Ray Ozzie
Encyclopedia
Raymond "Ray" Ozzie is an American software industry entrepreneur who held the positions of Chief Technical Officer
and Chief Software Architect at Microsoft
between 2005 and 2010. Before Microsoft, he was best known for his role in creating Lotus Notes
.
and graduating from Maine South High School
in 1973 where he learned to program on a GE-400 mainframe and did technical work on school theater productions.
He received his bachelor's degree
in computer science
in 1979 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
, where he worked on the PLATO system, and began his working career at Data General Corporation
where he worked for Jonathan Sachs
. After leaving Data General, Ozzie worked at Software Arts
for Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
, the creators of VisiCalc
, on that product and TK Solver
. Shortly thereafter, he was recruited by Sachs and Mitch Kapor
to work for Lotus Development to develop what became Lotus Symphony. Ozzie left Lotus Development in 1984 and founded Iris Associates
to create the product later sold by Lotus as Lotus Notes
. Iris Associates
was acquired by Lotus in 1994, and Lotus itself was acquired by IBM
in 1995.
Ozzie worked there for several years before leaving to form Groove Networks. Groove was acquired by Microsoft
in 2005, where Ozzie became one of three Chief Technical Officer
s. That year, he wrote a seven-page, 5,000-word internal memo, titled The Internet Services Disruption: "It's clear that if we fail to do so, our business as we know it is at risk ... We must respond quickly and decisively."
On June 15, 2006, Ozzie took over the role of Chief Software Architect from Bill Gates
.
In October 2009 he founded "FUSE Labs
" (Future Social Experiences) within Microsoft to focus on innovation around future social web experience.
Ozzie announced his plans to step down from his role at Microsoft on October 18, 2010 and his final day was December 31, 2010.
Chief technical officer
A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....
and Chief Software Architect at Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
between 2005 and 2010. Before Microsoft, he was best known for his role in creating Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes is the client of a collaborative platform originally created by Lotus Development Corp. in 1989. In 1995 Lotus was acquired by IBM and became known as the Lotus Development division of IBM and is now part of the IBM Software Group...
.
Biography
He grew up in Chicago, Illinois, later moving to Park Ridge, IllinoisPark Ridge, Illinois
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 37,775 people, 14,219 households, and 10,465 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,374.6 people per square mile . There were 14,646 housing units at an average density of 2,083.8 per square mile...
and graduating from Maine South High School
Maine South High School
Maine South High School, or MSHS, is a public four-year high school located in Park Ridge, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Maine Township High School District 207, which also includes Maine East High School and Maine West High School.Maine...
in 1973 where he learned to program on a GE-400 mainframe and did technical work on school theater productions.
He received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
in 1979 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he worked on the PLATO system, and began his working career at Data General Corporation
Data General
Data General was one of the first minicomputer firms from the late 1960s. Three of the four founders were former employees of Digital Equipment Corporation. Their first product, the Data General Nova, was a 16-bit minicomputer...
where he worked for Jonathan Sachs
Jonathan Sachs
Jonathan Sachs was the programmer who co-founded Lotus Development Corporation with Mitch Kapor in 1982 and created the first version of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program...
. After leaving Data General, Ozzie worked at Software Arts
Software Arts
Software Arts was a software company founded by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston in 1979 to develop VisiCalc, which was published by a separate company, Personal Software Inc...
for Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
Bob Frankston
Robert M. Frankston is the co-creator with Dan Bricklin of the VisiCalc spreadsheet program and the co-founder of Software Arts, the company that developed it....
, the creators of VisiCalc
VisiCalc
VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet program available for personal computers. It is often considered the application that turned the microcomputer from a hobby for computer enthusiasts into a serious business tool...
, on that product and TK Solver
TK Solver
TK Solver is a mathematical modeling and problem solving software system based on a declarative, rule-based language, commercialized by Universal Technical Systems, Inc.- History :...
. Shortly thereafter, he was recruited by Sachs and Mitch Kapor
Mitch Kapor
Mitchell David Kapor is the founder of Lotus Development Corporation and the designer of Lotus 1-2-3. He is also a co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and was the first chair of the Mozilla Foundation...
to work for Lotus Development to develop what became Lotus Symphony. Ozzie left Lotus Development in 1984 and founded Iris Associates
Iris Associates
Iris Associates was a software development company founded in Littleton, Massachusetts on December 7, 1984 by Ray Ozzie to build the software ultimately known as Lotus Notes. Tim Halvorsen and Len Kawell, who joined Iris shortly afterwards in January 1985, met Ray Ozzie years before when all of...
to create the product later sold by Lotus as Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes is the client of a collaborative platform originally created by Lotus Development Corp. in 1989. In 1995 Lotus was acquired by IBM and became known as the Lotus Development division of IBM and is now part of the IBM Software Group...
. Iris Associates
Iris Associates
Iris Associates was a software development company founded in Littleton, Massachusetts on December 7, 1984 by Ray Ozzie to build the software ultimately known as Lotus Notes. Tim Halvorsen and Len Kawell, who joined Iris shortly afterwards in January 1985, met Ray Ozzie years before when all of...
was acquired by Lotus in 1994, and Lotus itself was acquired by IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
in 1995.
Ozzie worked there for several years before leaving to form Groove Networks. Groove was acquired by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in 2005, where Ozzie became one of three Chief Technical Officer
Chief technical officer
A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....
s. That year, he wrote a seven-page, 5,000-word internal memo, titled The Internet Services Disruption: "It's clear that if we fail to do so, our business as we know it is at risk ... We must respond quickly and decisively."
On June 15, 2006, Ozzie took over the role of Chief Software Architect from Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
.
In October 2009 he founded "FUSE Labs
FUSE Labs
Microsoft's Future Social Experiences Labs was started by Ray Ozzie and is run by Lili Cheng. The group focuses on real-time and media rich experiences and is located in Redmond, WA, Cambridge, MA, and Cambridge, UK....
" (Future Social Experiences) within Microsoft to focus on innovation around future social web experience.
Ozzie announced his plans to step down from his role at Microsoft on October 18, 2010 and his final day was December 31, 2010.
External links
- Analyst view on India Infoline
- Interview about Groove.
- Microsoft press release on Groove acquisition, with quote from Ozzie
- Ray Ozzie's detailed work history
- Ray Ozzie's pre-Microsoft Weblog
- Microsoft Press Release Announcing Ozzie taking on position of Chief Software Architect
- Ray Ozzie Review An employee's account of a 'Ray Ozzie' review
- Lotus Notes home page.