MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 12, 2000 — From rotary phones to wireless, from paper checks to debit cards, from mainframe computers that fill an entire room to PCs that fit in a briefcase. The last 25 years have seen technological advances and innovations that have put technology at the heart of daily living.
In recognition of innovations achieved since 1975, Microsoft, which is celebrating its 25 th anniversary this month, will host a panel discussion,
“25 Years of Innovation,”
on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Open to Microsoft employees and other members of the Silicon Valley community, the discussion includes prepared remarks by the panelists followed by a question-and-answer session. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. in Building 1 at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus, located at 1065 La Avenida in Mountain View, Calif. Seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis for registered attendees.
”
Honoring our industry’s innovations seemed like a natural topic, given that we’re celebrating our 25 th anniversary this month,”
said Carol Sacks, a spokeswoman for Microsoft.
“We’re very pleased to welcome a distinguished panel to the campus and look forward to a lively discussion about the past and the innovations and trends we can look forward to in the near and distant future.”
Panelists will include Steve Capps, architect with Microsoft Research, Heidi Roizen, managing director of SoftBank Venture Capital, and Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies. Dan Gillmor, who writes a technology column for the San Jose Mercury News, will moderate the discussion. Gillmor is a longtime observer of the technology community. His writing has appeared in leading publications, including the The New York Times , The Boston Globe, The Economist magazine, The Kansas City Star and the Detroit Free Press .
The discussion will address three topics: a retrospective look at what the panelists believe is the most important technological innovation of the past 25 years, from their respective companies and within the industry; how these innovations have influenced the way people work, live and learn; and which innovations –or extensions of innovations– are going to have the biggest impact in the future.
The Speakers
Capps, Bajarin and Roizen bring a variety of different insights and experiences to the discussion.
Capps, one of the original members of the software design team for Apple Computer, joined Microsoft’s Internet Division in 1996, bringing with him more than 15 years of experience in the software industry. Capps worked for Xerox Corp. in the late 1970s, prior to joining Apple as a technical staff member. He worked on Apple’s first computer, the Lisa, and co-authored the original Macintosh finder, the iconic interface that lets users find their way around the computer. Capps left Apple in 1985 and returned in 1988 as chief developer for the team that developed the Newton — regarded as Apple’s technologically dazzling, though commercially disappointing, handheld computer. In 1994, he was appointed an Apple Fellow, a senior research and development position within the company that is awarded to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to personal computing. At Microsoft, Capps has been involved in crafting an overhaul of the Windows user interface.
Bajarin, who covers the field of personal computers and consumer technology, is recognized as one of the leading industry consultants, analysts and futurists. He’s been with Creative Strategies since 1981 and has served as a consultant with most of the leading hardware and software vendors in the industry, including Microsoft, IBM, Apple, Xerox, Compaq, Dell and AT & T. His articles and analyses have appeared in USA Today , The Wall Street Journal , the The New York Times , Time and Newsweek . Bajarin is president of Creative Strategies, which was founded in 1969 and offers consulting services in the areas of strategic planning, business strategy, product and marketing strategies, industry/technology trend analysis, competitive analysis, distribution strategies and international business planning.
Roizen, principal managing director for SoftBank Venture Capital, joined the fund in April 1999. She also serves as director of Great Plains Software, Preview Systems, iPrint.com, DrDrew.com, Reelplay, Balya and DoDots, Inc. She is an advisory board member of Time Domain Corporation, Garage.com, and a member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees Nominating Committee. Prior to joining SoftBank Venture Capital, Roizen was a consultant to several technology companies, including Microsoft, Intel and Compaq. She is past president of the Software Publisher’s Association and has served as a public governor of the Pacific Exchange. Roizen, whose achievements include the founding of her own company, T/Maker, is widely recognized throughout the industry as an innovator and an entrepreneur. MicroTimes , Personal Computing and Upside Magazine have recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the microcomputer industry.
To register for this event, please contact:
Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom, at (503) 443-7000 or [email protected]
