What have been the most influential information technology (IT) products of the past quarter-century? The Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) posed this very question to 471 IT industry professionals and, no surprise, Microsoft creations led the list, snagging four of the top five spots. Also not surprising, the only non-Microsoft product to break into the top five was Apple’s iPod: a product that has been as influential in the consumer electronics space as it has been in IT.
Apple’s iPod was actually tied with Microsoft Excel for the fourth spot, with 49 per cent of the professionals surveyed citing each as the most influential product. Coming in third at 50 per cent is Microsoft’s Windows 95, which was apparently the most widely used operating system. (Note to anyone still using Win95: it’s probably about time to upgrade!) Second, at 56 per cent, is the most widely used word processing application: Microsoft Word.
What product topped the list, having been cited by 66 per cent of the IT professionals surveyed? None other than Internet Explorer, the browser used to help you do everything from surf news and gossip Websites, to research products, and view streaming video. The first IE browser was launched in 1995, and, within a few years, it had become, and still remains, the predominant browser on the market.
Other products that made the list include Research in Motion’s BlackBerry (39 per cent); Adobe Photoshop (35 per cent); McAfee VirusScan (32 per cent); Netscape Navigator (31 per cent); and PalmPilot (31 per cent).
What would you deem the most influential IT product of the past 25 years?
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