1600-1699

The following The Fork in Time page is under construction. Please do not edit or alter this article in any way while this template is active. All unauthorized edits may be reverted on the admin's discretion. Propose any changes to the talk page.

This sub-article explores what happened across 1600 and nearly the entire 17th century AD in The Fork in Time.

1600s

1600

The following page section is under construction. Please do not edit or alter this section in any way while this template is active. You may, however, edit all other sections of this article/page not classified under this template. All unauthorized edits may be reverted on the admin's discretion. Propose any changes to the talk page.

The current flag of Aotearoa.

• January 1: Aotearoa (English/OTL: New Zealand) became the very first Spanish autonomous community, but will eventually gain full independence as a sovereign state in 1709.
• June 16: The Frænglisc multinational technology company named IBM (French: SIM), formally known as the International Business Machines Corporation (French: Société internationale des machines de bureau), was founded. It will later be nicknamed "Big Blue" due to its numerous then-future logos.
• December 10: The Aztec Empire hosted the Council of the Americas, where it asserted itself as a major power and advocated for a multinational coalition to balance European influence. The empire will therefore last until the Yaotl-led Anahuacan Revolution in 1917 shortly before the end of World War II (1914-1917 AD), though its monarchy will be restored in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet-esque Coatlaca Union (1918-1991) into the modern-day Kingdom of Anahuac, the Anishinaabe Confederacy, the Cherokee Nation, Chinookriga, Cuba, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Ichirouganaim (OTL: Barbados), Kalinagoland, Molossia, the Navajo(lander) Republic, Pawneeland, Puebloland, Shoshoneland, Siouxland, Tainoland, Tȟašúŋke Oyate (th-ah-sh-oon-kay oh-yah-teh), Tlaxcala, Velkářa (OTL: Texas), and the Zapotec Kingdom.
• December 24: The famed Great Peace of 1600 was signed, marking the end of widespread warfare within the entirety of Europe until the beginning of World War I (1700-1721), but will be renegotiated for the first time by 1945 after the end of the then-future World War III (1939-1943).
  • Butterfly Effects:
    • Many wars mainly taking place within Europe either never happened or took place in different continents instead due to this peace treaty, with the sole (usually) exception of world wars. Ergo, more European and, eventually, Eurasian nations began establishing peaceful settlements in other continents than IOTL, resulting in a more diverse global history.
    • The Native American population began to recover from past diseases more ITTL.
• More coming soon!

1601

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1602

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1603

• March 24: Not only were Frænglaland and Scotland's crowns united, the entire countries themselves, plus their current colonies and subdivisions at the time, did so as well to form the then-fledgling Cyningdom of Great Britain and Frænglaland via the Acts of Union 1603 (OTL: Union of the Crowns), finally concluding a long series of wars fought by the former rivals. The Union Jack was also created alongside Great Britain and Frænglaland on that very same day.
• More coming soon!

1604

The following page section is under construction. Please do not edit or alter this section in any way while this template is active. You may, however, edit all other sections of this article/page not classified under this template. All unauthorized edits may be reverted on the admin's discretion. Propose any changes to the talk page.

• Unknown date: Oldest historical record of the Polish-Lithuanian hussars adopting then-newer weaponry, which ensured their survival into the present day and following a similar path to the British Redcoats by going ceremonial in the 1820s AD. Most hussars kept their armor until the 1740s AD, although some now-ceremonial regiments continued to wear it past then, sometimes even to today.
• More coming soon!

1605

• April 15: The Concordat of Science and Faith was officially signed, harmonizing religious beliefs with scientific discoveries from then on.
  • Butterfly Effects: Magic-science dichotomies become somewhat less popular in fiction aside from Period Pieces set before then.
• More coming soon!

