Bill Gates Made Some Interesting Predictions in 1993 About Personal Computers, Here’s What He Said

Back in 1993, Bill Gates shared some cool ideas about the future of personal computers on the BBC’s Horizon show, as part of their exploration of the “Electronic Frontier.” The internet was brand new to most people then, with only about 130 websites in the whole world, and personal computers were still growing fast.

As Microsoft’s co-founder, he talked about his big picture for how computers would change things, pointing to the start of the “information age.” Gates called computers the main tool of the information age, saying, “This is the information age, and the computer is the tool of the information age, and software is what will make it easy to get all that information.” He pictured software making it super simple to reach tons of info, totally changing how people use data.

The Microsoft boss imagined them fitting into homes not only for work but also for relaxing, linking people through connected systems. This was a hint at how the internet would later help with chatting and entertainment. Gates knew making computers easy to use and small enough for everyone to have at home would be a big challenge. He understood they needed simple controls and affordable gear to reach Microsoft’s dream of putting a computer in every house.