Microsoft is now into book publishing. The software behemoth has introduced its own publishing imprint, 8080 Books which would be focussing primarily on topics such as technology, business, as well as the society at large. The imprint 8080 Books is named after the Intel 8080 microprocessor with which Microsoft started its journey way back in the 1970s. That was also when Microsoft had introduced a BASIC programming language version for the Altair 8800 PC that came powered by the Intel 8080 processor. That also happens to be the last four digits of the Microsoft Corporate HQ phone number, as MSPoweruser pointed out.
There are going to be several titles published by 8080 Books that are going to be authored by both Microsoft employees and other authors. The first title is set to be No Prize for Pessimism and is penned by Microsoft Deputy Chief Technology Officer Sam Schillace. The books deal with how optimism is central for innovation to flourish while a pessimistic line of thought can hinder creativity. The books are going to be published in as little as 3 months from the date of completion of the manuscript.
The second book from 8080 Books is going to be Platform Mindset. Written by Marcus Fontoura, the book will make it to the market by the end of the year. Marcus has served the company in various capacities since 2013. He has been the Partner Architect at Microsoft before serving as Distinguished Engineer, Technical Fellow, and Company Vice President, as can be made out from his Linkedin Profile.
“With a combined tenure of, well, let’s just say a long time, we’re both acutely aware of the rich well of talent at Microsoft from which we can draw upon and publish under the 8080 Books imprint over time,” says Microsoft in a statement, co-authored by VP Steve Clayton & senior director Greg Shaw.
Microsoft however won’t be looking at making a profit out of the venture. Instead, the proceeds are going to be re-invested in the publishing business or will be donated to non-profit organizations.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
