Free Pascal Compiler (FPC) project initiated

Michaël Van Canneyt started the Free Pascal Compiler project, aiming to create a free, open-source 32-bit Pascal compiler that could compile Delphi code. This compiler became the foundational prerequisite for Lazarus.

Significance

Without the Free Pascal Compiler, Lazarus could not exist. FPC provided the robust, multi-platform Pascal backend upon which the visual IDE would eventually be built.