Dan Bricklin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dan Bricklin
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | July 16, 1951 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (SB) Harvard University (MBA) |
| Known for | VisiCalc wikiCalc |
Daniel Singer Bricklin (born July 16, 1951) is an American businessman and engineer. He is best known as the co-creator of VisiCalc. This was the very first spreadsheet program for computers. Because of his work with VisiCalc, many people call him "the father of the Spreadsheet."
In 1982, Time magazine named "the Computer" its "Machine of the Year." Dan Bricklin was one of six people highlighted for their important contributions. He also founded Software Garden, Inc., and is currently its president. Today, he works as the chief technology officer for Alpha Software.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Dan Bricklin was born in Philadelphia. He first studied mathematics in college. But he soon changed his focus to computer science. In 1973, he earned a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. He got this from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
After MIT, Bricklin worked for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). He helped create a word processing system there. Later, he worked for a cash register company called FasFax. In 1977, he went back to school. He earned a business degree from Harvard University in 1979.
While at Harvard, Dan Bricklin helped create VisiCalc in 1979. This was a huge step forward! It was the first electronic spreadsheet for homes and offices. It ran on an Apple II computer. VisiCalc helped the personal computer industry grow very fast. Before VisiCalc, people did financial plans by hand. If one number changed, they had to redo everything. VisiCalc let users change any number. The whole sheet would update automatically. This changed hours of work into just minutes. It also helped people be more creative with their ideas.
His Career and Companies
Software Arts
In 1979, Bricklin and his partner, Bob Frankston, started Software Arts, Inc. They began selling VisiCalc through another company called VisiCorp. VisiCalc quickly became a best-seller, costing about $100. Software Arts also released other programs like TK/Solver.
In 1981, Bricklin received the Grace Murray Hopper Award for VisiCalc. At that time, software could not be patented. This meant he could not get a patent for his invention. Bricklin led Software Arts until 1985. That year, Lotus bought the company. After this, he started his own new company.
Software Garden
Dan Bricklin founded Software Garden in 1985. This was a small company that created software. Its main product was "Dan Bricklin's Demo Program." This program let users create demonstrations of software. They could show how a program would work even before it was finished. It was also used to make tutorials for computer programs.
In 1990, he helped start Slate Corporation. He became a vice president there in 1992. At Slate, he developed a special spreadsheet called At Hand. It worked with pen-based computers. When Slate closed in 1994, Bricklin went back to Software Garden. In November 1994, he released "Dan Bricklin's Overall Viewer." This program helped people see information in Windows software in a new way.
Trellix Corporation
In 1995, Bricklin started Trellix Corporation. This company was known for its website builder, Trellix Site Builder. In 2003, another company called Interland bought Trellix. Bricklin became Interland's chief technology officer until early 2004.
What He Does Now
Dan Bricklin is still the president of Software Garden. His company creates and sells software tools that he invents. He also gives speeches and offers advice to other companies.
He created Note Taker HD. This is an app for the Apple iPad tablet. It lets users take handwritten notes. He is also working on wikiCalc. This is a basic spreadsheet program that works online. It allows people to work together on spreadsheets.
Currently, he is the chief technology officer for Alpha Software. This company helps create tools for making mobile business apps.
Awards and Groups He Belongs To
Dan Bricklin has received many awards for his work.
- In 1981, he got the Grace Murray Hopper Award for VisiCalc.
- In 1996, the IEEE Computer Society gave him the Computer Entrepreneur Award. This was for his pioneering work in creating the spreadsheet.
- In 2003, he received the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award. This award recognized him for using technology to change industries.
- He also became a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2003. This was for inventing the electronic spreadsheet.
- In 2004, he became a Fellow of the Computer History Museum. This honor was for making personal computers more useful with VisiCalc.
Bricklin has also been part of important groups:
- He is a founding trustee of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council.
- He has served on the boards of the Software Publishers Association.
- He was also on the board of the Boston Computer Society.
He appeared in two documentaries: Triumph of the Nerds (1996) and Aardvark'd: 12 Weeks with Geeks (2005). In both, he talked about how VisiCalc was developed. He also introduced the terms "friend-to-friend networking" and "cornucopia of the commons."
