Bob Frankston

Bob Frankston

IEEE Fellow
Joined on August 26, 2003
Total Post Views: 619,169

About

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.

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Comments

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

Topic Interests

DNSMobile InternetTelecomIPv6 TransitionSpamNetworksVoIPBroadbandInternet ProtocolAccess ProvidersCybersecurityPolicy & RegulationInternet GovernanceP2PNet NeutralityICANNWirelessWebPrivacyInternet of ThingsCloud ComputingArtificial IntelligenceDomain Names IPv4 MarketsRegional Registries

Recent Blogs

The Problem Of 5G Hype

We Can Have Forever URLs

Trust and Insecurity

The Impact of Open Connectivity

The Internet as a Public Good

Popular Posts

It’s About Connectivity Not The Internet!

5G (and Telecom) vs. The Internet

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