The Origins of Bill Gates' Open Letter to Hobbyists

In 1976, Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, wrote an open letter to early PC hobbyists.

Disturbed by the widespread unauthorized copying of their software, Gates expressed his disappointment stating, 'As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software.

Hardware must be paid for, but software is something to share.' This letter is notable as it marks the beginning of attention to software as intellectual property.

Microsoft wrote the software BASIC, for the Altair 8800, one of the first personal computers.

This letter was published in the Homebrew Computer Club Newsletter (to hobbyist communities), in which he mentioned paying for software as a necessary thing to keep the industry alive.

Gates signed the letter as 'General Partner, Micro-Soft', the newly established Microsoft, marking a major juncture in the history of software and copyright laws..