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Microsoft's "Revenue Bomb" of the early 1980s
The plan: Develop the same software for every computer platform they could find (including C64, Apple II, and UNIX).
August 25, 2023
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It is fascinating to look back at the way Microsoft’s approach to the software industry has changed over the years.

Case in point: In the early 1980s, Microsoft was attempting to make software for every microcomputer they could find. This was an effort they called “The Revenue Bomb”.

Multiplan: The first “Revenue Bomb” software

In 1982, Microsoft released a new spreadsheet program which was envisioned as a direct competitor to VisiCalc (the first commercially successful spreadsheet software).

This is what VisiCalc looked like on an Apple II

Initially, that new Microsoft Software was called “Electronic Paper” (aka “EP”). The idea was to unseat VisiCalc by doing something truly impressive: Releasing Electronic Paper for as many computer platforms as humanly possible.

Microsoft was — at least in the early days — a very “multi-platform” computer company. Developing core operating systems and BASIC implementations for a wide variety of platforms (including Commodore 64, Apple II, Tandy, and so many others). Heck, they even made hardware for the Apple II.

In order to accomplish this task -- of releasing for such a huge number of platforms -- Microsoft developed a P-Code C compiler which they could then, in turn, port to a number of existing 8-bit platforms… all without needing to make any (substantial) changes to the core code of Electronic Paper itself.

P-Code (or Portable Code) is a type of machine code that was intended to run within a virtual machine (to one degree or another). If you could port the underlying virtual machine to a new platform, the P-Code compiled software could (in theory) simply work “out of the box”.

By the time the first version of Electronic Paper was ready to ship — initially for the CP/M operating system (from Gary Kildall’s Digital Research) — the name was changed to “Microsoft Multiplan” (or “MP”)… and Microsoft was off to the races.

Advertisement from the August, 1983 issue of BYTE magazine

Over the years that followed, Microsoft ported Multiplan to as many platforms and operating systems as they possibly could… thanks, in very large part, to their “P-Code written in C” approach.

Microsoft Multiplan for Commodore 64

Multiplan was everywhere in the 1980s.

CP/M, Apple II, the Macintosh, Commodore 64, DOS, Xenix / UNIX, MSX, the TI-99/4a, the TRS-80 (various models), and even the Thomson TO9+.

Microsoft Multiplan for the Macintosh

Yeah. When I say Multiplan was everywhere… I mean it. It was almost hard to find a computer platform that did not have a version of Microsoft Multiplan available.

The man behind “The Revenue Bomb”

This strategy of releasing Multiplan for so many platforms was not accidental. It was a plan laid out by Charles Simonyi, the head of Microsoft’s application software group.

The developer of the P-Code compiler, Richard Brodie (who would go on to develop the first version of Microsoft Word), described it this way:

“Here's how the Revenue Bomb worked. You would list all the different business products that Microsoft would develop on the horizontal axis. On the vertical axis, you would list all the different personal computers that were coming out from the dozens of hardware manufacturers. The p-code C compiler, which I named "CS" and which was used for more than ten years to develop Microsoft application software, would allow us to create separate versions of each product very easily for each of the different machines.

 

What we didn't realize -- nor did most people in those days -- was that there wouldn't be dozens of different PC architectures competing for the market. There would soon be only two: IBM's and Apple's Macintosh. But CS gave Microsoft the upper hand for many years in developing Mac and IBM applications hand-in-hand.”

Charles Simonyi & Richard Brodie (courtesy Richard Brodie)

Using Brodie’s P-Code C compiler, the task to develop Multiplan fell to a programmer, recruited from MIT, named Doug Klunder. As Brodie describes it:

“But Charles's mission was to compete against the surprisingly successful VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program. He was to develop Microsoft's spreadsheet, a project code-named "EP" (for "Electronic Paper") and later marketed as Microsoft Multiplan. That task he entrusted to Doug Klunder, programmer extraordinaire, who would go on to lead the development of the unmatched Excel after Multiplan's lukewarm market reception in the face of Lotus 1-2-3.”

Ultimately, Multiplan ended up being only mildly successful — while it sold well, it was dominated in the market by Lotus 1-2-3. Microsoft shifted efforts and focused on developing the new “Excel” software only for Windows and Macintosh.

By the end of the 1980’s, Microsoft scrapped the “Revenue Bomb” strategy entirely… opting to focus the bulk of their office software efforts on the IBM PC Compatible market (primarily MS-DOS and Windows) and the Macintosh market.

Still...

