Some were frustrated executives who scribbled their ideas on napkins in a small café. Some were boy geniuses with a natural knack for electronics who knew all along what they wanted to build. And some were already middle-aged businessmen who saw an opportunity to see their dreams come alive and the chance to make a ton of money in the process. Whatever their stories, the individuals and development teams honored in this issue have one thing in common: They are the forefathers of the Information Age.

This strange mix of wizards, scientists and businessmen wrote the constitution of the computer industry without even realizing the magnitude and impact their actions would have on society. Through their ideas, drive and perseverance, these individuals revolutionized an industry and changed the course of computing and the world. As a result, the growth of the computer industry is unparalleled.

Welcome to CRN's second annual Industry Hall of Fame issue, in which we pay tribute to the industry's pioneers, visionaries, entrepreneurs and evangelists. This year, CRN, along with the Computer Museum, Boston, has inducted 10 more extraordinary individuals into the Industry Hall of Fame. They are: Paul Allen, Tim Berners-Lee, Dan Bricklin, Vint Cerf, Ross Cooley, Larry Ellison, Bronson Ingram, Charles Wang, John Warnock and Steve Wozniak.

The fruits of their labor are Microsoft, Apple, Compaq, Ingram Micro, desktop publishing, software management, widespread acceptance of relational databases and the first killer app--the electronic spreadsheet. And let's not forget the World Wide Web and the Internet.

These 10 industry founding fathers join last year's 15 Industry Hall of Fame inductees--Steve Ballmer, Paul Brainerd, Rod Canion, Don Estridge, Bill Gates, Andrew Grove, William Hewlett, Steve Jobs, Mitch Kapor, Chip Lacy, Jeff McKeever, Bill Millard, Ray Noorda, Edward Raymund and Alan Shugart.

Also in this issue are behind-the-scenes tales of four of the most dynamic development teams ever assembled who built the products and technologies that took the industry to the next level. Read how the Compaq Portable came to life. Laugh at the pranks the Intel 386 chip designers pulled to relieve tension.

Sweat with the original Windows development team as they worked around the clock to get their product out the door. And feel the excitement when Lotus 1-2-3 took center stage at Comdex.

Their achievements created, nurtured and built the fastest-growing industry the world has ever seen. We thank you.