Not really vintage radio, but I was recently reminiscing about an earlier life, in the early 1980's when I started a business in the world of bar code scanning, servicing the library market mostly.
We developed a mobile system for “bookmobiles” to record issues and returns to later download to the main library computer, using a NEC 8201 microcomputer, running Microsoft Basic.

I recall a Microsoft copyright reference on the screen, (8 lines of 40 characters), and often wondered what life would be like if I had recognised the significance of that name and bought some shares. They went public in 1986, so the time was right.

Initial Public Offer 1986, US$21 share price, say 100 shares costing US$2100

9 or so share splits since then, so 100 shares now is 28800 shares

Current share price is US$130, times 28800 equals US$3,744,000, plus all the dividends over that time.

Oh well!!!

Harold

Never mind , foresight is for the few I think.
I've missed all the boats ,. But I never imagined that Australia would become as expensive as it has, nothing here is cheap no matter what it is.
In the 80s it was a still cheap and there were opportunities about the place were huge amounts of money were not needed.
I don't feel this is the case now.

Pete

The company I work for went from a launch price of around $2.30 in 1997 to around $65.00 today and was a shadow of its modern self compared to today. For privacy reasons I won't name the company (and as a subtle hint, I don't expect others who know the company to name it either) but yeah, no shares then and none now.

I've owned shares in other companies before but none with that long term yield. In Australia, it is usually only the banks and mining companies that do better.

I recall dealing with Microsoft (Australia) when it was in a tiny office at Frenchs Forest.