Topic
10 facts from 5 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1974
In December 1974 Paul Allen saw the January issue of Popular Electronics, which featured the Altair 8800 microcomputer, and showed it to Bill Gates.
“Paul is walking across Harvard Square and he sees in a newsstand the January issue of Popular Electronics.”
1975
Microsoft was founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975.
“So, we are sitting here on April 5th recording. That was April 4th, 1975.”
1986
At Microsoft's 1986 IPO, Bill Gates still owned about 49% of the company.
“Bill Gates still owned 49% of the company.”
1994
In January 1994 Microsoft engineer Jay Allard wrote a memo to Bill Gates arguing that Windows should embrace and extend the internet.
“January 1994, when a young Windows networking engineer named James Allard, or Jay as he goes by, writes a memo to Bill Gates”
1995
Bill Gates wrote the internal 'Internet Tidal Wave' memo at Microsoft in May 1995.
“And in May of 95, he had written the internal internet tidal wave memo.”
1995
On December 7, 1995, Bill Gates announced that Internet Explorer would be free and bundled with every copy of Windows 95.
“Bill Gates announces that Internet Explorer is now free and it will be bundled in with every single copy of Windows 95 going forward.”
1998
Steve Ballmer was promoted to president of Microsoft in July 1998, and Bill Gates handed him the CEO role on January 13, 2000.
“So in July 98, right as this big, huge DOJ antitrust suit is heating up, Steve Ballmer gets promoted to president of the company.”
2000
When the federal government ordered Microsoft split, Ballmer recalls the likely plan was for him to run operating systems and Bill Gates to run applications.
“I think that there was, I would run operating systems and Bill would take applications.”
2000
Ballmer says he and Bill Gates did not speak for about a year, from around spring 2000 to 2001, after Ballmer became CEO.
“I think it was basically from sometime in about March or April of 2000 to 2001. I mean, literally, we weren't speaking.”
Undated
Andy Frisella said Bill Gates has publicly warned that a massive cyberattack is coming.
“you got Bill Gates coming out and saying there's gonna be a massive cyberattack”
Episodes