# Bob Frankston

> American businessman

**Wikidata**: [Q93026](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93026)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Frankston)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bob-frankston

## Summary
Bob Frankston is an American computer scientist and programmer, best known for creating VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software.

## Biography
- Born: 1949-06-14, Brooklyn  
- Nationality: United States  
- Education: Stuyvesant High School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  
- Known for: Created VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software  
- Employer(s): Microsoft, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  
- Field(s): Computer scientist, programmer  

## Contributions
Bob Frankston created VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software, in 1978. This groundbreaking product revolutionized business data management by enabling users to perform calculations and analyze data in a spreadsheet format, paving the way for modern spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Bob Frankston known for?
A: He created VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software.
### Q: When was VisiCalc created?
A: VisiCalc was created in 1978.
### Q: What awards did he receive?
A: He received the ACM Software System Award in 1985 and was named an ACM Fellow in 1994.

## Why They Matter
Bob Frankston's creation of VisiCalc had a profound impact on the field of business computing. As the first spreadsheet software, it transformed how businesses managed data, calculations, and financial information, making complex tasks accessible to non-technical users. This innovation directly influenced the development of subsequent spreadsheet applications, including Microsoft Excel, and established the spreadsheet as a fundamental tool in modern office productivity.

## Notable For
- Created VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software in 1978.
- Received the ACM Software System Award in 1985.
- Was named an ACM Fellow in 1994.
- Worked at Microsoft and was affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

## Body
### Early Life and Education
- Born on June 14, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York.
- Attended Stuyvesant High School and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

### Career and Professional Affiliations
- Employed by Microsoft, with the company being his notable employer.
- Affiliated with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), where he was named a Fellow in 1994.

### Key Creation: VisiCalc
- Developed VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software, in 1978.
- This product introduced the spreadsheet concept to business users, enabling data organization, calculations, and analysis in a user-friendly format.

### Professional Recognition
- Received the ACM Software System Award in 1985 for contributions to software systems.
- Designated a Computer History Museum Fellow for his work.

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Bob Frankston",
  "jobTitle": "Computer Scientist",
  "worksFor": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Microsoft"},
  "nationality": {"@type": "Country", "name": "United States"},
  "birthDate": "1949-06-14",
  "birthPlace": "Brooklyn",
  "alumniOf": [{"@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology"}],
  "knowsAbout": ["computer science", "programming"],
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206855", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Frankston"]
}

## References

1. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/newell/award-recipients)
2. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/fellows/award-recipients)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013