Bob Frankston

Bob Frankston is a software engineer and entrepreneur who co-invented VisiCalc, the world’s first electronic spreadsheet, alongside Dan Bricklin in 1979. A graduate of MIT with degrees in computer science and mathematics, Frankston was the technical mastermind who turned Bricklin’s conceptual design into a highly optimized, functional program that could run within the strict memory limitations of the early Apple II computer. The unparalleled commercial success of VisiCalc fundamentally transformed the personal computer from a hobbyist novelty into an essential business tool. Beyond VisiCalc, Frankston’s decades-long career includes significant contributions to early home networking, broadband policy, and software development at companies like Software Arts, Lotus Development Corporation, and Microsoft. He remains a vital and articulate voice in the history of the Boston technology ecosystem, advocating for the democratizing power of open networking infrastructure.