It is amazing to look back at Microsoft’s approach in the early 1980s: of bringing software to as many platforms as they could possibly muster.

There’s something awesome about that.

What would the modern computer industry look like had “The Revenue Bomb” approach been more successful? Would there be more viable computing platforms?

Hard to say. But, it sure is fun to dream about…

 
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Microsoft “Worker Intifada” Escalates, 18 Arrested, More Violence Planned
After two days of increasing levels of violence, with demands that Microsoft cut all ties to Israel, the anti-Jewish “Worker Intifada” is now planning to siege a transit center.

On August 19th, a group of Microsoft employees — working with some outside organizations and individuals — declared their intention to occupy a portion of Microsoft Main Campus, demanding that Microsoft cut all ties to Israel.

That August 19th event, by the self-declared “Worker Intifada”, lasted only 4 hours before those involved voluntarily left (after being told they may be subject to arrest). Following that event, the “Intifada” declared an intention to escalate activities.

Yesterday, August 20th, the “Worker Intifada” returned to Microsoft Main Campus East - which the “Intifada” has declared a “Liberated Zone”.

 

According to multiple reports, the organizers vandalized Microsoft property, stole furniture from both Microsoft and a the independent vendors at a Famers Market (which was scheduled to take place at that time), and screamed obscenities, anti-Jewish statements, and blood libel regarding Israel and Jews at those attending the Farmers Market on the Microsoft plaza.

The “Intifada” poured red paint — to symbolize blood — and laid out fake dead bodies around Microsoft signs. With many waving a Palestinian flag.

 

After refusing to cease vandalism and trespassing, 18 of the “Intifada” members became “aggressive”, and were arrested by Redmond Police Department.

According to the Redmond PD X account:

“18 arrested for various charges during a protest at Microsoft Campus Redmond police are at the scene of a demonstration at the Microsoft campus.

On Aug 20, around 12:15 p.m., Redmond officers were dispatched to a large gathering of protestors in the Microsoft courtyard.

Officers initially attempted to trespass the protestors, but they resisted and became aggressive.

A few protesters had poured paint over the Microsoft sign and on the ground. Others had blocked a pedestrian bridge and were using stolen tables and chairs from vendors to form a barrier.

Officers took 18 into custody for multiple charges, including trespassing, malicious mischief, resisting arrest, and obstruction. No injuries were reported.”

The response from the “Intifada” organizers confirmed those details.

 

“The “Intifada” organizers made the following statement on X, following yesterday’s arrests:

“In response to this peaceful opposition of war crimes, Microsoft and Redmond Police retaliated against protestors with the brutal mass arrest of 18 protestors, chemical weapons, and physical violence.

Current workers, former workers, and community members were hog-tied, violently dragged, and pepper sprayed in a repressive escalation. Microsoft and Redmond Police chose to dehumanize, brutalize, and criminalize people of conscience for opposing Microsoft's ACTUAL war crimes.

As we recognize the sacrifice made by those arrested today, we also recognize that this militarism and physical violence pale in comparison to the experiences Palestinians are forced to endure.

Every day for the past 22 months, the Israeli military has used Microsoft technology to starve and bomb Palestinians in Gaza, while actively displacing Palestinians in an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing.

Let us be clear: no violence will shut down escalation efforts against Microsoft's complicity in war crimes. The Worker Intifada is an answer to Gaza's call for action, and so The Worker Intifada will live on. THE MORE THEY TRY TO SILENCE US, THE LOUDER WE WILL BE!”

The “Worker Intifada” has another event planned for today — Thursday, August 21st, at 4pm — to “honor Palestinian martyrs killed with weapons and tools powered by Microsoft”.

 

This event appears to be planned in order to disrupt local traffic and transportation — the “Intifada” plans to gather at the “Redmond Technology Station”, a transit center and Park-and-Ride location used by Microsoft employees.

The event is timed to coincide, precisely, with the start of the evening rush hour — in an area which is known to experience significant traffic congestion.

 

The “Worker Intifada” has previously declared their intention to escalate their activities, stating “we will not rest”, “we will continue to escalate”, and that they will engage in activities which “cannot be ignored”.

Considering their usage of Hamas (a terrorist organization with the stated objective of the murder of all Jews and Israelis) language and talking points, it seems a reasonable assumption that this “Worker Intifada” is suggesting that they intend to commit increasingly violent acts.

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Worker Intifada Occupies Microsoft Main Campus, Demands MS Cut All Ties With Israel
The group has declared an intention to occupy Microsoft East Campus Plaza until Microsoft cuts ties with “the murderous Zionists” and pays “reparations” for “AI Genocide”.

