Software & Operating Systems - Microsoft Basic (1974) 1980's Bill Gates and Paul Allen developed the first advanced language for the microcomputer - BASIC language in Fall 1974 using the Altair 8800 computer manufactured by MITS Bill Gates and Paul Allen sell a license for BASIC to MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems), owned by Ed Roberts Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard and formed Microsoft 1975 Israeli athletes murdered at Munich Olympic Games 1972 President Richard Nixon visited China 1972 October War - Syrians attack Israel by surprise 1973 US withdraws from Vietnam 1973 President Richard Nixon resigns 1974 The Fall of Saigon 1975 Altair 8800, courtesy of http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Gates.Mirick.html Bill Gates and Paul Allen, 1975 courtesy of http://perso.libertysur.fr/conference/historang.htm Fall of Saigon, courtesy of http://www.afa.org/magazine/0400Saigon.html President Richard Nixon resigns, courtesy of http://www.gmu.edu/library/specialcollections/nixon.html Leslie Starcke