Gates Offers Free Download of Original Microsoft Source Code
Bill Gates fondly recalls the computer code he wrote 50 years ago, which played a pivotal role in founding Microsoft. In a blog post, Gates reminisces about how he and Paul Allen rushed to develop software for the Altair 8800 after reading about it in Popular Electronics in 1975. Despite having no prototype, they adapted the BASIC language to create an operating system for the minicomputer.
Gates calls this code the “coolest” he’s ever written, as it laid the foundation for Microsoft and personal computing. As he nears 70, Gates has been reflecting on his past, including his memoir and Microsoft’s 50-year journey. He acknowledges the company’s evolution under CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft’s $2.8 trillion market value. Looking back, he marvels at how his vision became reality.