Microsoft and Bill Gates are synonymous. Although Gates appears on the covers of news magazines and is treated as a celebrity, few are familiar with Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen. Allen, who left Microsoft in 1983, is nonetheless the third richest man in America, with $22 billion. Then there are the even more anonymous "Microsoft millionaires," the young workers hired by Gates and Allen because they were bright, willing to take risks, and possessed a "maniacal work ethic." In return, they collected stock options that were worth more when they left Microsoft and cashed them in than they could ever have dreamed. Tsang profiles 12 of those people, who represent a cross section of Microsoft's first generation of employees. Included are programmers, project managers, and individuals who worked in marketing and in accounting. Tsang conducted extensive interviews to find out the paths those men and women took to arrive at Microsoft, what life was like there, and what happened to them after they left the company. David Rouse
From the Inside Flap
Theirs is a story with all the ingredients of modern legend, representing nothing less than the proverbial American Dream-writ extralarge. It is a story of hard work and brilliance, of extraordinary commitment and overwhelming desire. And these are the story's original cast members, who could not possibly have foreseen the epic, unprecedented success that awaited them. After all, the technology empire which these twelve visionaries helped to foster under a man named Bill Gates has all but single-handedly defined our Age of Information-and changed the world forever. Microsoft First Generation What began as a modest start-up partnership only twenty-five years ago has already surpassed all the giants of contemporary capitalism, including General Electric and IBM, and has achieved a market value estimated at nearly $500 billion. How did Microsoft achieve all of this in so short a time? What was the true nature of the Microsoft environment in the beginning, and what are the secrets behind its triumph? Find the answers here. With Microsoft First Generation, Cheryl Tsang skillfully renders recent history in bold, colorful strokes, highlighting each of the specific business qualities and entrepreneurial traits that turned Microsft's dreams into reality. Meet the early builders of Microsoft, and step inside the famous culture of loyalty, the storied "maniacal work ethic," and the hardcore world of reckless risk-taking that remains so integral to the computer giant's matchless and ongoing success. Here, up close and personal, Tsang introduces readers to twelve members of Microsoft's mythic first generation, each of whom has walked away from Microsoft as a multimillionaire. The collection spans a diverse group of creative geniuses and business wizards, from Bob O'Rear, employee number seven, who joined the team in 1977 and wrote the original MS-DOS program on the first IBM PC; to bestselling author Russell Borland who, after innocently answering a help-wanted ad for a technical copywriter in 1980, suddenly became the mouthpiece for an entire company, singlehandedly familiarizing the world with Microsoft products; to Trish Millines, who began as a software tester in 1988 and then blazed a trail and effected lasting change as a powerful advocate for ethnic diversity in the technological arena. Featuring candid appraisals of the idiosyncracies of software culture, fascinating portraits of the enigmatic Bill Gates, and rare photographs of the company's early days, Microsoft First Generation uncovers a range of surprising success secrets-and reveals, once and for all, exactly what makes Microsoft tick.
From the Back Cover
"Tsang's description of the roles of other key Microsoft players provides important insights into the remarkable success of Microsoft. She thoughtfully blend the descriptions of the personalities of these key executives with decisions and actions at Microsft." -Tom Alberg The Madrona Group "Microsoft First Generation, through the lives of many early key employees, provides insight into the greatest success story of our age, and perhaps of all time Through their stories, you'll be inspired, may change the way you run your business, and will likely expand the size of your dream . the first business book you should read for the next millennium." -Bruce Milne CEO, Corum Group, and author of Power Planning "The success of a software company depends entirely on the quality and work ethic of its people. This book provides fascinating insights into the working environment of the company leading the information age and introduces us to the kinds of people who flourished in that environment." -Jeremy Jaech, CEO, Visio Corp. "The early days at Microsoft were an adventure that attracted a fascinating crew hard-driving, competitive characters. Many became multimillionaires-but they also paid a Faustian price in burnout and wrecked families." -Jeffrey Tarter Editor and Publisher, Softletter
About the Author
CHERYL TSANG is an award-winning business journalist and fiction writer. She lives in Bellevue, Washington.
