Microsoft

Microsoft

1977

Microsoft, strange as it seems, hasn't been everywhere, forever.

It's funny stuff, reading about the early days of the computer revolution. It all started a few decades ago, but it seems like another lifetime.

Wikipedia puts Microsoft's origins back to 1975, but Bill Gate's first dealings were with something called MITS, or Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems.

So when did Gates & Co. become Microsoft?

The FirstMention I came across dates back to the August 1977 issue of BYTE magazine, which reports the following item of interest.

Why People Get Hooked on APL

Abstract: APL, A Programming Language, is one of the most powerful interactive languages in use. This article explores APL's applicability to personal computing, and looks at some of the ways that APL can be practically implemented on the small system. Particular attention is given to the problem of storage management. References in the article to the internal workings of an APL interpreter for a microcomputer pertain to the APL interpreter under development by the Microsoft Company for use with the Intel 8080 chip.

It took a bit of time after that for Microsoft to begin appearing in the general press, like this ad from the May 10, 1979 Washington Post.

8K ROM! Blazing!

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