I am back after about a month, don’t know why so I am taking so much time in writing new review on MouthShut.com all the time, sometimes its time, sometimes its mood.. Anyways let’s move to my new review.
As now many of you knows how much I am die hard fan of <b>Bill Gates</b> so this review is all about <b>Bill Gates</b> and <b><i>Microsoft</i></b>. Basically this review is on wonderful book called <b>The Making of <i>Microsoft</i></b>.
One year ago, when my cousin got to know how die hard fan of <b>Bill Gates</b> I am, he gave me the book which he brought for his self about 10 years ago, and told me that you can keep it for you. I can’t forget that day, when he handed me that book, so nice of him. Review which I am writing is on the book of year 1992, I searched internet for this same book on latest edition but didn’t found any. But got several other books which are on same topic, I will soon buy one nice book.
Now let’s start the review, this book is about just 304pages including Appendix A,B, Glossary and Index. It costs 150/- INR, but its worth. Book is from <b>bpb publications</b>. This book is originally written in French language and then translated in English language. This book is written by <i>Daniel Ichbiah</i> and <i>Susan Knepper</i>.
<b>NOTE:</b> bear with me, as this review is going to be really very long, as its on my favorite Topic ;)
This book is having total 7 PARTS, and each PART is having several chapters, but not more then 6.
First it is having <b><i>Introduction</b></i> section in the book, where author is talking all about Bill Gates, how he started Microsoft and outline of Microsoft in very sort just in 2pages.
Whenever new Part starts you can find one quote next to the heading of the Part.. and all the quotes are really gr8 to read.
<b>PART 1 – Child Prodigy Turns Programmer</b>
<b>Chapter 1 – William Henry Gates, III:</b> This chapter talks all about Bill Gates child hood, and how sharp he was at the things.
<b>Chapter 2 – The Birth of a Passion: </b> this chapter talks all about how Bill Gates got interest in the computers, and also about his partner Paul Allen, and talks about first job they got. And first company they started Traf-O-Data in 1971. and also about Bill Gates at Harvard.
<b>PART 2 – Basic Beginnings</b>
<b>Chapter 3 – Altair Basic:</b> In this chapter author talks all about the first microcomputer and how Bill Gates and Paul Allen got to know about it and how they started development of <b><i>BASIC</i></b> on it. And also talks about Birth of <b><i>Microsoft</i></b>.
<b>Chapter 4 – Microsoft’s First Year:</b> In this chapter author talks all about first year of Microsoft, and also first Piracy Problems Microsoft faced, and how Microsoft started to taking shape.
<b>Chapter 5 – Life at Microsoft:</b> In this chapter author talks about the life at Microsoft, and also about Miriam Lubow (Bill Gates’ secretary). And in this chapter funny thing is how Miriam Lubow discovered software. And also talks about how Microsoft got its culture when <b><i>BOB O’REAR</i></b> joined the Microsoft.
<b>Chapter 6 – The Microcomputer Market Blossoms:</b> In this author talks about how Microsoft sold BASIC to MITS in $200,000; and how Microsoft started working for the Apple.
<b>Chapter 7 – Kazuhiko Nishi Brings Microsoft to Japan:</b> After 3years of Microsoft, Microsoft was getting shape and Kazuhiko Nishi brought Microsoft to Japan, and in this chapter author also talks about first portable Microcomputers.
<b>Chapter 8 – Going Home:</b> Microsoft was based on Albuquerque, in early in 1978 Microsoft released 5th version of BASIC, and then Microsoft moved to its home Washington. Also in this chapter something interesting about 8086 and a new team member <b>Steve Ballmer</b>.
<b>PART 3 – THE IBM PC AND DOS</b>
<b>Chapter 9 – Project Chess:</b> In this chapter author talks about how Microsoft approaches Big Blue (IBM) also known as Big Brother or Big B. And Microsoft sold DOS to the IBM actually not sold but gave license to IBM.
<b>Chapter 10 – The MS-DOS Crusade:</b> In this chapter author talks about how IBM got the entry into Personal Computer market and also about MS-DOS, then the tough competition between MS-DOS and CP/M.
<b>PART 4 – FIRST APPLICATIONS: MULTIPLAN AND WORD</b>
<b>Chapter 11 – The Emergence of the Electric Spreadsheet:</b> And this is how first ever Microsoft software got developed, i.e. Multiplan now known as Excel. Microsoft had a tough competition between Multiplan and Lotus 1-2-3. Also talks about sell of Microsoft’s products at Europe.
<b>Chapter 12 – Microsoft Word:</b> Second application from Microsoft which had tough competition with Wordstar. And also talks about how Microsoft challenges Wordstar, and then a new strategy also got applied in Microsoft which we are seeing it as Microsoft Office. Then after some time, Microsoft got beat out by WordPerfect. Also talks about Microsoft Word on Macintosh.
<b>PART 5 - Microsoft Excels on the Macintosh </b>
<b>Chapter 13 – The Macintosh: A Friendlier Computer:</b> In this chapter author talks about the first ever GUI (Graphical User Interface) on the computer developed by XEROX and then how <b><i>Steve Jobs</b></i>(Founder of Apple) discovers it. Also talks about development of Apple and LISA; and also Multiplan for Mac and about launching of Mac.
<b>Chapter 14 – The World’s Greatest Spreadsheet:</b> It was Odyssey, codename of Microsoft upcoming spreadsheet software, also talks about how Microsoft started to work for the Mac. And apple started development on JAZZ. And then Introduction of Excel, and how Microsoft started promoting Excel and also how Excel beat JAZZ.
Continue in comments.
