Fifty years ago, Bill Gates and Paul Allen’s agreement with MITS for a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800 microcomputer marked the founding of Microsoft, profoundly influencing the world of personal computing. This collaboration transformed technology, paving the way for PCs, Microsoft’s global dominance, and the eventual rise of Linux and modern computing ecosystems. Download the Audio Show FileNew YouTube Channel – Beyond the OfficeFull Summary:In this episode titled “50 Years of Microsoft: How the Altair 8800 and BASIC Revolutionized Computing,” host Todd Cochrane reflects on the historical impact of the agreement made fifty years ago between Bill Gates and Paul Allen with MITS to provide a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. He sets the stage by introducing the significance of this collaboration, which propelled Microsoft’s influence in personal computing and laid the foundational work for the development of modern technology. Cochrane discusses the technical aspects of the Altair 8800, highlighting its modular design and the affordable entry it provided for hobbyists compared to more expensive workstations of the time.