PowerPoint was the first presentation software designed for Macintosh and Windows, received the first venture capital investment ever made by Apple, then became the first significant acquisition ever made by Microsoft, and is now, twenty-five years later, installed on over one billion computers worldwide. Robert Gaskins (who invented the idea, managed its design and development, and then headed the new Microsoft group) has written this book to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of PowerPoint, recounting stories of the perils narrowly evaded as a startup, dissecting the complexities of being the first distant development group in Microsoft, and explaining decisions and insights that enabled PowerPoint to become a lasting success.
--This text refers to the
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edition.
Sweating Bullets: Notes about Inventing PowerPoint
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inventing PowerPoint
Jun 25 2012
By C. Michael Beetner
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an excellent read on the development of one of the world's best known software from the developer himself. Mr. Gaskins kept a daily journal of the thousands of decisions that went into the development of PowerPoint which has sold a billion copies and whose name is now a generic verb around the world.
Software development isn't easy, but Gaskins gives us a well-written insider's view of the early days of PCs, Silicon Valley, and Microsoft.
Software development isn't easy, but Gaskins gives us a well-written insider's view of the early days of PCs, Silicon Valley, and Microsoft.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A chronicle of the thinking and implementation that created a immensely dominant application.
Dec 19 2012
By Ed Stone
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Sweating Bullets" is the true story of how to get a "killer application" to the market first, with breakthrough capabilities, then prosper in the world's foremost OS and application corporation, and stay at the top for decades. No small task.
Robert Gaskins eloquently describes his path from his early vision, to building a team, through being acquired by Microsoft to make PowerPoint the dominant presentation platform worldwide.
At a time when some of the world was still bound to command line interfaces and graphics capabilities in computers were limited, Bob Gaskins saw the demand and set about creating the presentation tool that is the world standard even twenty years later.
"Sweating Bullets" also describes the alliance with Genigraphics which was key to early successes of both firms and which accomplished the only direct embedding of an external service in a Microsoft application. The entrepreneurs of Genigraphics, like Bob's PowerPoint team, were inventors and pioneers in so much of what is still the preeminent world-wide presentation platform.
More than a dairy, Bob recounts the thought processes that guided the development and marketing of the product, and that way of thinking is as potent today as it was then.
Spanning technology, negotiation, marketing, cultures and technological convergence, this book is essential reading for any technology entrepreneur, developer or marketer who must navigate creating and growing new technologies for new and changing markets.
Robert Gaskins eloquently describes his path from his early vision, to building a team, through being acquired by Microsoft to make PowerPoint the dominant presentation platform worldwide.
At a time when some of the world was still bound to command line interfaces and graphics capabilities in computers were limited, Bob Gaskins saw the demand and set about creating the presentation tool that is the world standard even twenty years later.
"Sweating Bullets" also describes the alliance with Genigraphics which was key to early successes of both firms and which accomplished the only direct embedding of an external service in a Microsoft application. The entrepreneurs of Genigraphics, like Bob's PowerPoint team, were inventors and pioneers in so much of what is still the preeminent world-wide presentation platform.
More than a dairy, Bob recounts the thought processes that guided the development and marketing of the product, and that way of thinking is as potent today as it was then.
Spanning technology, negotiation, marketing, cultures and technological convergence, this book is essential reading for any technology entrepreneur, developer or marketer who must navigate creating and growing new technologies for new and changing markets.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
Aug 27 2012
By ann rosenberg
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A fascinating chronicle of the development of PowerPoint but also provides insights into the development of the PC/MAC and even of Silicon Valley. Gaskins captured day to day developments over the period in his notes which now form the detailed, factual base for his narrative.
It could also easily serve as a business school case or even a guide for starters-up.
A visit to the author's website is well worthwhile.
It could also easily serve as a business school case or even a guide for starters-up.
A visit to the author's website is well worthwhile.
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