,775,788 units. [2532.104]

2001

February
  • At the Macworld Expo trade show, Steve Jobs and John Carmack debut Doom III. [2347.31]
May (month)
  • Top selling personal computer game in the USA for the month: Myst III: Exile. [2348.32]
June 27
  • Comedy Central airs the South Park TV show in the USA. A personal computer appears, with program called "PhotoWiz", a spoof of Photoshop. [2485]
June (month)
  • Top selling computer game during the month in the USA: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. [2609.28]
October 25
  • Microsoft launches the Windows XP operating system in the US. The software is based on Windows NT and Windows 2000, but includes a Compatibility Mode allowing most software written for older Windows versions to operate correctly. Several people can be logged in at once, quickly swapping between separate desktops. Prices are US$199 (Home Edition) and US$299 (Professional Edition). Upgrade prices are US$99 (Home Edition) and US$199 (Professional Edition). The source code is 50 million lines. [1219.37] [1267.112] [1417.7] [1446.16] [1559] [1772.70] [1897.132]
October (month)
  • Top selling computer game in the United States for the month: Command & Conquer Red Alert 2. [1856.16]
  • Top selling computer game in the United Kingdom for the month: Championship Manager '01/'02 by Eidos. [1856.16]
November
  • Corel releases the CorelDraw 10 and Photo-Paint 10 software for the Mac OS X. [2226.18]
November (month)
  • Top selling computer game in Japan for the month: Gundam Tactics. [2534.26]
End of 2000-2001. Next: 2002.
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1972-1979 1980-1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992-1993 1994-1995 1996-1997 1998-1999 2000-2001 2002-2003 2004 2005
2006-end


A list of references to all source material is available.

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