History of SuperMemo

The history of SuperMemo will let you understand that SuperMemo is a product that never stops getting better. If you have used an earlier version, you will definitely want to upgrade to SuperMemo 8 sooner or later.

• 1982 - Application of the recall principle
• 1984 - Application of the minimum information principle
• 1985 - Application of the optimum spacing of repetitions (Dr Wozniak's method was the first ever learning algorithm based on computing optimum intervals between repetitions!)
• 1987 - First computer implementation, SuperMemo 1.0, written by the author of the SuperMemo method in 16 evenings (Turbo Pascal 3). The program introduced the concept of E-factor. First repetitions in author's Human Biology database: December 13, 1987
• 1988
  • SuperMemo 2 (in Turbo Pascal 4.0)
  • SuperMemo 3 (new interface with pull-down menus)
  • NEW (May 14) Tomasz Kuehn from Technical University of Poznan writes SuperMemo for Atari ST (Pascal)
  • NEW (May 14) Przemyslaw Glowacki from Technical University of Poznan writes SuperMemo for Atari XL (Basic)
• 1989
  • NEW (May 14) Tomasz Kuehn, one of co-founders of SuperMemo World makes a first attempt to sell SuperMemo. His advert in Polish journal Komputer sold 10 copies of SuperMemo 2
  • SuperMemo 4.0 - optimization based on the matrix of optimal intervals
  • SuperMemo 5.0 - optimization based on the matrix of optimal factors
• 1990 - Optimization of learning. A new approach and computer application is completed. This Master's Thesis written by the author of SuperMemo, was entirely devoted to theoretical aspects of the method and included the model of intermittent learning as well as the comprehensive analysis of the learning process conducted along a repetition schedule determined by SuperMemo
• 1991
  • July 5, SuperMemo World was formed by recent graduates of computer science: Piotr Wozniak and Krzysztof Biedalak. The real capital: one 286 personal computer.
  • SuperMemo 6 - optimization based on approximation of forgetting curves
  • NEW (May 14) September, Janusz Murakowski joins SuperMemo World
  • November, SuperMemo 6 becomes a finalist of the Software for Europe 1992 Award Competition
• 1992
  • NEW (May 14) January, Marczello Georgiew and Tomasz Kuehn join SuperMemo World
  • February, Andrzej Horodenski from Computer World initiates commercial sales of SuperMemo by writing the first ever article about the SuperMemo method and software
  • March, SuperMemo World displays its products at CeBIT '92
  • September, SuperMemo 6 receives the first degree award at Softarg '92, Katowice, Poland
  • September, SuperMemo 6 receives a special award of the Polish Computer Science Society
  • December, SuperMemo World turns its first quarterly profit
  • December, SuperMemo 6 is awarded in the Product of the Year 1992 competition organized by PC Kurier, Poland
• 1993
  • January, releasing SuperMemo 7.0 for Windows, one of the first Polish Windows software products
  • March, releasing SuperMemo 5 as shareware
  • March, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl comes to the stand of SuperMemo World during CeBIT '93
  • May, releasing AudioVisual SuperMemo 7.2 for Windows
  • August, releasing SuperMemo for Amiga (Pascal)
  • September, SuperMemo tops the chart of best Polish software applications for Amiga (Amiga Magazine)
  • September, SuperMemo 7 is awarded at Softarg
  • December, SuperMemo becomes the first ever Polish software reviewed in Byte International
  • December, SuperMemo 7 is awarded in Product of the Year 1993
• 1994
  • January, SuperMemo is voted 4-th most popular Polish software by readers of Polish PC World (behind anti-virus and word- processing products)
  • March, SuperMemo for Amiga is voted the Product of the Year 1993 among Polish software for Amiga by readers of Amiga Magazine
  • March, SuperMemo World displays SuperMemo 7.3 at CeBIT '94
  • March, SuperMemo is awarded for the best value/price ratio by the CENA/VYKON journal, Czech Republic
  • May, SuperMemo 7 is awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at Infosystem Computer Fair in Poznan
  • July, 10,000-th copy of SuperMemo has been sold
  • August, SuperMemo USA, Inc. publishes SuperMemo 7.4 on CD-ROM, including the audio release of Advanced English best-seller. This title becomes the first Polish Windows software title on CD-ROM ever
