Former MS exec blasts into space in Russian Soyuz capsule

reuters ^ | Thu Mar 26, 2009 | Sharon Gaudin

[JoeProBono]

A former Microsoft executive blasted off into space Thursday morning with the Expedition 19 crew aboard a Russian spacecraft headed for the International Space Station. Charles Simonyi, a Hungarian native, headed up Microsoft's application software group and oversaw the creation of the ubiquitous Office applications before leaving in 2002. Simonyi joined Microsoft in Feb. 1981, and during 21 years there, he headed up early development of both Word and Excel, and worked as an architect and distinguished engineer in the Microsoft Research organization.

[JoeProBono]

An investigation is under way into why the Russian Soyuz capsule carrying NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and guest researcher Yi So-yeon landed more than 250 miles short and nearly three times harder than planned. It took the Russian recovery team a half-hour to find the capsule, which was burnt from overheating during its steep plunge through the atmosphere. It was the third so-called ballistic return of the capsule with a space station crew. Whitson and her crewmates were able to climb out of the Soyuz unassisted while they awaited rescue. The spacecraft is believed to have set off a grass fire at touchdown. Photo by Reuters.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I anyone going to protest his house? /s

LOL!

[JSteff]

“Word and Excel”

Word was a poor second to Ami Pro from Lotus and Excel was a terrible copy of Lotus 1,2,3 and Lotus Symphony.

Both the Lotus programs were far superior Windows apps (at that time).

MS out marketed Lotus including forced their Office Suite on the computer manufacterers.

It was darn shame as Ami Pro was much better than Word.

[driftdiver]

Lotus notes stinks now, single threaded piece of garbage.

[par4]

I used Lotus Smart Suite as long as I could hold out. 123 allowed saving in Excel and Quattro Pro formats and Ami Pro was the best word processing program out there. Whe I was forced to use Excel only I still set it to operate off the slash "/" key until I got used to the drop down menus.

Now it's all Microsoft, take it or leave it...

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[JSteff]

“Ami Pro was the best word processing program out there. “

Absolutely! It was far and away the best for years. Word Pro was barely okay and Word never took on to the context menu strength or logic of either.

Both were a dream to use 12 years ago. Way ahead of MS.

I still miss Ami Pro and am surprised Lotus and then IBM did not go to put a thorn under Bills skin by releasing them to the open source community.

And my daughter, now a USN officer complained all through college about having to use word. She was using Ami Pro when she was 8 and loved it!

[Fichori]

Ballistic reentries are not fun.

IIRC, it wasn’t a grass fire. (Wheat or something)