Chronology of Events
in the
History of Microcomputers
Last updated: 1998 January 26.
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[1926-1970][1971-1976][1977-1980][1981-1983][1984-1986][1987-1990][1991-1993][1994-1996][1997-1998]
1981-1983
1981
-
January
-
Radio Shack ceases production of the TRS-80 Model I, and recalls units
from the US market, due to failure to meet new FCC radio-frequency interference
regulations.
-
Osborne Computer Corporation is incorporated.
-
The International Winter Consumer Electronics Show is held in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
-
Casio demonstrates the FX-9000P, with a 5 inch CRT, keyboard, keypad, removable
memory modules, and 256x128 graphics.
-
Commodore announces the VIC-20, with full-size 61-key plus four function
key keyboard, 5KB RAM expandable to 32KB, 6502A CPU, 22 character by 23
line text display, and color graphics, for US$300. During its life, production
peaks at 9,000 units per day.
-
February
-
Steve Wozniak's private plane crashes, leaving him with a temporary loss
of short-term memory, lasting for over a month.
-
Intel introduces the iAPX432 at the
International Solid State Circuits Conference.
-
MS-DOS runs for the first time on IBM's
prototype microcomputer.
-
Intel begins shipping evaluation sets
of the iAPX432 microprocessor. Performance is claimed as 2 MIPS.
-
Curt and Kathy Preston open the Byte Shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
-
Mattel test-markets the keyboard component of the Intellivision in Fresno,
California.
-
March
-
Sinclair unveils the ZX81, based on the Z80A microprocessor, for under
US$200.
-
Mike Markkula takes over as president and chief executive officer at Apple
Computer. Steve Jobs remains as chairman of the board.
-
April
-
Tim Patterson quits Seattle Computer Products, and joins Microsoft.
-
The sixth West Coast Computer Faire is held, in San Francisco, California.
-
Adam Osborne, of Osborne Computer Corporation, introduces the Osborne 1
Personal Business Computer at the West Coast Computer Faire. It features
a Z80A CPU, 5-inch display, 64KB RAM, keyboard, keypad, modem, and two
5.25-inch 100KB disk drives for US$1795. Weight: 24 pounds. It also includes
US$1500 worth of software, including CP/M, BASIC, WordStar, and SuperCalc.
Osborne anticipated selling 10,000 in total, but sales quickly reached
10,000 in a single month. (nearly US$2000 worth of software)
-
May
-
The National Computer Conference is held in Chicago, with attendance of
73,000.
-
Xerox unveils the Star 8010, at the
National Computer Conference. Many features that were developed on the
Alto are incorported. At a starting price of US$16-17,000, the computer
is not a commercial success.
-
Atari announces the 8KB Atari 400 is being discontinued.
-
June
-
Microsoft reorganizes into Microsoft
Incorporated, with Bill Gates as President and Chairman, and Paul Allen
as Executive Vice President.
-
Microsoft persuades IBM to introduce its microcompute with a minimum of
64KB RAM. IBM had planned to only include 16KB.
-
July
-
Xerox announces the Xerox
820. During its development, it was code-named The Worm. It uses the Z80
CPU, CP/M, and BASIC. The price with a dual disk drive and display is US$3000.
-
Microsoft buys all rights to DOS
from Seattle Computer Products, and the name MS-DOS is adopted.
-
IBM introduces its first desktop computer,
the Datamaster. It uses a 16-bit 8086, and is a dedicated data processing
machine.
-
The first IBM PCs roll off the assembly
lines.
-
Mike Scott resigns from Apple Computer.
-
August
-
IBM announces the IBM
5150 PC Personal Computer, featuring a 4.77-MHz Intel
8088 CPU, 64KB RAM, 40KB ROM, one 5.25-inch floppy drive, and PC-DOS 1.0
(Microsoft's MS-DOS), for US$3000.
A fully loaded version with color graphics cost US$6000. The plunge of
IBM into the microcomputer market legitimized
the industry for the rest of the world. This also established the preeminence
of the Intel 8086-family and the Microsoft
MS-DOS operating system.
-
IBM announces the CGA graphics card for
the PC, giving 640x200 resolution with 16 colors.
