With the launch of the new top level .uk domain name extension just around the corner, we’re taking a nostalgic look back at the best of British (and Irish!) when it comes to the internet and all things technology-related.

It’s an increasingly held belief that the UK has been losing ground when it comes to inventions and world leadership, but in fact, it couldn’t be any further from the truth. We’ve made some of the world’s most important technological advances, ranging from the world’s first supercomputer to the creation of HTML…and we’re confident that this is just the beginning. Here’s our list of some of the most notable Brits and their digital achievements.

World’s first programmer

If you were to hazard a guess at who the world’s first programmer was and when, you’d probably go for a university-educated man in the 1940s or 1950s. In fact, that title (arguably) goes to Lord Byron’s daughter, Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who was born in London in 1815.

World’s first programming language

Alongside Charles Babbage, a recognised ‘father of computing’, Ada Lovelace was also responsible for the first ever programming language. Although the code was never tested, it was designed for Analytical Engine, one of the first general-purpose computers.

World’s first digital programmable computer

This was called the Colossus and was created by engineer Tommy Flowers in order to decrypt German messages in WWII. You can see a recreation of it today at the UK Museum of Computing in Milton Keynes.

Inventor of microprogramming

Maurice Wilkes created the concept of microprogramming in 1951, although it didn’t come into mainstream use until the 1960s. He realised that a tiny program could be used to control a computer’s CPU, and the rest is history.

World’s first graphical computer game

In 1952, Alexander (Sandy) Douglas created the first ever computer game with graphics as part of his PhD at Cambridge University. Called OXO, the game consisted of playing noughts and crosses against a computer opponent.

World’s first laptop

The late 1970s and 1980s proved an important time for more practical hardware advancement, with key achievements by British experts including the first laptop, portable computer, and handheld computer. In 1979, the GRiD Compass became the world’s first laptop, and became commercially available three years later. Invented by Bill Moggridge, the GRiD Compass weighed in at 11lb and was popular with the US government, who bought it for NASA and the Special Forces.

First PDA

The 1980s saw British computer design and manufacturing company Psion develop the world’s first handheld computer, the Psion Organiser. This handy device was quickly followed by a second model two years later:

Creator of HTML, HTTP, the web and world’s first browser

One of the greatest Britons of all time, Tim Berners-Lee invented HTML in the 1980s, followed by the world wide web itself in 1989. He was responsible for the first successful connection between a HTTP client and server, and is also known for creating the first browser (somewhat confusingly called World Wide Web).

Tim continues to actively work developing web standards and was knighted in 2004. He was also awarded the first Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering last year due to his remarkable achievements.

Leading developers of the Linux kernel

Born in England, Andrew Morton is famed for being one of the leading developers of the Linux kernel, the foundation of the industry’s leading open source operating systems. Alan Cox was one of the first people to install Linux on a large network at Swansea University, and as a result encountered many bugs. After fixing them and rewriting much of the subsystem, he went one to become one of the most important developers to the Linux community.  

Raspberry Pi

Born in 2012, the Raspberry Pi created a huge buzz in the computing and web industries and was impossible to get hold of as a result. The tiny, cheap computer was developed in order to help kids develop an interest in programming, and is versatile enough to be used for all kinds of applications, from home entertainment systems to robotics.

Biggest internet-based major web economy

First reported in 2012 by the BBC, the UK is widely known for having the largest major web economy, and for having the world’s most enthusiastic online shoppers. With almost 75% of the UK’s online population buying online at least monthly, and nearly a quarter weekly, our internet economy is flourishing.

One of the world’s domain name leaders

Last November, Nominet recorded the total number of UK domains as being over 10.5 million (10,548,454) to be exact, with over a hundred thousand new registrations and 352,000 renewals over the month. The .co.uk extension is particularly successful; it’s the sixth most popular in the world, and the third most popular country-specific extension (behind Russia and Germany, both of which have substantially larger populations) (Source). The most expensive .co.uk sale on record, webhosting.co.uk, made the list of top five biggest domain name sales ever after being purchased for $500,000.

Where next?

With the new .uk domain name extension officially released next week, we’re expecting to see a renewed enthusiasm for the UK namespace and digital growth, with plenty of new online projects and businesses at every level.

We’re proud to be part of such an incredible UK legacy that has paved the way forward and set the standards for everything from hardware to programming to the web itself, and we’re excited to see what the future brings.