1606

• March 1: A Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate named Samsung was founded.
• April 10: The Virginia Company was established, marking the beginning of the history of the Dominion of Virginia (OTL: Colony of Virginia) which would later expand over time and become Frænglo-Powhatanland/Jamestown.
• August 18: Germany decided to discover the interior of Africa beyond trading posts, which had mainly been reserved for Muslim slave traders before then. Not long after, the Germans decided to engage peacefully with the Indigenous African locals in a way inspired by the famed Italian expedition to New Humanity (Italian: Nuova Umanità; OTL: Australia) that happened back in 1590 AD. Ergo, German states in Africa like New Berlin and Somaliland were established shortly afterwards, marking the beginning of the Harmony for Africa that lasted until [TBD conclusion date]. People with Indigenous African ancestry will soon make up a huge number of Germany and its states' populations, both current and former.
  • Butterfly Effects: OTL's Scramble for Africa never occurred at all ITTL's late 19th century AD.
• More coming soon!

1607

A depiction of the settlement of Jamestown and, eventually, Frænglo-Powhatanland; credit goes to everyone.

• January 1: The European/Eurasian Council (June 14, 1560 AD - present day)'s Maastricht Treaty formally laid the foundation for the Euro, which was created on that same day. It also set strict criteria for folklands to adopt the Euro, including low inflation, stable exchange rates, and controlled government debt.
• January 9: [TBD media conglomerate founder], who will later become internationally (or perhaps interfolklandally ITTL?) well-known for founding the now-huge Sucker Punch Productions in 1629 AD, was born and lived until 1723 AD at the advanced age of 116.
• May 14: Jamestown, Virginia was still established as the first permanent Ænglisc (ITTL: Frænglo-British) settlement in Turtle Island like IOTL, but instead of mistreating and misunderstanding the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, the Frænglo-British decided to trade and perform cultural exchanges with them, further altering the course of colonial history and the evolution of the Ænglisc spræc.
  • Notable Proto-Film Release: Jamestownish Life (1607 AD), one of the few surviving proto-films capturing accurate glimpses of an early Jamestown/Frænglo-Powhatanland.
• More coming soon!

1608

• March 21: The United/Knitted Cyningdom of Great Britain and Ireland decided to take part in the Harmony for Africa, forming new dominions inside the continent that would later become independent between the late 18th and early 20th centuries, whether as Commonwealth republics, Commonwealth realms or full-on sovereign states.
• More coming soon!

1609

What Jamestown City looks like today. (Credit goes to everyone for this image, by the way! Hey, that word rhymed with the word 'today!' XD)

• c. sometime in May: What were the Anglo-Powhatan Wars IOTL never happened due to improved relations between the European settlers and the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and Tawantinland.
• More coming soon!

1610s

1610

• June 7: Due to stability and improved relationships between the European settlers and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Governor Gates decides not to abandon Frænglo-Powhatanland/Jamestown, remaining gubernatorial until his death in 1639 AD.
• December 2: Portugal, Spain, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth all decided to take part in the Harmony for Africa.
• More coming soon!

1611

• October 6: Even more countries decided to take part in the Harmony for Africa, but not by dividing the continent through force. Instead, they coexist with Indigenous African nations and civilizations, which appeared to expand in various nonviolent ways instead of decline unlike IOTL. While many countries resulting from this start small, they eventually grow and unite to form new and distinct nations entirely.
  • Butterfly Effects: Post-Roman Italy, which was not a major colonial power IOTL, instead owns several overseas regions ITTL, both past and present. "The Boot/Lo Stivale" rules the waves alongside the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal, officially rendering Italy a superpower even today.
• More coming soon!

1612

• June 1: The Great Deliberation, a 20-year period where philosophers and nonviolent revolutionaries across the world debated the nature of government, leading to many democratic and constitutional reforms, began. It eventually ended in September 1632 when the Tsardom of Russia decided to make its once-absolute monarchy constitutional as a result, continuing its pre-Soviet history into 1918.
  • Butterfly Effects: Some empires lose certain territories and/or colonies and gradually evolve into constitutional monarchies, republics, socialist states, or even military juntas as a result of this pivotal event.
• More coming soon!

