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Microsoft Gains Boston Accent

While there are smart tech people all over the world and all over the U.S., it's clear there are pockets where these types tend to congregate: Silicon Valley; Redmond, Wash.; Austin, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.

But do you know where the spreadsheet was invented (by VisiCalc) and then reinvented (by Lotus)? Where the minicomputer was born (remember Data General, Wang and DEC?). Good, old Massachusetts, my home state.

Microsoft bought a bunch of Massachusetts' best brains by buying Groove and Softricity, and got some bright New Hampshire bulbs when it bought Desktop Standard. Now, Microsoft wants to tap into New England research minds by creating a lab in Cambridge, Mass.

The Massachusetts tech economy fell on hard times after 2001. It's already on a comeback, and with Microsoft in our back yard, things should only get better.

Posted by Doug Barney on September 24, 2008


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