Sometimes great things happen without any fanfare. They just happen like a bud opening up to become a flower without sounding any bugle. Luck was smiling on the youngmen. On one day of December 1974 Paul Allen stopped at a magazine kiosk while on his way to meet Bill Gates. He happened to flip pages of a magazine that was going to change the lives of the two computer nuts. The magazine was Popular Mechanics that carried a picture of ‘Altair-8800’ on its front page captioned ‘Model of World’s first Micro-computer kit for Busienss Competitors’. Allen bought the magazine and rushed to the room of Bill. The magazine appeared to hold the key to their ambitious dreams. Both read the related article thoroughly and reached at the conclusion that there was a big chance for them.
Bill and Allen had correctly foreseen the endless future possibilities of computer what for others was just idle fantasy. They knew if right software was created the computer would become a personal tool every home and work place or workman would like to have. At that stage of time it was a big challenge. The two whiz kids were sure that ‘Home Computer Market’ was going to happen and was coming. Some days later Bill Gates contacted Micro-Instrumentation and Telemetery System (MITS), the makers of Altair. He claimed that he and Allen had created the BASIC that could be used in Altair. It was a lie. He was just trying to see the reaction of MITS. The fact was that they had not done anything in that respect. They had no Altair or related chip to operate it. But MITS did not know that. Its people were interested in trying the BASIC Bill was claiming to have prepared. They asked Bill to show them the claimed BASIC. Bill promised that he would present his Basic as soon as possible.
Now Bill and Allen became anxious to create the promised BASIC which did not exist. They decided turn their lie into a solid reality. Bill Gates had the entire responsibility of developing code for the programme. Paul Allen began the task of duplicating PDP-10 Altair. For two months they worked hard on their respective jobs. Their self confidence proved true and their skills delivered the goods.
First Allen went to the MITS people and gave demonstration of this works. The next day he again went to them to prove the worth of the BASIC Bill had programmed. It was to be fed in MITS-Altair computer and tested.
Allen was a bit tense. He knew little about the part of the job Bill used to do. He was depending on his faith in Bill’s expertise.
What if the programme did not work? It would be a great loss of face and could jeopardise their future. But it worked beautifully and Paul Allen had a beaming face. In one test they were through. MITS signed contract with Bill and Allen to buy the rights of the BASIC. And with that Bill Gates’ belief that software market has born, got the firm ground. Within one year of this event Bill bid good bye to Harward and set up Microsoft Corporation.
E.D. Reborts, the president of MITS had tested Altair Emulator and Basic Interpretor in his office. He was very impressed with the skills of the two young whiz kids of computer programming. That was why he MITS had signed them. Bill and Allen were destined to make a history in the computer world. Microsoft was set up in partnership by the two. On November 26, 1976 ‘Microsoft’ was registered as the trade name. Thus, the computer world heard a new name amongst them. But no one had any idea that Microsoft was going to revolutionise the computer and software world. Even Bill and Allen could not guess the extent their Microsoft would overtake the world to. It would become the vehicle of revolution in the fields of information technology, entertainment, communi-cation, education, business, industry and science. We know today how Microsoft changed our lives and minds to chip in a whole new world.
In this important chapter some events of lives of Bill and Allen proved very significant. Those events shaped their thoughts and influenced the talents. Those events impacted their lives in very far reaching way. Following is the analytical briefs of such events :
❑ One door closed on them but another opened to invite them in. When Triple-C closed its shop, Bill, Allen and their friends were contracted by ISI (Information Sciences Incorporated). Bill and Allen earned tidy sum for the first time for their skills and boosted their morales and self confidence.
❑ Bill and Allen prepared computer programme called Traff-o-Data that was helpful in the regulation of traffic. It gained them $ 20,000 and gave them reason to nurse bigger ambitions.
❑ For debugging TRW computers they earned unlimited free computer time. They used this time in learning the ropes of computer programming. The success in it gave them an idea to start independent software venture. Bill and Allen were now sure of themselves.
❑ December 1974 was lucky for them. Allen happened to see an issue of the, ‘Popular Mechanics’ that had on its cover the picture of a model of Micro Computer kit. The related article made them realise that there was golden chance for them in it to showcase their skills in the computer programming.
❑ By then Bill had realised that through right software a computer could become an everyday tool of an individual, home, office or any work place. It could replace the paper work in the government and private offices.
❑ At a time when even rich people considered computer too costly a toy Bill was visualising it as a common man’s every day tool that would become affordable due to massive demand. He foresaw computer becoming a desk-top gadget and later laptop. The only need would be to create multi-purpose and multi-dimensional software.
❑ The assessment of the MITS chairman, E.D. Roberts about Bill and Allen as computer geniuses went a long way to eneourage the boys.
❑ Bill’s empty boast of having BASIC Program for Altair to the bosses of MITS and then successfully coming up with Emulator and BASIC when asked for a show by the latter. It proved a milestone in the software careers of Bill and Allen.
❑ With the foundation of ‘Microsoft Corporation’ on November 26, 1976 a new chapter began in the history of software world. Software proved a revolutionary item that transformed the computer.
❑ Bill correctly foresaw software’s capabilities in lessening the arduousness of jobs like editing, writing and proof reading. The computer could be very helpful also in digital level printing.