Random trivia for tech history buffs: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forethought,_Inc" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forethought,_Inc</a>. under founder Rob Campbell sold PowerPoint to MS and FileMaker to Apple.<p>Of course everyone knows PowerPoint but even most techies today have never touched FileMaker - it was the Django/Rails/WordPress/SquareSpace/RAD application back in the day. At a time when very few could code, FileMaker let anyone create a full-featured database. And even today, if you are running a small business and want basic data-collection features for internal use, it is still relevant and useful: <a href="http://www.filemaker.com/solutions/starter-solutions.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.filemaker.com/solutions/starter-solutions.html</a><p>90% of "please make me a typical DB app" requests I get, I just point them to FileMaker. I say spend $75/mo for 5 users for a couple of months to work out the process. If the process works and the pain-point is FileMaker, come back to me and I will make a custom solution.
I think it's so ironic that the first version of Powerpoint was for Mac which ended up helping give Windows it's name when running Office.<p>I've seen Powerpoint used for so many crazy things. Most notably non-technical managers designing a UI in Powerpoint. It's just one of those, lets just get the job done pieces of software.
Not a deal of the century it would have just delayed the MS machine a little.<p>Back then they either bought you out (Power Point) or they out Advertised or eventually caught up and passes you (Word Perfect).
I know lots of folks my age that loved Hypercard. Deal of the century? No, but Hypercard not going mainstream was a huge missed opportunity. I mean I know a generation now of people my age that grew up with that and loved that product in elementary school and all of us ended up doing lousy powerpoints in high school, college, and beyond.<p>(Additionally given the programming-like nature of Hypercard, I wonder how many more young folks would have entered programming related fields...)
...just $14M?! Wow, it looks like the tech bubble really grew over the years. On the other hand, the number of people affected by the software grew a lot too...
PowerPoint would never have become what it was without being on Windows and part of Office. So no, not really.<p>Ignoring network effects makes this kind of silly.<p>Keynote has also been better for a number of years now. Still not as popular just because Macs are less common than PCs with office.
There are some timeless tips on acquisition here. Notably once more players are interested suddenly it becomes a whole lot easier to dictate terms for the deal ... like not relocating from Silicon Valley to Redmond.
While obviously PowerPoint is ubiquitous and influential, it's interesting - I don't think I've ever used PowerPoint in professional life.<p>The last time I needed to prepare a slide presentation was in high school.
Thinking about it, delaying Windows 3.0 to fix problems with DOS 5.0 would have delayed PowerPoint for Windows further, but I still think that it would be worth it.
If they know in the offer round already that they want a deal from Microsoft, then why is the title "how Microsoft beat Apple"? They didn't do anything to beat Apple if they had already won.
Reminds me of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisiCalc" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisiCalc</a>