-
Quote from Tandy president John Roach, regarding IBM's entry into the microcomputer
field: "I don't think it's that significant".
-
Apple Computer runs a full-page ad in
the Wall Street Journal with a headline that reads "Welcome IBM.
Seriously.".
-
Vector Graphic makes its first public stock offering of US$13 million.
-
September
-
Microsoft begins work on a graphical
user interface for MS-DOS, initially called Interface Manager, because
it would effectively hide the interface between programs and devices like
printers and video cards.
-
Osborne Computer Company has its first US$1 million sales month.
-
Apple Computer introduces its first
hard drive, the 5MB ProFile, for US$3500.
-
IBM begins shipping the IBM
PC, ahead of schedule, something unheard of in the microcomputer industry.
-
The Fourth Personal Computer World Show is held, in London England.
-
Sinclair Research and W H Smith sign an agreement for W H Smith to sell
the ZX-81 in its retail stores in England, for a trial 1-year period.
-
Acorn Computer Ltd. introduces the BBC Microcomputer System. It features
a 6502A CPU, up to 48 KB RAM, 73-key keyboard, and 16 color graphics.
-
October
-
The ZX81 is introduced to the American market, for US$150.
-
November
-
Ashton-Tate ships dBASE II, the early industry-standard database program.
-
Microsoft, Incorporated becomes
Microsoft Corporation.
-
December
-
National Semiconductor announces the 32000
chip, the first commercial 32-bit microprocessor. The 32000 family includes
CPUs and peripheral chips.
-
(month unknown)
-
(late fall) Apple Computer officially
reintroduces the Apple III, with improved software and a hard disk.
-
(month unknown)
-
Bally licenses Commodore to manufacture its arcade games into cartridges
for the VIC-20.
-
(month unknown)
-
Toshiba demonstrates its T200 and
T250 systems.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
W.H. Sim founds Creative Technology in Singapore.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
Astrovision releases the Bally Computer System.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
Hayes Microcomputers Products' employee, Dale Heatherington, develops the
+++ escape sequence for modems.
-
(month unknown)
-
APF introduces the Imagination Machine II at the 1981 Winter Consumer Electronics
Show. It features a 6800 CPU, 27KB RAM, two 5.25 inch disk drives, built-in
cassette drive, 53-key keyboard, and 32x16 character display caability
for US$1600.
-
(month unknown)
-
Vector Graphic Inc. unveils the first personal computer with a built-in
hard disk drive, for US$7950.
-
(month unknown)
-
Tandy Corporation sues Personal Microcomputers Inc. for copyright infringement
on the design of the TRS-80.
-
(month unknown)
-
At COMDEX, Tecmar introduces 20 add-on peripherals for the IBM
PC, the first such third-party developer.
-
(month unknown)
-
Texas Instruments announces that it is
getting out of the magnetic bubble memory market.
-
(month unknown)
-
Apple Computer prohibits mail-order
sales of Apple computers, claiming there is no provision for customer education
or services.
1982
-
January
-
The US Justice Department throws out the antitrust lawsuit filed against
IBM 13 years ago.
-
The 1982 Winter Consumer Electronics Show is held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
-
Commodore introduces the Commodore Ultimax, for US$150.
-
Kazuhiko Nishi, Mocrosoft's representative in Japan, shows Bill Gates a
drawing of a prototype for a portable computer, using a new liquid crystal
display developed by Hitachi. Gates and Nishi begin designing the detais
of the computer, which Kyocera Corporation in Japan had agreed to manufactur.
-
Commodore announces the Commodore 64 (6510, 64KB RAM, 20KB ROM with Microsoft
BASIC, custom sound, color graphics, for US$600) for US$595. During 1983,
the price drops to US$200. It becomes the best selling computer of all
time, with estimated sales of 17-22 million units. It is the first personal
computer with an integrated sound synthesizer chip.
-
Commodore introduces the 16K SuperVIC.
-
Commodore introduces the VIC Modem, a 300 baud cartridge modem for US$110.
-
Texas Instruments introduces a peripheral
expansion unit for the TI-99/4, for US$250.
