Lunduke
News • Science & Tech
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
post photo preview

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…

 
community logo
Join the Lunduke Community
To read more articles like this, sign up and join my community today
2
What else you may like…
Videos
Podcasts
Posts
Articles
Fedora Linux Weaponizes Code of Conduct Against Jews

Call a Jew a "Nazi"? Fedora Linux (and Red Hat) say that's ok. Suggest that someone is being "antisemitic"? That's a "Code of Conduct Violation".

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:18:35
September 29, 2025
The Tactics of Leftist Open Source: Overturn Elections & Encourage Violence

From GNOME to NixOS & beyond, the Extreme Leftist Activists of Linux & Open Source have two primary tactics: subvert elections & incite violence.

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:25:04
September 27, 2025
NixOS Mod Team Mass Resigns in Protest

The unelected NixOS Mods, famous for their "Nazi Purge" of contributors, object to attempts to "address perceptions of political bias" in their Linux distro.

The original reporting on X:

The majority of the NixOS Moderation Team has just mass resigned:
https://x.com/LundukeJournal/status/1971989255363719313

The NixOS “Moderation Mass Resignation” story is fascinating:
https://x.com/LundukeJournal/status/1972012088886211026

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:27:12
November 22, 2023
The futility of Ad-Blockers

Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.

It's a fascinatingly annoying cycle. And there's only one viable way out of it.

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links? Check here:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

The futility of Ad-Blockers
November 21, 2023
openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"

Those in power with openSUSE make it clear they will not allow me anywhere near anything related to the openSUSE project. Ever. For any reason.

Well, that settles that, then! Guess I won't be contributing to openSUSE! 🤣

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links?
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"
September 13, 2023
"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

This episode is free for all to enjoy and share.

Be sure to subscribe here at Lunduke.Locals.com to get all shows & articles (including interviews with other amazing nerds).

"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044
9 hours ago

Find a COMPATIBLE Linux Computer for $200+: Roadmap to Linux. Part 1 - YouTube

12 hours ago

Well this is a first.

Keychron Q16 HE 8K: World’s First Fully Ceramic Keyboard

"Milky-smooth, cool to the touch, incredibly thocky. 100% ceramic | Magnetic switches | TMR sensors | 8K polling rate | Customizable"

I like the idea, but I would want to use one before buying one. Also, I already own enough keyboards.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/keytron/keychron-q16-he-8k-worlds-first-fully-ceramic-keyboard

September 30, 2025

I've been reading Tux Machines for almost 20 years. I deleted the feed this morning.

I've been aware of Roy's beef with Bryan for a while, although despite the title of today's article, he did still link here occasionally; it's crossposted from “Techrights” (previously “Boycott Novell”) so presumably he's talking about that. His political leanings are usually fairly easy to ignore on Tux Machines - and I've a lot of sympathy for what he and his wife have been through at the hands of genuine bad actors - but following the links posted today led me to an article promoting the conspiracy theory that Charlie Kirk's killer was MAGA.

That's it. I'm done.

It all seems to have started years ago with the point of Linux Sucks flying right over his head. (He calls Bryan “Microsoft Lunduke”. 🙄) But once he gets a bee in his bonnet, there's no shifting it.

https://news.tuxmachines.org/n/2025/09/30/We_Never_Link_to_Microsoft_Lunduke_It_s_an_Abuser.shtml

September 18, 2025
Final Reminder: Lifetime Price Increase in 24 hours

This is just a super quick reminder (so no body misses out):

This Friday (September 19th), the price of a new Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal will be increasing from $200 to $300.

Which means: If you want to pick up a new Lifetime Subscription for the lower price, simply grab one (via Locals, Substack, or Bitcoin) by Thursday night (Sep 18th). That’s roughly 24 hours from the moment I am writing these words.

Obviously, once you have a Lifetime Subscription you’re set. You know. For life.

I wanted to give all of you some notice so you could grab one at the lower rate.

Also worth noting: The Lunduke Journal has phased out sales and discount promotions. The current price of a subscription is the best price.

This will be the final reminder before the change goes into effect.

-Lunduke

Read full Article
September 15, 2025
post photo preview
Lunduke Livestream: Tue, Sep 16 at 1pm Eastern

The Lunduke Journal regular live-streaming is back! The next show is Tuesday, September 16th (tomorrow) at 1pm Eastern (10am Pacific, 5pm UTC).

You can catch the live video, for free, on X, Rumble, YouTube, & Locals.

We’ve got a lot of Tech News to cover — and who knows what stories will pop up between now and then!

Time permitting, we’ll also be doing a little Nerdy Q & A. So, if you’ve got something you’d like to ask, join us in one of the chat rooms!

Also, quick reminder that the price of new Lifetime Subscription is going up this Friday. If you want one at the lower price, now’s your moment. We’ve also added some new perks for subscribers worth checking out.

See you nerd tomorrow!

-Lunduke

Read full Article
September 14, 2025
New Lunduke Journal Sub Perks, Lifetime Price Increase Next Week

A quick update: There are some new perks for Lunduke Journal subscribers, and an upcoming price increase for new Lifetime Subscriptions (if you want one of those at the lower price, you have a couple days).

All the details below.

Lifetime Subscription Price Increase

This coming Friday (September 19th), the price of a new Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal will be increasing from $200 to $300. I wanted to give all of you a few days notice so you could grab one at the lower rate.

If you want to pick up a Lifetime Subscription for the lower price, simply grab one (via Locals, Substack, or Bitcoin) by Thursday night (Sep 18th).

The prices for new Yearly and Monthly subscriptions will remain the same. No changes.

Reminder: The Lunduke Journal has phased out sales and discount promotions. The current price of a subscription is the best price.

New Perks for Lunduke Journal Subscribers

I am working on adding a few new perks for Lunduke Journal subscribers — a way of saying “Thank You” for making this work possible (while still keeping all of the articles and shows free for the world).

Here are the perks as of today.

Perks for all Subscribers (Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime):

Note: The eBooks & Games are currently only available on Locals & Substack (due to platform features). Those perks will also become available to subscribers on X, YouTube, & Patreon next week. Stay tuned for access details.

Additional (Optional) Perks only for Lifetime Subscribers:

  • The Lunduke Journal will follow your account on X.

  • Your name (real, or internet handle) listed in a special thanks slide at the end of new Lunduke Journal videos.

Both of these perks are 100% optional.

If you are a Lifetime Subscriber, and would like to take advantage of either (or both), simply email “bryan at lunduke.com” with the subject line “Lifetime Perk” (that part is important, I get so many emails this will help me see yours) and include a link to your X profile and/or the way you want your name to appear at the end of videos.

One of the nice parts of having Lunduke Journal follow your X account… is it will make it far easier (and more likely) for me to see your comments.

Thank You

I am working to expand all of the regular perks (books, etc.) to subscribers across all platforms (which was a little tricky, considering the differences in each platform, but I managed to figure out how to do it) — while adding a few new ones as well.

Nothing crazy, just a way of saying “Thank You”.

Seriously.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support. The Lunduke Journal is only possible thanks to each and every one of you.

-Lunduke

Read full Article
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals