Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program. It was released on April 20, 1987. The first version of PowerPoint only works for Macintosh Operating system based computers, which was created by Robert Gaskins and Dennis Austin from the company called Forethought.
After Forethought hired Robert Gaskins as the vice president of product development in 1984, Gaskins chose Dennis Austin as the developer for PowerPoint. They worked together on the PPT for nearly a year. Austin began to develop from that spec in November 1985 which is only for Macintosh at first. A half-year later, Thomas Rudkin joined this project.
During the development period, the product was called “Presenter.” But before release, Forethought’s lawyers found that the name “Presenter” had already been used by someone else. Gaskins decide to change its name to “PowerPoint”. And all the documentation was hastily revised. PowerPoint 1.0 for Macintosh was shipped on April 20, 1987, and the first 10,000 products were sold out.
In early 1987, Microsoft began planning a new application to make presentations. Jeff Raikes who was head of marketing for the Applications Division for Microsoft led this program. At first, Bill Gates was initially skeptical about this App. But finally, he listened to Jeff and ultimately allowed Jeff to go forward. Three months later, Forethought and it’s PPT was acquired by Microsoft for $14 million. The new unit of PPT in Microsoft still be headed by Robert Gaskins, with Dennis Austin and Thomas Rudkin leading development. PowerPoint 2.0 for Macintosh adding color 35 mm slides, appeared in 1988. PowerPoint 3.0 was shipped in 1992 for both Windows and Mac. PowerPoint 4.0 was re-engineered for shared with the other apps in Office.
Succeeding versions of PowerPoint introduced important changes and after 33 years of development, PowerPoint becomes one of the most widely produced and popular technical tools in history. It has completely changed the fields of business, education, science, and communications. And gradually become the standard for people who wants to explain anything to anybody else.
Work Cited
“COMPANY NEWS; Microsoft Buys Software Unit (Published 1987)”. Nytimes.Com, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/31/business/company-news-microsoft-buys-software-unit.html.
“Microsoft Powerpoint | Software”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/technology/Microsoft-PowerPoint.
“Viewpoint: How Powerpoint Changed Microsoft And My Life”. BBC News, 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-19042236.
I agree with your idea, thank you for sharing, it’s interesting to know that in early 1987, Microsoft began planning a new application to make presentations. Jeff Raikes who was head of marketing for the Applications Division for Microsoft led this program.
I had no idea it was originally created for Macintosh. Interesting.
It’s interesting to see the first version!
I never know that Microsoft Powerpoint was originated in 1987! It’s been a long time since the last time I used Powerpoint; your post really brings back lots of my childhood memories for me.