#7 1987: HyperCard

HyperCard was an application program and programming tool for Apple Macintosh and Apple IIGS computers, which was among the first successful hypermedia systems before the World Wide Web.

It combines database capabilities with a graphical, flexible, user-modifiable interface. HyperCard also features HyperTalk, a programming language for manipulating data and the user interface.

This combination of features – simple form layout, database capabilities and ease of programming – led to widespread use in many different roles

HyperCard was originally released in 1987 for $49.95 and was included for free with all new Macs sold at the time. It was withdrawn from sale in March 2004, although by then it had not been updated for many years.

#6 1991: Philips CD-I

The Philips CD-i (Compact Disc Interactive) is an interactive multimedia CD player developed and marketed by Royal Philips Electronics N.V. This category of device was created to provide more functionality than an audio CD player or game console, but at a lower price than a personal computer with a CD-ROM drive at the time. The cost savings were due to the lack of a hard drive, floppy drive, keyboard, mouse, monitor (a standard television was used), and less operating system software.

Seen as a game console, the CD-i format proved to be a commercial failure and several of its games are considered among the worst ever made. In 1998, Philips announced that the console had been discontinued.

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