  • September, SuperMemo World is granted the special award of the fair's president at Softarg and receives a free display at Softarg 1995
  • September, SuperMemo World signs its first OEM bundling deal with JTT, second largest computer-maker in Poland
  • October, SuperMemo World publishes the European release of SuperMemo on CD-ROM
  • October, SuperMemo 7.2 tops the ranking of best-selling software sold on illegal software market, ahead of Microsoft Word 6.0 and Microsoft Works 3.0 (PC World Komputer, Vol. 11, 1994)
  • December, SuperMemo for Windows receives the Reader's Choice distinction from PC World Komputer (Vol. 12, 1994) by being voted second most popular Polish software in Poland and the most popular Polish software for Windows in Poland
  • December, Economics of learning was completed. This doctoral dissertation by the author of the SuperMemo method was entirely devoted to the method and outlined the theoretical basis for the future SuperMemo 8
• 1995
  • January, releasing SuperMemo 6 as shareware
  • February, SuperMemo received a positive review in the most prestigious European journal: German Chip
  • March, releasing SuperMemo for Macintosh (Think Pascal)
  • March, SuperMemo Worlds displays its Multilingual SuperMemo 7.5 CD-ROM at CeBIT'95
  • April, Polish Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak buys a copy of SuperMemo for personal use (he refused a free gift)
  • April, SuperMemo User Survey reveals that users of SuperMemo consider the program their single most important application!
  • April, SuperMemo World signs a comprehensive OEM deal with Optimus, the greatest computer-maker in Poland
  • May, 30,000-th copy of SuperMemo has been sold
  • September, five hundred beta-testers get their hands on a Pre-Release CD-ROM with the first hypermedia SuperMemo codenamed Genius - precursor of SuperMemo 8.0.
  • November, SuperMemo World is the first Polish company ever to display its products at Comdex in Las Vegas
• 1996
  • January, SuperMemo is voted the best Polish application by readers of PC World, Komputer
  • January, first SuperMemo hypermedia CD-ROM title is released: Video English (with Genius 1.0, early precursor of SuperMemo 8.0)
  • June, SuperMemo Corporation is set up in the US with a goal of making it the first company of Polish origin on NASDAQ. Note that SuperMemo Corp. is (1) seeking venture capital and (2) looking for software developers ready to license SuperMemo technology. It is not a trading company
  • September, Cross Country hypermedia best-seller CD-ROM is released (with Genius 2.0, precursor of SuperMemo 8.0)
  • September, precursor of SuperMemo 8.0, Genius 2.0, receives its first award as the hypermedia authoring tool at Softarg, Poland
  • October, 60,000 readers of CHIP in Poland receive a CD-ROM with the full version of the hypermedia authoring SuperMemo (Genius 2.0) for promotional purposes
  • November, first Polish multimedia encyclopedia CD-ROM is released together with hypermedia authoring SuperMemo (Genius 2.0) as an integrated tool for learning selected encyclopedic material
• 1997
  • January, SuperMemo World, Polish veteran of CeBIT and the first Polish company present at Comdex makes a strategic conversion towards Internet away from major software fairs
  • January, Polish PWN Encyclopedia with Genius 2.0 (precursor of SuperMemo 8.0) is voted the best Polish software product by readers of PC Kurier
  • February, this Web site becomes operational
  • February, SuperMemo 8.0 enters beta-testing
  • February, SuperMemo Web Site has been voted Educational Hot Site by users of Starting Point
  • May, 10 000-th visitor has entered SuperMemo Web Site (after just 75 days of operation)
  • May, over 100 international beta-testers took part in beta-testing SuperMemo 8.0 over Internet. This beta-testing program alone brought more valuable data that all programs before. Nearly 200 reports have been received.
  • May 12, SuperMemo World releases Deine Chancen in Deutsch with SuperMemo 8.0
  • NEW (June 12) June 12, you can now download SuperMemo 8 from this website.

See also:

• History of SuperMemo development
• Awards granted to SuperMemo
• (if you know Polish) Algorytm wkuwania A few notes on the first steps of SuperMemo at Technical University of Poznan in 1987 collected by Andrzej P. Urbanski - teacher of computer science of Piotr Wozniak, Krzysztof Biedalak and Tomasz Kuehn who all set up SuperMemo World in 1991.

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