27 Old-School Pics of Tech Overlords Before They Ruined the World

Carly Tennes Published 07/08/2024 in wow

Long before they stole our data, nuked the headphone jack, and in the case of Bill Gates, spent some quality time with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, Apple and Microsoft were the little tech companies that could, bringing computers into offices and homes around the globe. Case in point? These iconic photos showing the — very '70s, '80s, and '90s — early days of these Silicon Valley giants.

From high school yearbook photos to one-on-ones with Shaquille O'Neal, here are 27 old-school pics of tech overlords before they ruined the world.

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1.
“A young Bill Gates with Steve Jobs, 1985.”
2.
“Bill Gates riding his groovy bike in the '70s...little did his parents know at the time, he would become the world's richest man.”
3.
“Steve Jobs during an introduction to the public of his NeXTstation high-end computer. San Francisco, 1990.”
4.
“Bill Gates at Harvard, 1973/1974.”
5.
“Steve Jobs High School Year photo, 1972.”
6.
“Steve Jobs and the Apple Macintosh Team (1984).”
7.
“Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in 1976.”
8.
“Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (1991).”
9.
“Steve Jobs giving IBM the finger in 1983!”
10.
“Shaquille O‘Neil and Bill Gates, 1995.”
11.
“Shaquille O’Neal carrying Bill Gates - 1990’s.”
12.
“Steve Jobs with a bottle of Anchor Steam (1984).”
13.
“Bill Gates (1980).”
14.
“Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Jobs' parent's home in 1976, with their newly created Apple I.”
15.
“Bill Gates showing the capacity of a single CD, 1980s.”
16.
“Steve Jobs, 1980s.”
17.
“Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at Jobs' Palo Alto home, 1991.”
18.
“At home with Steve Jobs. 1981.”
19.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, date unknown
20.
“Steve Jobs wearing Groucho Marx glasses while sitting next to a replica of the Rosetta Stone (1989).”
21.
“Steve Jobs having recently returned from his pilgrimage in India (1974).”
22.
“Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, 1982.”
23.
“Steve Jobs with an apple (1970s).”
24.
“Steve Jobs, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and Sean Lennon playing with a Macintosh at Sean's 9th Birthday, 1984.”
25.
“The Microsoft staff, 1978.”
26.
 “15yo Bill Gates and 17yo Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft) using teletype machines at Lakeside School, 1970.”
27.
“Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Paul Allen, 1979.”

1.
“A young Bill Gates with Steve Jobs, 1985.”
2.
“Bill Gates riding his groovy bike in the '70s...little did his parents know at the time, he would become the world's richest man.”
3.
“Steve Jobs during an introduction to the public of his NeXTstation high-end computer. San Francisco, 1990.”
4.
“Bill Gates at Harvard, 1973/1974.”
5.
“Steve Jobs High School Year photo, 1972.”
6.
“Steve Jobs and the Apple Macintosh Team (1984).”
7.
“Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in 1976.”
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8.
“Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (1991).”
9.
“Steve Jobs giving IBM the finger in 1983!”
10.
“Shaquille O‘Neil and Bill Gates, 1995.”
11.
“Shaquille O’Neal carrying Bill Gates - 1990’s.”
12.
“Steve Jobs with a bottle of Anchor Steam (1984).”
13.
“Bill Gates (1980).”
14.
“Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in Jobs' parent's home in 1976, with their newly created Apple I.”
15.
“Bill Gates showing the capacity of a single CD, 1980s.”
16.
“Steve Jobs, 1980s.”
17.
“Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at Jobs' Palo Alto home, 1991.”
18.
“At home with Steve Jobs. 1981.”
19.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, date unknown
20.
“Steve Jobs wearing Groucho Marx glasses while sitting next to a replica of the Rosetta Stone (1989).”
21.
“Steve Jobs having recently returned from his pilgrimage in India (1974).”
22.
“Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, 1982.”
23.
“Steve Jobs with an apple (1970s).”
24.
“Steve Jobs, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, and Sean Lennon playing with a Macintosh at Sean's 9th Birthday, 1984.”
25.
“The Microsoft staff, 1978.”
26.
 “15yo Bill Gates and 17yo Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft) using teletype machines at Lakeside School, 1970.”
27.
“Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Paul Allen, 1979.”