SMRTR ProgrammingApr 3, 2025ZDNet

How Bill Gates, the Altair 8800 and BASIC propelled me into the PC revolution

SMRTR summary

Microsoft marks its 50th anniversary, with Bill Gates recalling the company's beginnings creating BASIC for the Altair 8800 PC. The development of Altair BASIC in 1975 by Gates and Paul Allen was crucial, making programming more accessible and sparking the personal computing revolution. To commemorate the milestone, Gates has released the original Altair BASIC source code, providing insight into the innovative work that established Microsoft's success and influenced the tech industry.

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