Open Letter to Hobbyists
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The Open Letter to Hobbyists was an open letter written on February 3, 1976 by Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft.
In the letter, Gates expresses frustration over the fact that most computer hobbyists who were currently using his company's Altair BASIC software had not paid for it. Gates asserts that such widespread theft in effect discourages developers from investing time and money into creating quality software. The core of Gates' argument hinges on the unfairness of gaining the benefits of software authors' time, effort, and capital, but then depriving them of the royalties that they are legally entitled to receive. "Who can afford to do professional work for nothing?", he asks.
This letter has become an important milestone for the development and expansion of the retail software market.
External links
- Text of the letter (http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/gateswhine.html)