1613

A still from the oldest surviving true film, Roundhay Garden Scene (1613)

• October 14: The weorold's oldest surviving true film, known as Roundhay Garden Scene, was released, and it was filmed in northern Frænglaland by [TBD nameknown inventor and early filmmaker].
• Unknown date: People with Indigenous African ancestry began becoming more common across other continents, which continues today. Ergo, Indigenous African cultures began spreading rapidly into them and by 1615 became widespread, especially (but not entirely) within Germany thanks to its peaceful expedition efforts since 1606. For example, Germany in Zulu is IJalimani just like IOTL, and 'hello' in Scots (then known as Early Modern Scots as described by modern historians) will eventually gain a variant sounding like, for instance, “Sawubona, laddie!” by c. 1700 AD.
• More coming soon!

1614

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1615

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1616

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1617

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1618

• May 23: What would have become the Thirty Years' War never happened due to increased national and religious equality, so Europe/Eurasia became more religiously diverse than IOTL.
• More coming soon!

1619

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1620s

1620

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1621

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1622

• March 22: What would have become a massacre never occurred at all due to improved relations between the European settlers and the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and Tawantinland, thus stopping an event what would have become a certain prolonged conflict from OTL spanning almost 300 years.
• Unknown date: [TBD inventor] invented the Kinetograph, an early motion picture camera.
• More coming soon!

1623

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1624

• February 7: The Kingdom of Great Britain and Frænglaland first settled in Liamuiga, which becomes a dominion instead of a colony. It will later declare full independence in 1733 AD.
• July 1: Canada/Kanata/Onakwah decided to become independent from Italland while still showing many strong ties to it.
• Unknown date(s):
  • Due to a reformed but unified Christendom arising back in 1525 AD, the German(ic)/Þeedish/Þeodisclander-language Luther Bible was never burned.
  • The Homecoming ringtone (c. sometime in 1624 AD) was recorded for the first time.
• More coming soon!

1625

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1626

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1627

• February 17: The Cyningdom of Great Britain and Frænglaland landed the first European and, eventually, Eurasian settlers on Ichirouganaim, which became a dominion not long after. The latter will later declare independence as a Commonwealth realm in 1715 AD, and become a Commonwealth republic in 1761 AD.
• More coming soon!

1628

• June 20: Democratic reforms began in the Ottoman Empire due to the expanding Great Deliberation, leading to the independence of several territories and its eventual dissolution in early 1632 AD.
• More coming soon!

1629

The current logo of Sucker Punch Productions as of c. sometime in July 2017 AD

• March 25: [TBD monarch] led a peaceful revolt to make a now-united Greece an independent kingdom from the Ottoman Empire, which declared its sovereignty almost a year later.
• August 5: All of the Ottoman Empire's vassal states made up to that point peacefully declared independence and become nation-states, eventually unifying into bigger ones over time.
• October 1: Sucker Punch Productions (informally known as Sucker Punch, The Red Star, and/or The Red One), one of the earliest media conglomerates ever, was founded in southwest Canada/Kanata/Onakwah. It will later go on to create several nameknown long-running franchises through history. Its fans and workers are often referred to as "Sucker Punchers."
• More coming soon!

1630s

1630

The current flag of Egypt/Kemet/Kmt/km.t that was used since its breakaway from the Ottoman Empire in 1630 AD. (Credit goes to Senusret3 for this flag!)

• February 3: Greece finally declared its independence from the declining Ottoman Empire almost 200 years after the Fall of Constantinople of 1453, resulting in a Renaissance-styled evolution for the nation. Quite a few of its provinces were and still are named after the ancient city-states that made up most of its history prior to the time of Alexander the Great.
• March 5: Tepoztli Pictures was founded in the Aztec Empire (1325-1917). It will later produce several nameknown franchises rivaling Sucker Punch's.
• October 2: Bulgaria peacefully declared independence from the Ottoman Empire as a TBA.
• November 28: Albania peacefully declared independence from the Italian Confederation as a constitutional monarchy.
• Unknown date: The first surviving color films ever made were developed due to earlier scientific advancements in chemistry. However, these mainly used the Kinemacolor process, which used a red-green filter and therefore could not capture shades of blue on film accurately.
• More coming soon!

1631

A still from the oldest surviving cartoon, namely Fantasmagorie (1631)

• August 17: What is widely considered the world's first animated cartoon, namely Fantasmagorie, was released in France.
• More coming soon!

