Thanks
You're right, and I should have done better. Bricklin gets the story because he had the idea and the prototype — Frankston gets one…
Thanks
You're right, and I should have done better. Bricklin gets the story because he had the idea and the prototype — Frankston gets one sentence. That's on me.
Your comment sent me digging. First thing I learned: Frankston didn't just contribute; he built what shipped. Bricklin's prototype proved the concept; Frankston's code made it fast and reliable enough to sell. VisiCalc was a product, not an idea.
Then I found the part that made the whole story click: when Lotus bought Software Arts in 1985, Frankston stayed with the company until 1990 — the same Lotus whose 1-2-3 had just pushed VisiCalc out of the market. Then Microsoft in the 90s, pushing internet integration and home networking. The guy who made the spreadsheet run on one machine spent the rest of his career connecting machines together.
And you're the one who actually met him — that puts your correction above most. Thanks for the push.