-
Astrovision introduces the ZGrass-32 personal computer add-on to the Astro
Professional Arcade, for US$600. It uses a Z-80 CPU.
-
Toshiba America previews its first
personal computer, the Model T-100. It uses a Z-80A, a flat panel LCD display,
and supports up to 32KB RAM and 32KB ROM in cartridges.
-
In the first 10 months of sale, 250,000 Sinclair ZX81 microcomputers have
been delivered.
-
Sharp introduces the Sharp PC-1500 Hand Held Personal Computer. It comes
with 16KB ROM, and 3.5KB RAM. Price for computer is US$300. Price for tiny
color graphics printer that attaches to the side, US$250.
-
Atari begins shipping all Atari 800 units with GTIA graphics chips, allowing
three more graphics modes than previously.
-
Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model 16. It uses a 16-bit Motorola
MC68000.
-
Radio Shack introduces the PC-2 Pocket Computer for US$280. It has a 26-character
display, with upper and lower case characters. It is expandable to 16KB.
-
Davong Systems Incorporated is formed.
-
February
-
IBM split its Personal Computer development
team into three groups: one to work on the PC XT, one to develop the PCjr,
and one to start work on the PC AT.
-
Compaq Computer Corporation is founded
by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto, all former senior managers of
Texas Instruments.
-
Intel introduces the 80286 microprocessor.
It uses a 16-bit data bus, 134,000 transistors, and offers protected mode
operation. Initial price is US$360. It can access 16 MB of memory.
-
Sun Microsystems is founded.
-
March
-
April
-
Mitch Kapor founds Lotus Development
Corporation.
-
Xedex Corp. builds the Baby Blue card (a Z80 coprocessor card) to increase
software availability for the IBM PC.
-
Microsoft establishes a subsidiary
company in England.
-
Eight months after the introduction of the IBM
PC, 50,000 units have been sold.
-
Kazuhiko Nishi shows a prototype portable computer to Tandy/Radio Shack.
Tandy makes a committment to market the computer.
-
IBM first offers CP/M-86 for the IBM PC.
-
May
-
Future Computing Inc. quote: "CP/M 2.2 is extremely important, and the
Z80 chip will live forever because of it."
-
Vector Graphic hires Frederick Snow as new president and CEO.
-
Microsoft releases MS-DOS 1.1 to
IBM, for the IBM PC. It supports 320KB double-sided floppy disk drives.
Microsoft also releases MS-DOS 1.25,
similar to 1.1 but for IBM-compatible computers.
-
Timex Computer Corp. and Sinclair Research Ltd. announce an agreement for
Timex to market a 2KB version of the ZX-81 as the Timex/Sinclair 1000.
-
June
-
The National Computer Conference is held in Houston, Texas.
-
Epson shows a working prototype computer called the "Rising Star". It is
later introduced as the QX-10.
-
Coleco announces the ColecoVision video game system.
-
Sony Electronics demonstrates its
3.5 inch microfloppy disk system.
-
The first IBM PC clone, the MPC, is released
by Columbia Data Products.
-
Epson America, Inc.
announces the HX-20, a notebook-sized computer. It weighs only 3 pounds,
and is reported to run on internal batteries for up to 50 hours. It includes
16KB RAM, 32KB ROM, a full-size keyboard, built-in printer, and 20x4 character
LCD screen.
-
Cromemco Inc. announces the C-10 personal computer. It uses a 4-MHz Z-80A,
64KB RAM, and 80x25 screen, for US$1000.
-
Wang Labratories Ltd. introduces the Wang Professional Computer, for US$2700.
-
Commodore Business Machines Inc. introduces the Commodore Max Machine.
It has 16-color 40x25 screen capability, for US$180.
-
Commodore Business Machines Inc. introduces the BX256 16-bit multiprocessor
professional microcomputer. It includes 256KB RAM, an Intel
8088 for CP/M-86, 80-column screen, and built-in dual disk drives, for
US$3000.
-
Commodore Business Machines Inc. introduces the B128 microcomputer. It
features 128KB RAM, and a 80-column screen, for US$1700.
-
Commodore Business Machines Inc. introduces the P128 microcomputer. It
features 128KB RAM, TV connector, 40x25 16-color display, and 320x200 graphics,
for US$1000.
-
Lobo Drives International introduces the MAX-80 personal computer. It features
a 5-MHz Z-80, 64KB RAM, serial/parallel ports, and keyboard, for US$800.
-
Altos Computer Systems announces the ACS8600.
-
Toshiba America introducess its Toshiba
T100 personal computer.
-
Digital Equipment announces the dual-processor
Rainbow 100. It incorporates both Zilog
Z-80 and Intel 8088 microprocessors,
allowing it to run CP/M as well as CP/M-86 or MS-DOS.
-
July
-
Bill Gates hires James Towne, a manager from Tektronix, as first president
of Microsoft.
-
Boston's Computer Museum, devoted to documenting and displaying the evolution
of computer technology, is incorporated.
-
Intel announces the 80186 microprocessor.
-
Timex Computer Corp. begins selling the Timex Sinclair 1000 through over
1000 Timex retail outlets.
-
Apple Computer releases the Apple Dot
Matrix Printer, for US$700. It is a modified C.Itoh printer.
-
August
-
Microsoft releases Multiplan for
the Apple II and the Osborne I.
-
Hercules announces the Hercules
Graphics Card (HGC or HGA), with monochrome graphics at 720x348 resolution.
-
September
-
On-Line Systems changes its name to Sierra On-Line.
-
November
-
Lotus Development announces the Lotus
1-2-3 spreadsheet program at Comdex in Las Vegas.
-
VisiCorp announces the VisiOn graphical user interface at the Fall 1982
Comdex.
-
October
-
November
-
Compaq Computer introduces the Compaq
Portable PC: 4.77MHz 8088, 128KB RAM, 9-inch monochrome monitor, one 320KB
5.25-inch disk drive, price US$3000.
-
Satellite Software International introduces the WordPerfect word processing
program.
-
December
-
Satellite Software International ships WordPerfect 2.0 for DOS, for US$500.
-
Apple Computer becomes the first personal
computer company to reach US$1 billion in annual sales.
-
(month unknown)
-
(spring) Microsoft releases GW-BASIC,
with advanced graphics capabilities.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
(spring) IBM releases Digital Research's CP/M-86 for the IBM PC.
-
(month unknown)
-
(spring) Microsoft ships its Multiplan
spreadsheet program to IBM for testing
and marketing for the IBM PC.
-
(month unknown)
-
(summer) Microsoft receives its
first Macintosh prototype from Apple, for use in developing software for
the machine.
-
(month unknown)
-
(late) General Consumer Electronics introduces the Vectrex, the first home
gaming system with a built-in 9-inch monochrome vector monitor. Price:
US$200.
-
(month unknown)
-
Milton Bradley buys General Consumer Electronics.
-
(month unknown)
-
Mattel introduces the Intellivision II.
-
(month unknown)
-
An insurance company contracts with programmer Wilton Jones to create a
PC word processing program that mimicks Wang word processing. That program
becomes MultiMate.
-
(month unknown)
-
Astrovision renames the Bally Computer System as the Astrocade.
-
(month unknown)
-
Vector Graphic introduces the Vector 4 system, leaving them with US$3 million
in stock of the Vector 3 system.
-
(month unknown)
-
Franklin Computer Corp. unveils the Franklin Ace 1000, the first legal
(at the time) Apple II clone. It uses a 1.022 MHz 6502 CPU, and comes with
64KB RAM.
-
(month unknown)
-
Andrew Fluegelman begins distributing his PC-Talk communications software,
the first copyrighted program distributed as shareware.
-
(month unknown)
-
General Videotex Corporation begins the Delphi online service.
-
(month unknown)
-
Robert Lissner begins work on Apple Pie, which would be marketed by Apple
Computer as AppleWorks for the Apple II.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
Jack Tramiel resigns from Commodore Business Machines, but later takes
his position back.
-
(month unknown)
-
At the West Coast Computer Faire, Davong Systems introduces its 5MB Winchester
Disk Drive for the IBM PC, for US$2000.
-
(month unknown)
-
John Warnock founds Adove Systems.
-
(month unknown)
-
In the first 8 months since its introduction, 11,000 Osborne 1 computers
ship.
-
(month unknown)
-
Personal Software changes its name to VisiCorp.
-
(month unknown)
-
Mouse Systems introduces the first commercial mouse for the IBM
PC.
-
In 1982, Kaypro jumped on the personal computer bandwagon and rose quickly
to become a darling of the industry with sales hitting $120 million. Kaypro
was founded in 1952 as Non-Linear Systems, the first manufacturer of digital
voltmeters.
-
(month unknown)
1983
-
January
-
The Winter Consumer Electronics Show is held, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
-
Texas Instruments introduces the TI 99/2, using the TI-9995 16-bit microprocessor,
4.2KB RAM, 24KB ROM, 16-color graphics.
-
Apple Computer unveils the Lisa computer,
with 1MB RAM, 2MB ROM, 5MB hard drive. It is slow, but innovative. Its
initial price is US$10,000. The Lisa is based on the Xerox
Star System, and cost Apple Computer
US$50 million to develop. It is the first personal computer with a graphical
user interface (GUI). The software for it cost Apple
Computer US$100 million to develop.
-
Mattel shows the Intellivision III at the Consumer Electronics Show.
-
Apple Computer introduces the Apple
IIe for US$1400.
-
Apple Computer releases the Apple Letter
Quality Printer, for US$2200. It is a modified Qume printer.
-
VisiCorp (formerly Personal Software) sues Software Arts over rights to
VisiCalc.
-
Mattel demonstrates the Aquarius computer at the Winter CES. It has 4 KB
RAM, and a Z80A microprocessor. It is expected to sell for US$200.
-
Timex introduces the Timex 2000, which is their re-packaged Sinclair Spectrum
for the North American market. Price is US$149 for a 16KB model.
-
Atari introduces the 1200XL home computer, with 64KB RAM, and 256 color
capability. Price: US$900.
-
A full-page ad by Media Distributing offers a 44MB hard drive for US$4400;
22MB for US$3600; 11MB for US$2700.
-
Commodore's sales of VIC-20s reaches 1,000,000.
-
Time magazine selects the microcomputer as its "Man" of the Year.
-
Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3
Release 1.0 for MS-DOS.
-
Ziff-Davis begins publishing A+ magazine for Apple
Computer products.
-
February
-
Microsoft establishes a sibsidiary
company in West Germany.
-
March
-
Radio Shack announces its TRS-80 Model 100 laptop computer. Its light weight
and built-in software and modem make it popular with journalists and businessmen.
-
IBM announces the IBM
PC XT. It adds a 10 MB hard drive, three more expansion slots, and a serial
interface. With 128KB RAM and a 360KB floppy drive, it costs US$5000.
-
MS-DOS 2.0 for PCs is announced. It was written from scratch, supporting
10 MB hard drives, a tree-structured file system, and 360 KB floppy disks.
-
Microsoft creates a publishing division,
Microsoft Press.
-
The Eagle 1600, the first 8086-based PC, ships.
-
April
-
Microsoft introduces XENIX 3.0.
-
Vector Graphic fires Frederick Snow, with Lore Harp taking over again.
-
Microsoft introduces Multi-Tool
Word for DOS (later renamed Microsoft
Word) word processing program at Spring Comdex in Atlanta, Georgia.
-
John Sculley is hired at Apple Computer
as Chief Operating Officer.
-
Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3
Release 1.A.
-
May
-
Microsoft France opens its first office, in Paris, France.
-
Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model 4, with 4-MHz Zilog Z80A microprocessor,
64KB RAM, two 5.25-inch floppy drives, keyboard, and 12-inch B/W monitor,
for US$2000.
-
Microsoft introduces its first mouse,
"The Microsoft Mouse", including
card and software, for US$200.
-
Gavalin introduces a full-function portable computer.
-
June
-
Microsoft quote: "We have a long-term
relationship with IBM and have solid plans
involving PC-DOS."
-
The 1,000,000th Apple II is made.
-
Intel quote: "Accessing memory using
a segmented architecture holds many advantages over the earlier linear-addressing
method."
-
Mattel announces the scrapping of plans for the Intellivision III.
-
Mattel announces the Entertainment Computer System.