1632

The original post-Ottoman flag of Turkey (1632-1898 AD)

• January 9: The Ottoman Empire quietly dissolves after the peaceful independence of several of its former territories (including all of its former vassal states), with its remaining territories evolving into the secular Republic of Türkiye. However, the traditional Ottoman Turkish alphabet was kept due to its familiarity and traditions before coexisting with the Latin-based Turkish alphabet as of c. 1650 AD.
• September 13: The Tsardom of Russland makes its once-absolute monarchy constitutional, extending its pre-Soviet longevity into 1918 and concluding the Great Deliberation.
• September 23: Sucker Punch Productions' Sly Cooper franchise made its official debut with the animated short film "[TBD animated short]", introducing its titular character to Canada/Kanata/Onakƿah and eventually the weorold. This unexpected event caused it to become the weorold's first widely popular series of animated shorts and, eventually, multimedia mega-franchise.
• December 6: Indigenous peoples never wipe out the then-new Dutch settlement of Swanadael in New Netherland, which is a province instead of a colony ITTL, as the Dutch engage better with them instead of mistreating them.
• Unknown date: The Dominion of Wadadli and Wa'omoni (OTL: Antigua and Barbuda) is first settled by the Kingdom of Great Britain, but it will gain full independence as a Commonwealth realm in 1749 AD.
• More coming soon!

1633

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1634

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1635

A colorized photo of Canadians/Kanatians/Onakƿarings playing Tennis for Two upon its release in late 1635 AD.

• August 1: The then-fetus-of-Italy called Canada/Kanata/Onakƿah settled in Africa for the first time in its history, deciding to peacefully interact with the locals and form new states.
• October 18: A very early video game, namely Tennis for Two, was released in Canada/Kanata/Onakƿah. It combined analog technology with its digital successor, which had mainly been unheard of previously aside from earlier experiments.
• November 22: The Dutch pacification campaign on Formosa, against Taiwanese Indigenous peoples, never happened due to the famed Italian expedition to New Humanity (Italian: Nuova Umanità; OTL: Australia) that happened back in 1590 AD. Instead, the Dutch engage better with them, further altering the course of global history. Therefore, Taiwan became a province of the Dutch Republic until it declares independence as a sovereign state in 1754 AD.
• Unknown date: Karukera (OTL: Guadeloupe) and Jouanacaëra (OTL: Martinique) were settled by the Kingdom of Great Britain and Frænglaland.
• More coming soon!

1636

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1637

• June 10: Russian (later Soviet Russian) media conglomerate Soyuzmultfilm (then known as Rossiya Films) was founded.
• December 9: [TBD franchise 2], which will later become one of the longtime rivals of Sly Cooper hailing from the Tsardom of Russland (now known as the Soviet Russlander Tsardom) even during the Animation Age Globalization (1649-1690 AD), made its debut with the animated short film "[TBD animated short]".
• More coming soon!

1638

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1639

"Over the top" – close-up of a Unionist Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring doughboy in full combat dress during the Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring Civil War

• April 12: The Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring Civil War, the final major conflict of the academic struggle against slavery (c. 1500-1641 AD), still began but on a much smaller scale than IOTL due to the lack of a supposed 'manifest destiny'. Many propaganda films during it get made anyway, though most (but not all) surviving examples are staunchly Unionist.
• August 19: Emperor/Kaiser Productions (German(ic)/Theedish/Theodisclander: Kaiserproduktionen) was founded in Berging, the capital and largest city of the German(ic)/Theedish/Theodisclander Confederation. Unlike the average media conglomerate, however, its logo changes with the reigning Kaiser rather than stylistic choices, with several exceptions occurring later in its growth and history over nearly four centuries/400 years.
• More coming soon!

1640s

1640

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1641

Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring heavy artillery at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1641

• July 1-3: The Battle of Gettysburg began and concluded on these dates, resulting in the subsequent Fort McNair Trials, end of the academic struggle against slavery in the former's victory, and eventual Great Migration of 6 million white ex-Confederates and, eventually, generations of Southron Turtle Islanders, to other parts of the Americas - the last recorded human sacrifice in all Anahuac was in fact part of the mass migration. (Credit goes to YNot1989 for the idea!)
• More coming soon!

