‘An Open Letter to Hobbyists,’ typed by William Henry (Bill) Gates III, was shared with the budding computer hobbyist community 50 years ago this week. The letter makes it clear that, even from the start of the personal computer business, there has always been a problem with software piracy.
The New York Times archives include a copy of the February 1976 letter, in which an irked Gates explains how unfair it is that ‘Micro-Soft’ Altair BASIC is flagrantly stolen, copied, and redistributed by the hobbyist market. This edition of BASIC was the firm’s first commercial offering, created by Gates and co-founder Paul Allen, written for the MITS Altair 8800.
