| More than 20 years ago in October! |
1955
-Bill Gates is born on the 28 of October.
1972
-The first issue of People's Computer Company is released.
1975
-MITS releases a version of MicroSoft BASIC 2.0 for its Altair 8800,
in 4K and 8K editions.
1976
-Commodore International buys MOS Technology.
-Mike Markkula, ex-marketing wizard at Intel, visits Steve Jobs' garage,
to see the Apple computers.
-Steve Wozniak decides to remain at Hewlett-Packard, but is soon convinced
that he should leave and join Apple Computer permanently.
1977
-Radio Shack opens its first all-computer store, in Fort Worth, Texas.
1978
-The first Personal Computer Expo is held, in New York City.
-The first issue of SoftSide is published, for TRS-80 enthusiasts.
1979
-2.5 years after the introduction of the Apple II, 50,000 units have
been sold.
-Personal Software releases VisiCalc for the Apple II.
-Atari begins shipping the Atari 400 and Atari 800 personal computers.
The 400 comes with 8KB, selling for US$550. The 800 sells for US$1000.
-Radio Shack begins shipping the TRS-80 Model II to users.
-Mattel announces a keyboard unit for the Intellivision. Estimated
retail price: US$700.
1980
-Microsoft's Paul Allen contacts Seattle Computer Products' Tim Patterson,
asking for the rights to sell SCP's DOS to an unnamed client (IBM). Microsoft
pays less than US$100,000 for the right.
-Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Steve Ballmer meet with IBM in Boca Raton,
Florida, to deliver a report to IBM. They propose that Microsoft be put
in charge of the entire software development process for IBM's new microcomputer,
including converting Seattle Computer Products' SCP-DOS to run on the computer.
-Sol Libes quote in Byte magazine's ByteLines: "The 32-bit machine
would be 'overkill' for a personal computer.".
