• early 1970s - adopted for Unix kernel and applications
• mid 1970s - distributed with Unix to Unis & Research Centres
• mid 1970s - some language changes
• 1978 - The C Programming Language by Kernighan & Ritchie (1st edition) published
  sets first standard for C - "K&R C"
• 1980s - Unix becomes popular spreading to many platforms & uses
• 1983-1989 - ANSI C developed with a few language additions
  sets second standard for C - "ANSI C"
• 1990 - ISO adopts ANSI C with no changes
  now an international standard
• late 1990s - Linux and the free software movement - revive/spread Unix
• 1999 - new ISO standard for C adopted with various useful improvements/extensions adopted

See http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/chist.html for more detail.

Index