Facing the Ultimatum: Make Progress or Fail

Acquired returns with a classic, delving into Microsoft’s first acquisition ever: Forethought Inc, the makers of PowerPoint. Hate it or love it, you can’t deny the combined companies’ impact: by the early 90’s PowerPoint had transformed the way businesses, educators and governments communicate, ensuring job security for pointy-haired Dilbert bosses everywhere.

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Links:

•  Robert Gaskins’ definitive history of building PowerPoint: Sweating Bullets
• Absolute Powerpoint by Ian Parker 

Carve Outs:

• Ben: Mindfulness in Plain English and discussion on Hacker News
• David:  The Birds have landed…