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Bob Frankston

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description Bob Frankston Overview

Bob Frankston is an American computer programmer and software engineer who, with Dan Bricklin, co-created VisiCalc. Developed by their company Software Arts and released in 1979, VisiCalc presented a grid in which users could enter values and formulas and recalculate results. The program helped establish the spreadsheet as a practical tool for personal computers, business work, budgeting, and other tasks involving structured numerical information.

help Bob Frankston FAQ

What did Bob Frankston invent with Dan Bricklin?

Bob Frankston and Dan Bricklin co-created VisiCalc, an early electronic spreadsheet. Software Arts developed the program, which presented users with a grid of values and formulas.

When was VisiCalc released?

VisiCalc was released in 1979. Its first major platform was the Apple II, where recalculating formulas made financial and numerical planning much faster.

What did VisiCalc do that paper spreadsheets could not?

Users could change a value and have dependent formulas recalculate automatically. That made the Apple II useful for budgets, forecasts, and other models that would otherwise require repeated manual arithmetic.

What was Bob Frankston's role in Software Arts?

Frankston co-founded Software Arts with Bricklin in January 1979 and helped develop VisiCalc. The company created the software, while Personal Software handled its early publication and distribution.

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