Description:

Bill Gates
Albuquerque, NM, February 3, 1976
Bill Gates Signed "An Open Letter to Hobbyists" Typescript
DS

Souvenir typescript reproduction of one of the most historically significant documents in the history of computing: Bill Gates' "An Open Letter to Hobbyists", originally published on February 3, 1976 in Albuquerque, NM. This piece features the full later printed text of Gates' letter on early Micro-Soft (as it was then stylized) letterhead. The paper was originally signed boldly by Bill Gates at the bottom in black marker and then the text printed. In fine condition, boldly signed. Measures 5.5" x 7."

In full:

"An Open Letter to Hobbyists

February 3, 1976

To me, the most critical thing in the hobby market right now is the lack of good software courses, books and software itself. Without good software and an owner who understands programming, a hobby computer is wasted. Will quality software be written for the hobby market?
As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software. Hardware must be paid for, but software is something to share. Who cares if the people who worked on it get paid? Is this fair? We have written 6800 BASIC, and are writing 8080 APL and 6800 APL, but there is very little incentive to make this software available to hobbyists. Most directly, the thing you do is theft.
What about the guys who re-sell Altair BASIC, aren't they making money on hobby software? Yes, but those who have been reported to us may lose in the end. They are the ones who give hobbyists a bad name, and should be kicked out of any club meeting they show up at.

Bill Gates
General Partner, Micro-Soft"

This typescript reproduces a pivotal moment in the birth of the personal computing era. At the time, Bill Gates, then only 20 years old, had co-founded Micro-Soft with Paul Allen, producing software for the revolutionary Altair 8800, one of the first commercially successful personal computers. The company's flagship product was Altair BASIC, a version of the BASIC programming language adapted for the Altair's 8080 microprocessor.
In this open letter—published in the Homebrew Computer Club Newsletter—Gates sharply criticized the widespread practice of software piracy among hobbyist computer users. His blunt accusation that "most of you steal your software" sparked heated debate and drew attention to the emerging issue of software as intellectual property. At a time when hardware enthusiasts freely exchanged code, Gates' assertion that software developers deserved to be compensated was groundbreaking.
The letter marked a shift in the industry, helping to define how software would be treated—not as communal freeware, but as a legitimate commercial product. This stance laid the foundation for what would become Microsoft's business model and influenced broader software licensing practices for decades to come.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 5.5" x 7"
  • Medium: DS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

June 4, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000