This story has all the ingredients of a modern legend, representing nothing less than the proverbial American Dream - writ extra-large. It is a story of hard work and brilliance, of extraordinary commitment and overwhelming desire. And these are the story's original cast members, who could not possibly have foreseen the epic, unprecedented success that awaited them. After all, the technology empire which these 12 visionaries helped to foster under a man named Bill Gates has all but single-handedly defined our Age of Information - and changed the world forever.
What began as a modest start-up partnership only 25 years ago has already surpassed all the giants of contemporary capitalism, including General Electric and IBM, and has achieved a market value estimated at nearly $500 billion. How did Microsoft achieve all of this in so short a time? What was the true nature of the Microsoft environment in the beginning, and what are the secrets behind its triumph?
Meet the early builders of Microsoft and step inside the famous culture of loyalty, the storied "maniacal work ethic," and the hardcore world of reckless risk-taking that remains so integral to the computer giant's matchless and ongoing success.