Lotus

Founders · Sep 23

How Bill Gates Works

Gates publicly mocked Lotus as late to the Macintosh and Windows waves.

Acquired · Apr 21

Microsoft Volume I: The Complete History and Strategy of founding through Windows 95

Lotus 1-2-3 won by targeting only the IBM PC while Microsoft's Multiplan aimed at older 8-bit machines. In Microsoft's 1986 IPO year Lotus had more revenue, and Microsoft only beat it after the shift to graphical platforms with Excel.

Tips

• Microsoft's applications team learned to target the next platform, not the current one▶ 2:20:50In the late 80s Lotus had more revenue than Microsoft and was valued higher, and at Microsoft's IPO year Lotus revenue was higher.
• Microsoft borrowed Xerox PARC ideas and copied winning products, then iterated to quality▶ 2:16:20Apple's copyright suit failed because its own license covered all future Windows versions, and a judge said the rest were accepted UI paradigms.