Bob Frankston is best known for his work as co-creator of VisiCalc, the original electronic spreadsheet. It spurred the use of personal computers. VisiCalc gave people direct access to the power of computing, making computing personal. This theme of empowering people has been and continues to be the hallmark and focus of his career. When at Microsoft, he initiated the effort to network home computers, integrating them with the rest of the Internet, thus helping to transform personal computing. Bob began programming in 1963 and was first online in 1966, helping to build one of the first financial information services. At MIT he cofounded SIPB, which gave students access to computing for their own projects at a time when computing was unaffordable for most people. At Lotus Development, he created the Lotus Express product to make email readily accessible. Bob is a Distinguished Lecturer with the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society and member of its Board of Governors. He is a frequent speaker on connectivity and emerging technologies. Bob has degrees in computer science, EE and mathematics MIT. He is a fellow of the Computer History Museum, IEEE, and the ACM and has received numerous awards and citations for his work over the years. Today Bob continues his work to empower people and to help understand a world fundamentally transformed by the concept of software.
Except where otherwise noted, all postings by Bob Frankston on CircleID are licensed under a Creative Commons License.
2021 - Aug 08 | on | The ITU Strategic Plan: Time to Terminate |
2021 - Aug 08 | on | The ITU Strategic Plan: Time to Terminate |
2021 - Jul 07 | on | Communities of Things |
2020 - Apr 20 | on | Communities of Things |
2018 - Sep 24 | on | Alphabet's Loon Balloons Can Now Cover 1000km of Internet Connectivity via 1 Access Point |
2017 - Feb 27 | on | 5G (and Telecom) vs. The Internet |
2017 - Feb 27 | on | 5G (and Telecom) vs. The Internet |
2014 - Nov 05 | on | Beyond Neutrality - Enabling a World of Connected Things |
2014 - Oct 29 | on | Beyond Neutrality - Enabling a World of Connected Things |
2014 - Oct 27 | on | Beyond Neutrality - Enabling a World of Connected Things |
2014 - Oct 27 | on | Beyond Neutrality - Enabling a World of Connected Things |
2014 - Jul 17 | on | Annual Internet Traffic to Grow More Than 20 Percent, Reaching 1.6 Zettabytes by 2018 |
2013 - Dec 05 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Dec 02 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Dec 02 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Dec 01 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Dec 01 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Nov 30 | on | The Framing of "IP Transition" Fails to Come to Terms With Real Impact of the Internet |
2013 - Jul 30 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2013 - Jul 27 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2013 - Jul 27 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2013 - Jul 27 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2013 - Jul 26 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2013 - Jul 26 | on | The Internet: Missing the Light |
2012 - Jan 17 | on | Kuala Lumpur Mandates WiFi for All Restaurants and Bars |
2011 - Aug 03 | on | The Rising Technical Challenges of Networking at Home |
2011 - Feb 01 | on | Internet Census: 4 Billion Addresses Just Not Enough for 7 Billion People |
2009 - Dec 21 | on | FiOS: A Reality Check |
2009 - Jan 23 | on | Carriers Are Trying to Take Back Control of the Home Network |
2009 - Jan 22 | on | Carriers Are Trying to Take Back Control of the Home Network |
2009 - Jan 22 | on | Carriers Are Trying to Take Back Control of the Home Network |
2009 - Jan 22 | on | Carriers Are Trying to Take Back Control of the Home Network |
2009 - Jan 21 | on | Carriers Are Trying to Take Back Control of the Home Network |