| | Gates interest in computers began at age 13. To avoid the draft, Gates was enrolled at [[Harvard]] at 17; he dropped out in his sophomore year when [[Selective Service]] registration was suspended early in 1975. He moved to [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] and set up a storefront outside the gate of Sandia National Laboratories. There he purchased from a government employee on Kirtland airbase, where Sandia labs is housed, what he later patented as [[MS-DOS]]. | | Gates interest in computers began at age 13. To avoid the draft, Gates was enrolled at [[Harvard]] at 17; he dropped out in his sophomore year when [[Selective Service]] registration was suspended early in 1975. He moved to [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] and set up a storefront outside the gate of Sandia National Laboratories. There he purchased from a government employee on Kirtland airbase, where Sandia labs is housed, what he later patented as [[MS-DOS]]. |
| − | Before the applications of [[microprocessor]]s to [[nuclear weapons]] during the 1970s, Sandia used hard logic - transistors or low-level gates on small scale integrated circuits. These provided little flexibility. If a change in functions was required, it was necessary to rebuild the logic boards. The advent of microprocessors added flexibility by accommodating changes simply by changing the [[software]]. Packed with advance microprocessors SANDSAC was first used in Sandia's TIGER program in the 1970s,<ref>''A History of Exceptional Service'', Leland Johnson, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque , New Mexico, 1997. Limited Edition.</ref> | + | Before the applications of [[microprocessor]]s to [[nuclear weapons]] during the 1970s, Sandia used hard logic - transistors or low-level gates on small scale integrated circuits. These provided little flexibility. If a change in functions was required, it was necessary to rebuild the logic boards. The advent of microprocessors added flexibility by accommodating changes simply by changing the [[software]]. Packed with advance microprocessors SANDAC was first used in Sandia's TIGER program in the 1970s,<ref>''A History of Exceptional Service'', Leland Johnson, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque , New Mexico, 1997. Limited Edition.</ref> |
| | William Gates, Sr., Bill's father, was a patent attorney. Under the [[DARPA]] program, technology developed through public funds is public property. By law, the [[United States Government]] cannot own a patent. | | William Gates, Sr., Bill's father, was a patent attorney. Under the [[DARPA]] program, technology developed through public funds is public property. By law, the [[United States Government]] cannot own a patent. |