CAD is now 40 years old. The concept of computer-aided design goes back to 1961, when Ivan Sutherland wrote his Ph. D. thesis at MIT describing the "Sketchpad." Two years later, he implements his theory in software running on a TX-2 computer, one of the rare interactive computers of the time. In the 40 years following, computer-aided design becomes a multibillion-dollar industry.

The events listed here are by no means complete, but rather give you a selective overview of what was happening in the realms of software, hardware, and operating systems over the last six years. You get a flavor of what life is like in the CAD community by the mention of corporate births, mergers, and deaths, along with descriptions of lawsuits and marketing efforts.