Microsoft's Hidden Easter Egg: A Retro Tech War Story

This article unravels the story behind a hidden "MICROSOFT!" Easter egg embedded in early versions of Microsoft's BASIC interpreters. From the 1975 Altair BASIC to Commodore PET's Commodore BASIC V2, Microsoft cleverly concealed this message to assert code ownership. The egg resurfaced across various platforms, even leading to a second, more overt Easter egg in the TRS-80 Color Computer. The article delves into authorship, removal reasons, and its intriguing place in computer history, showcasing the competition and technical details of early tech companies.