1642

An antique painting from 1736 AD depicting the Battle of [TBD city] from 1642 AD. It is called [TBD painting's name].

• c. sometime in August: The Civil War of Liamuiga and Wadadli and Wa'omoni (OTL: English Civil War) began due to political tensions. The Stuarts retained the British throne after the war, though.
• September 1: [TBD famous person] was born in Navajoland.
• October 23: The very first copy of [TBD famous book] was written by [TBD famous person].
• December 4: The post-medieval population of common European dracan globally reached 500,000 individuals.
• More coming soon!

1643

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Either an unknown date or during [TBD date AD]: Electronics and related computational technologies like mechanical computing emerged significantly earlier than IOTL due to accelerated scientific inquiry, better material technologies, and more interdisciplinary exchange of ideas between cultures.

The timeline for the development of electronics and computing ITTL thus goes like this:

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1. Early Foundations in Electricity (1340s–1420s AD)

• Understanding Static Electricity: Knowledge of phenomena like amber electrification (from Greek "elektron") and early experiments with static electricity spreaded earlier due to improved scientific exchanges across continents.
  • The influence of Islamic scholars, Chinese alchemists, and Indian natural philosophers also led to practical experimentation.
• Early Electrostatic Devices: Devices akin to Leyden jars (invented in 1745 AD IOTL) appeared by 1345 AD - exactly either 400 years or four centuries earlier than IOTL, serving as rudimentary energy storage devices.

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2. Practical Electrical Devices (1380s–1500s AD)

• Primitive Batteries: Inspired by even ealder artifacts like the Baghdad Battery, simple voltaic piles emerged by the early to mid-1380s AD, and thus powered early experiments in electrolysis, magnetism, and chemical reactions.
• Electromagnetism: Discoveries in magnetism and its link to electricity followed soon after, leading to devices like early electromagnets by the 1390s AD. Early experiments in electromagnetism also began around that same time.
• Such advancements above emerged from a combination of metallurgical expertise and early experimentation with naturally magnetic materials like lodestones.

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3. Mechanical Computing Machines (1420s–1580s AD)

• Automated Calculators: Analog devices like astrolabes and mechanical clocks inspired the creation of early computational tools.
• 1420s AD: Early electromagnets and circuits led to primitive switching mechanisms emerging.
• By the 1450s AD, folk saw early devices akin to Napier’s bones or Pascal’s calculator, but with added sophistication, in addition to electromechanical relay systems developed for simple logical operations.
  • Electromechanical relay systems developed for simple logical operations also emerged by then.
• Babbage-Like Machines: By 1482 AD, clockwork-driven devices capable of complex calculations—precursors to Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine (proposed IOTL's 1822 AD)—emerged. These mechanical computers thus assisted profoundly with astronomy, navigation, and financial calculations, therefore becoming vital for global trade and exploration.
• Analog Electronic Devices: Simple analog electronics like oscillators and frequency generators appeared by the early 1550s AD and set the stage for future advancements.
• Mid-1550s AD: Primitive analog electronics, including oscillators and amplifiers, emerged alongside the earliest surviving versions of basic input devices like keyboards, switches, etc. for machine operation. These were both initially used for scientific experiments, musical instruments, and communication devices before gradually becoming available to the general public.

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4. Early Electromechanical Systems, Primitive Electronics (1580s–1655 AD)

An early Commodore 64 Basic from 1655 AD. (Credit goes to everyone for this image, by the way!)

