Editing Alan Cooper (software designer) (section)

=== Visual Basic ===
In 1988, Alan Cooper created a visual programming language (code-named “Ruby”) that allowed Windows users to build “Finder”-like shells. He called it “a shell construction set."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooper.com/alan/father_of_vb.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961101084552/http://www.cooper.com/alan/father_of_vb.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 1, 1996|title=The Father of Visual Basic|website=www.cooper.com}}</ref>  After he demonstrated Ruby to [[Bill Gates]], [[Microsoft]] purchased it. At the time, Gates commented that the innovation would have a “profound effect”<ref>Lohr, pp.95</ref> on their entire product line. Microsoft initially decided not to release the product as a shell for users, but rather to transform it into a professional development tool for their [[QuickBASIC]] programming language called [[Visual Basic (classic)|Visual Basic]], which was widely used for business application development for [[Windows]] computers.

Cooper's dynamically installable control facility, which became famous as the “[[VBX]]” interface, was a well-known component of "Ruby". This innovation allowed any 3rd party developer to write a widget (control) as a DLL, put it in the Visual Basic directory, and Visual Basic would find it, communicate with it, and present it to the user as a seamless part of the program. The widget would appear in the tool palette and appropriate menus, and users could incorporate it into their Visual Basic applications. The invention of the “VBX” interface created an entire new marketplace for vendors of these “dynamically installable controls.” As a result of Cooper's work, many new software companies were able to deliver Windows software to market in the 1990s.

The first book ever written about Visual Basic, ''The Waite Group’s Visual Basic How-To'' by [[Mitchell Waite]], is dedicated to Alan Cooper. In his dedication, the author calls Cooper the “Father of Visual Basic.” This nickname has often served as Cooper's one-line resume.<ref>Waite, Mitchell (1992)</ref>

In 1994, Bill Gates presented Cooper with the first [[Windows Pioneers|Windows Pioneer Award]] for his contributions to the software industry. During the presentation, Gates took particular note of Cooper's innovative work creating the VBX interface.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOKtFr_YOxk|title=Alan Cooper Receiving the Windows Pioneer Award 1994|last=Alan Cooper|date=23 September 2010|via=YouTube}}</ref>

In 1998, the SVForum honored Cooper with its Visionary Award.<ref name="1998 Visionary Awards recipients">[http://www.svforum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=521 1998 SVForum Visionary Awards celebration] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325223231/http://www.svforum.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=521 |date=2012-03-25 }}, 1998 SVForum Visionary Awards celebration.</ref>