CompuServe

CompuServe was the first major commercial online service, launching consumer operations in 1979 and becoming the original online portal with email, chat rooms, forums, and file sharing. The service pioneered many internet concepts including the first commercial email system (1979) and real-time chat with its "CB Simulator" (1980).

Why CompuServe Matters

CompuServe established the template for online communities and digital communication that defines the internet today, creating the first large-scale consumer experience of being "online." The service also invented the GIF image format, which became the most common format for web images in the 1990s and remains popular for animations today.