software history

The 1950s

* Computers become extensively used for business applications

* First contract programming firms formed
The 1960s

* Contract programming services industry grows rapidly; some companies go public

* First software products come on the market

* ICP Quarterly, a catalog of available software programs, first published in January, 1967

* Thousands of companies formed by the end of the decade

* IBM announces unbundling in June, 1969
The 1970s

* Software products become accepted by customers

* First ICP Million Dollar Awards given to 29 software products in 1971

* Software industry grows rapidly despite lack of financing sources; Cullinane Corp goes public in 1978 (first software product company to go public)

* First PC software companies founded