-
Coleco announces the Adam, a Z80-based computer with SmartWriter daisy
wheel printer, 80KB RAM (64KB user RAM, 16KB video RAM), 3 sound channels,
16 color graphics, 4 MC6801 microprocessors controlling operation of peripherals,
and 512KB tape-cartridge device, for US$600.
-
Shipments of Apple computers reach 1,000,000.
-
July
-
Apple officially begins marketing the Lisa computer.
-
AT&T Bell Labs designs C++.
-
Steve Wozniak returns to Apple Computer.
-
August
-
Jon Shirley replaces James Towne as president of Microsoft.
-
A US federal appeals court judge rules that Franklin Computers did violate
Apple Computer copyrights on computer
programs and the Apple Computer operating
system in ROM.
-
September
-
Osborne Computer Corp. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
-
Microsoft France releases Multiplan for the Apple II.
-
October
-
Atari begins shipping its XL computers.
-
Visi Corp releases VisiOn, an integrated software environment for PCs,
for US$1765.
-
Coleco begins shipping the Adam.
-
National Semiconductor ships samples of its 6-MHz 32-bit NS32032 microprocessor.
-
IBM introduces PC-DOS 2.1 with the IBM
PCjr.
-
IBM announces the IBM
3270 PC, an 8088-based system, for US$4290.
-
IBM announces the IBM
PC-XT Model 370, with 8088 CPU, 768K RAM, 360K drive, and 10 MB hard drive
for US$9000.
-
Quote from Spinnaker Software chairman William Bowman: "We're just sitting
here trying to put our PCjrs in a pile and burn them. And the damn things
won't burn. That's the only thing IBM did right with it - they made it
flameproof.".
-
Tandy/Radio Shack announces the "transportable" TRS-80 Model 4P, for US$1800.
It features a 4-MHz Zilog Z80A CPU, 64KB RAM, two 5.25-inch floppy drives,
and 9-inch B/W screen.
-
Compaq Computer introduces the Portable
Plus.
-
Texas Instruments withdraws from the personal
computer market.
-
November
-
Microsoft formally announces Microsoft
Windows.
-
Satellite Software International ships WordPerfect 3.0 for US$500.
-
Satellite Software International ships Personal WordPerfect for US$200.
-
Borland International releases Turbo
Pascal for CP/M and 8086-based computers.
-
IBM announces the IBM
PCjr, using Intel's 8088, for US$700
for the bare configuration.
-
Quote from Sierra On-Line founder and president, Ken Williams: "the PCjr
is bound to be around for a while".
-
Microsoft again shows Windows to
IBM, and again IBM
is not interested.
-
Microsoft officially releases Microsoft
Word, for US$375, or US$475 with the Microsoft
Mouse.
-
December
-
Apple Computer introduces the redesigned
Apple III as the Apple III+, for US$3000.
-
Apple Computer releases the Apple ImageWriter
for US$695. It is a modified C.Itoh printer.
-
Apple unveils the new Macintosh to the press.
-
20th Century Fox Videogames abandons the videogame business.
-
Compaq Computer makes its first public
stock offering, raising US$67 million.
-
In an obscure television market somewhere on the Great Plains, Apple
Computer runs its "1984" Macintosh ad, solely to make the ad eligible
for awards during 1984.
-
(month unknown)
-
(early) Nelma Data Corporation introduces the Persona microcomputer. It
features a 4-MHz Z80A, CP/M 2.3, 64KB RAM, dual single-sided 5.25-inch
floppy drives, for $3000.
-
(month unknown)
-
(summer) Starcom releases Dragon's Lair to arcade centers. It is the first
laser-disc based arcade game.
-
(month unknown)
-
(end) Atari ceases production of the Atari 5200.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
Commodore introduces the SX-64, the first color portable. Weight is 10.5
kg. It incorporates a 5 inch color monitor and one 5.25 inch floppy drive.
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
(month unknown)
-
Microsoft shows IBM
a raw version of Windows. IBM is not interested
as they are already developing what would be called TopView.
-
(month unknown)
-
Bjarn Stroustrup creates the C++ extension to the C programming language.
End of 1981-1983
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