Charles Simonyi

Co-founder
Intentional Software and space tourist

As if managing the development of Microsoft Word and Excel in the 1980?s wasn't a good enough item for his resume, Charles Simonyi has just made a trip to, uh, outer space. Yes, he is one of the first space tourists, having spent 11 days on board the International Space Station just last month. He will tell us all about it. Mr. Simonyi, a D regular, is co-founder of Intentional Software. He was hired by Microsoft in 1981, where he hired and managed teams that developed Microsoft Multiplan, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and other best-selling software applications. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he earned his bachelor's degree in engineering mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley, and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University. Mr. Simonyi is an avid collector of modern art, enjoys classical music and is an experienced pilot.

Posts With Charles Simonyi

Intentional Software Founder and Space Tourist Charles Simonyi: The Entire D5 Interview With Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher

in News on September 12, 2007 at 12:00 am PT

Charles Simonyi was out of this world onstage, literally. The early top Microsoft exec, who more recently founded Intentional Software, boldly went where few had gone before, by taking a ride into space. As one of the first space tourists, he spent 11 days on board the International Space Station earlier this year. Oh, also, [...]

D Wrap-Up: The Not-Bill-and-Steve Edition

in News on June 4, 2007 at 2:50 am PT

We hope you’ve enjoyed our show. Walt and I certainly did, and I think we both felt it was our best D thus far. And that’s without what was clearly the blockbuster joint interview with Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Steve Jobs of Apple, which got a mountain of attention, as it deserves for both its [...]

Intentional Software Founder and Space Tourist Charles Simonyi

in D5 on May 31, 2007 at 1:25 pm PT

As if managing the development of Microsoft Word and Excel in the 1980s wasn’t a good enough item for his resume, Charles Simonyi has just made a trip to, uh, outer space. Yes, he is one of the first space tourists, having spent 11 days on board the International Space Station just last month. He will tell us all about it.
Charles Simonyi

Countdown to D: All Things Digital

in News on May 28, 2007 at 12:08 am PT

We’re all in Carlsbad, Calif., now, getting ready for our fifth D: All Things Digital conference, which will begin tomorrow night. So here’s one of my movies to show you how we prepare for the annual conference, which is highlighted this year by a joint interview with Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Apple’s Steve Jobs, the [...]