A group of Microsoft employees have launched what they are calling a “Worker Intifada” at Microsoft Main Campus in Redmond, Washington.

The “Intifada” group is demanding that Microsoft cut all ties with Israel, and pay reparations to the government of Gaza (Hamas)… an amount to be decided by later Hamas. Until Microsoft meets those demands, the “Intifada” is threatening to continue to occupy the Microsoft property.

 

Photo credit: https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1957924513938620743

The “Worker Intifada” made the following statement today:

“We will not be cogs in the I​s​r​a​e​l​i​ genocidal machine: a call for a Worker I​n​t​i​f​a​d​a": in a company-wide email to workers and leadership, Microsoft worker Julius Shan shared reminders of the company's complicity and announced the establishment of a Liberated Zone at the M​a​r​t​y​red P​a​l​e​s​t​i​n​i​a​n​​ Children's Plaza. Julius also called on fellow workers to join the global Worker Intifada, by escalating against Microsoft everywhere until all demands from the Liberated Zone are met. Read the full declaration from the Liberated Zone at: http://noaa.cc/worker-intifada

This “Worker Intifada Liberated Zone” is taking place at what is known as “Microsoft East Campus Plaza” — which the “Intifada” has given the name “Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza”.

 

It is worth noting that this is right in the heart of the development of Microsoft’s most famous software. Office, Windows, Windows Media, and more were all developed within a very short walk of East Campus Plaza.

There has been some police and Microsoft security presence at the “Intifada Liberated Zone” so far today. As of this reporting, no serious events to report.

 

Photo Credit: https://x.com/thestustustudio/status/1957921589628113380

The “Worker Intifada”, in their statements (both written and verbal), repeatedly make known false statements and blood libel regarding Israel — and repeatedly use phrases common among anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli terrorist groups.

What follows are images of some of the statements made by this “Microsoft Worker Intifada”. Presented, without comment.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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MS Office for PowerPC Windows NT Found!
You can now run Windows NT (with Office) on a Nintendo Wii & an original iMac. Seriously. That's a real thing.

There are two things that bring me an unreasonable amount of joy:

  1. The discovery of long-lost software.

  2. Running software on hardware it was never intended to run on.

This story has both. I am positively giddy.

Microsoft Office for PowerPC

It is a well known fact that Windows NT was developed (and, in some cases, released) for multiple CPU architectures beyond the common x86 — including MIPS, DEC Alpa, and PowerPC.

In addition to Windows NT, Microsoft developed and released versions of Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) for those hardware platforms. Not much good having the operating system for a particular CPU… if you don’t have some software to run on it, right?

We’ve had public archives of Microsoft Office for both MIPS and Alpha CPUs for quite some time… but the PowerPC version of Office has, for whatever reason, remained elusive.

Until this week, when Antoni Sawicki got his hands on the long-lost Office for PPC.

Image
 

Antoni was alerted to an eBay listing of a boxed copy of MS Office 6.0. A box which, intriguingly, listed all four of the released Windows NT CPU architectures.

As Antoni said, “Since it clearly said PowerPC on the box I got it… and here it is:”

Image
 

Check out that screenshot. Windows NT 4.0, running on a PPC 604 processor (with 32 MB of RAM)… running a native version of Microsoft Word 6.0.

The archive for the PowerPC version of Office is now hosted at VirtuallyFun.com. A major win for computer history preservation.

Now, buckle up, Buttercup. Because it gets weirder. And more awesome.

Windows NT For Wii & PowerMac

The archiving of historical software is, without question, important. But being able to actually run that software — on easily obtainable hardware — allows people to experience that part of computer history.

And, thanks to one developer, you can run Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 on Nintendo GameCube, Wii, & WiiU as well as PPC Macintoshes like the original iMac and iBook.

That’s right. Apple’s original, clamshell, “bondi blue” G3 iBook can run Windows NT 4.0.

An iBook G3 Clamshell with the about menu for Windows NT 4.0 open.
 

Not emulated. Native. On “bare metal”.

In theory, it should be able to run the PowerPC native version of Office 6.0 as well. Something I will need to be testing, for myself, very soon.

Now, you may be asking, “Why would I install Windows NT and Office on a Nintendo Wii”?

And, while there are many valid reasons for undertaking such an endeavor — including that whole “experiencing computer history first hand” thing we talked about — there is one purpose for running MS Word on a GameCube that eclipses all others:

Because we can.

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