Microsoft First Generation: The Success Secrets of the Visionaries Who Launched a Technology Empire

by Cheryl Tsang, Mary Woods (Reading)

This is a story with all the ingredients of a modern legend, representing nothing less than the proverbial American Dream--writ extra-large. It is a story of hard work, brilliance, and extraordinary commitment, featuring the story's original cast members, who could not possibly have foreseen the unprecedented success that awaited the forging of a technology empire that would change the world forever. What began as a modest start-up partnership only twenty-five years ago has already surpassed all the giants of contemporary capitalism. How did Microsoft achieve all of this in so short a time? Cheryl Tsang steps inside the famous culture of loyalty, the storied "maniacal work ethic," and the hardcore world of reckless risk-taking to reveal, once and for all, exactly what makes Microsoft tick.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 4, 1999

Reviews

[Vincent V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard work seems to be underrated.

[Derek Neighbors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those that know me well, know that I am not a fan of Microsoft products. However, there is no denying that Bill Gates and Paul Allen created something special back when they began. I have heard Bill and Paul's stories, but this book was different. It showed how the company was perceived not by the founders, but by the first wave of employees that implemented the vision the founders put before them.

Cheryl did a fantastic job of telling the stories of these employees. Showing the culture of Microsoft. Highlighting that many of the first wave left as Microsoft got bigger because they couldn't adapt to a more corporate setting. This gave me insights into Microsoft that I have never had before. I felt what it must have been like to be there in the beginning before the machine started to turn people out. If I was born 5 years earlier I may have been a Microsoft fan.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains short bios of 12 people who were one of the first people to work for Microsoft. A hard-copy is hard to find, but the audio book version is still available. It's fun to hear the stories and anecdotes of these people, but that's just about it really. The narrator read in a monotone manner with an annoying sounding voice. Like a computer generate voice with some intonation. The book does not reveal much about Microsoft as a company. It just tells some stories about life at Microsoft as an employee at that time.

[Sean Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of Microsoft in the early days, told in the form of twelve stories of important Microsoft employees hired in the early years of the company.

[BLACK CAT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini bios of the first generation and their contribution to Microsoft.