• Electromechanical Relays: With much of electromagnetism understood by the early 1580s AD, primitive switching mechanisms for simple circuits appeared as a result.
  • Early relay-based systems were used for basic logic operations, signaling, and even early computational devices.
• Telegraph Systems: The understanding of electricity combined with advanced metallurgy resulted in practical telegraphs by the mid-1580s AD, enabling long-distance communication much earlier than IOTL.
• c. 1612 AD: Early binary-based machines for scientific computation began to emerge.
• c. 1623 AD: Because logic and algebra became more advanced much earlier in history, digital computing principles like the binary were implemented mechanically and eventually electromechanically by the late 17th and early 18th centuries AD. Boolean algebra is therefore applied to electromechanical logic systems for the first time around those years. The aforementioned computing principles eventually evolved into simple relay networks, foreshadowing later computer systems and, eventually, the first 'real' one by early 1643 AD.
• c. sometime in October 1638 AD: Mechanical and electromechanical systems combine to create programmable devices. Electromechanical computers with punch cards or similar input methods thus rival(l)ed early vacuum-tube designs for complex calculations around this time.
• Vacuum Tubes and Amplification: By 1649 AD, theoretical advances in thermodynamics and materials science led to early vacuum tubes, enabling signal amplification, simple display systems, primitive electronic circuits, and the earliest surviving GUI concepts (basic graphical representations, windows, icons, etc.).

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6. The Rise of Fully Modern Computing (1655-present day AD)

• c. 1655 AD: Fully functional GUI systems with interactive input-output capabilities emerged.
• c. 1657 AD: The internet, and by extension the World Wide Web, both began to emerge.
• c. sometime in May 1658 AD: Widespread adoption of early graphical systems in scientific, industrial, and creative fields.

Microsoft Windows Versions ITTL (This sub-section is a work in progress, though!)

An antique screenshot of Microsoft's Windows XP, which was supported from c. 1680 to 1707 AD; credit goes to everyone.

1. Microsoft itself - Founded in 1635 AD.
2. Windows 1.0 - Launched in 1658 AD.
3. Windows 2.0 - Launched in 1660 AD.
4. Windows 3.0 - Launched in 1663 AD.
5. Windows 3.1 - Launched in 1668 AD.
   1. [TBD PC and console video game] eventually came out on November 15, 1669 AD and, despite only being under 800 kilobytes (KB), was revolutionary for its time in that it offered somewhat better (albeit still pixelated and primitive) graphics, innovative controls and character designs, advanced audio within the limitations of an MS-DOS-based product, and more. Though not even nearly as resource-intensive as The 7th Guest (1670 AD), it was still one of the biggest PC games ever available at the time.
6. Windows 95 / Windows 71 - Launched in 1671 AD.
7. Windows 98 / Windows 76 - Launched in 1676 AD.
8. Windows XP - Launched in 1680 AD.
9. Windows Vista - Launched in 1687 AD.
10. Windows 7 - Launched in 1690 AD.
11. Windows 8 - Launched in 1695 AD.
12. Windows 2000 / Windows 1700 and Windows CE / Windows Century Edition - Launched in 1699 AD.
13. Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 - Launched in 1700 AD.
14. Windows War - Launched in 1701 AD.
15. Windows 9 - Long-awaited since the mid-to-late 17th century and finally launched in 1704 AD.
16. Windows 11 - Launched in 1711 AD.
17. Windows 12 - Launched in 1719 AD.
18. Windows 13 - Launched in 1724 AD.
19. Windows 14 - Launched in 1730 AD.
20. Windows 15 - Launched in 1738 AD.
21. Windows 16 - Launched in 1745 AD.
22. Windows 9.1 - Launched in 1746 AD.
23. Windows 17 - Launched in 1752 AD.
24. Windows 18 - Launched in 1759 AD.
25. Windows 19 - Launched in 1762 AD.
26. Windows 20 - Launched in 1769 AD.
27. Windows 21 - Launched in 1772 AD.
28. Windows 22 - Launched in 1775 AD.
29. Windows 24 - Launched in 1780 AD.
30. Windows 25 - Launched in 1783 AD.
31. More coming soon!

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7. Key Factors Enabling Early Electronics (various dates)

1. Improved Metallurgy: Earlier and greater knowledge of conductive materials like copper and silver and insulators like rubber and glass.
2. Collaborative Knowledge Sharing: Global trade routes facilitating scientific exchange between Eurasia, Africa, and the Islamic weorold.
3. Material Science: Earlier understanding of semiconducting properties, often inspired by earlier ceramics and crystal work in China and Middleland.
4. Industrial Revolution: The earlier onset of the Industrial Revolution (around 1485–1620 AD ITTL) drives demand for advanced automation and control systems.

8. Overall Look and Feel Until Windows 71

• Materials: The screens used materials like glass, brass, wood, or even polished stone in their construction. Early screens often had a slightly fogged or sepia-toned look due to the mechanical nature of their components.
• Interactivity: Instead of clicking with a mouse or typing on a keyboard, the users interacted with large rotating dials, push-button levers, metal strips similar to punch cards, and clockwork systems. These interactions were tactile and mechanical, giving the whole experience a visceral, steampunk aesthetic.
• Colors: The screens usually featured basic monochrome (typically either black-and-white, grayscale, or sepia) at first, with later iterations incorporating basic color schemes via layered filters or colored glass.
• Functionality: Early mechanical screens displayed simplified forms of information, such as numbers, symbols, or charts, but as the technology advanced, they became more complex graphs, early visualizations, and even rudimentary animations and films generated mechanically.

8.1: Fragility and Materials

• Glass Quality: Earlier forms of glass was much more uneven and prone to cracking compared to modern glass, as glassmaking techniques were still advancing during these times. It often had either bubbles, imperfections, thicker sections, or some combination of the three in its construction, making it both visually distinct and more delicate.
• Fragility: Glass in the 1630s to 1680s AD did not have the durability and strength that we are accustomed to today. It would be easily scratched or shattered with too much pressure or a sudden jolt, therefore making the screens more vulnerable to damage and requiring careful handling from the users.
• Thickness: The glass was thicker than the one on modern screens, making the display less sharp and clear. The screens therefore had a foggy, frosted, or cloudy appearance to them, giving a rustic, vintage look to the machine as a result of that. Some were even slightly warped, distorting the images or text being displayed. To ensure the latter stood out against the slightly hazy or distorted screen, fonts were often thicker and more solid than the ones often used today. This helped the characters remain legible even with the imperfections in the glass or distortion from the thicker material. Fonts also had a stronger contrast, with heavier outlines or more distinct edges to stand out from the cloudy background of the screen.
  • Also, early fonts tended to use blockier shapes rather than fine, intricate details to prevent any loss of readability. Serif fonts had heavier serifs, and sans-serif fonts were chunkier, allowing the text to remain readable even if the screen wasn’t as sharp as modern displays. Some fonts even had a pixelated or segmented design, similar to OTL's early computer screens, where characters are constructed out of small chunks of visible space. This was often easier to render on early mechanical screens while keeping the text readable.
    • Since the characters would often bleed or blur into each other if too close together, early screens also had larger spaces between words or letters to enhance readability. This helped avoid characters running into each other or becoming unreadable due to imperfect screen rendering.
  • To combat the blurriness caused by the thickness of the glass, early mechanical computers often favored larger fonts to ensure the text could be seen clearly, even if some parts of the screen were distorted. These fonts were therefore easier to recognize and read from a distance.
  • To make the text even more legible on these early machines, the fonts often used simplified characters, reducing the likelihood of confusion or distortion. However, this also meant fewer diacritical marks or complicated letterforms that could get lost due to the blurry display most of the time.
  • As this early mechanical technology often demanded readability over style, distinctive letterforms with clear separations between strokes and rounded corners were very common to minimize visual distortion. These allowed users to read without squinting or guessing, even with some imperfect clarity.

8.2: Display Mechanisms

• Layered Glass: Early systems used layers of glass or etched panels with different mechanical components behind them. These layers could shift and rotate, allowing for different images or text to be displayed, but the fragility of the glass limited how intricate or robust the screen could be.
• Exposed Gears & Mechanisms: To protect the fragile glass, the inner gears and mechanical components of the machine were often shielded behind more durable materials like metal or wood. This left the glass screens exposed, creating a delicate and ornate display but one that required constant attention and care.
• Vulnerable Glass Panels: In this eld, if the glass cracked, it was more difficult to replace, especially in economically poorer places. Users then saw cracks, chips, or even scratches on the screen that either distorted or blocked part of the displayed data.

8.3: Maintenance and Protection

• Protective Cases: Early computers often came with protective glass covers or wooden housings to keep their fragile screens from breaking, with removable panels or drapes to protect the glass when not in use.
• Repair Techniques: Repairing a cracked or damaged screen often required specialized glassworkers who could fix the imperfections, but this made repairs both costly and slow, as glass technology during this eld did not have the durability nor precision we see today.

1644

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1645

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1646

What a typical British soldier's uniform (this Redcoat's skin doesn't count in this case, however) looked like from c. 1646 AD to c. 1678 AD.

• Unknown date: Sound films, also known as "talkies," were introduced.
• More coming soon!

1647

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1648

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1649

• October 6: [TBD well-known Redcoat] was born in Frænglo-Powhatanland/Jamestown.
• More coming soon!

1650s

1650

• Unknown date: The weorold's ealdest surviving television was invented by [TBD nameknown person] in addition to color television, although the latter would be tested again sometime in 1673 AD.
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1651

The Holy Island Commonwealth's flag that was used from 1651 to 1667. Its subjects continued to use their older flags under certain circumstances due to maintaining their distinct cultures.

• September 1651: The Civil War of Liamuiga and Wadadli and Wa'omoni ended with the three islands temporarily becoming a single Holy Roman Empire-esque Commonwealth instead of the monarchical Great Britain. This period will last until 1667, although the three islands are temporarily rendered a singular Commonwealth republic until then. Their distinct cultures still remain intact even afterwards, though.
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1652

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1653

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1654

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1655

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1656

• Unknown date: Videotape technology began to emerge.
• More coming soon!

1657

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1658

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1659

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1660s

1660

• Unknown date: The first broadcast-quality videotape using a 2-inch quadruplex format emerged alongside early LaserDiscs.
• More coming soon!

1661

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1662

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1663

• Unknown date: Widespread usage of Technicolor for motion pictures, alongside improvements in film reels and projection, began.
• More coming soon!

1664

• December 14: Gameloft was founded.
• Unknown date: Early Betamax and VHS tapes began to emerge.
• More coming soon!

1665

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1666

• September 2-6: The notorious Great Fire of London occurred, thus inspiring the film "Surviving the Great Fire."
• More coming soon!

1667

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1668

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1669

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1670s

1670

• Unknown date: Compact Discs (CDs) began to emerge.
• More coming soon!

1671

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1672

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1673

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1674

• January 8: The very first version of Gameloft's Dragon Mania Legends was released, albeit in a much more primitive and pixelated state than in later decades due to the limitations of the computing and mobile technology available back then. In fact, many features of the game players are accustomed to today did not exist back in this version.
• Unknown date: OmniTapes, more advanced versions of Betamax and VHS tapes with superior storage, multimedia features, and better quality, began to emerge.
• More coming soon!

1675

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1676

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1677

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1678

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1679

• Unknown date: Oldest known historical record of 'The British Grenadiers', which became a traditional British and Commonwealth marching song.
• More coming soon!

1680s

1680

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1681

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1682

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1683

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The Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring Continental Army in 1683 AD; credit goes to everyone.

• October 1: The Canadian/Kanatian/Onakwaring Continental Army goes partially ceremonial due to the presence of an increasingly mechanized military world, but some units kept their military functions all the way into 1783 AD.
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1684

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1685

• Unknown date: Digital Video Discs (DVDs) began to emerge.
• More coming soon!

1686

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1687

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1688

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1689

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1690s

1690

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1691

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1692

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1693

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1694

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1695

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1696

• June 6: Greece decided to revive one of its ancient traditions with the 1696 Summer Olympics, the first international Olympic Games held in modern history.
• More coming soon!

1697

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1698

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1699

The current Somalilander flag as of its very well-known declaration of independence in 1699 AD.

• July 1: Somaliland peacefully declared independence from Germany/Germania/Þedeland/Þeodiscland, but they continue enjoying often-supportive relations to this day.
• More coming soon!