Project 'Cirrus' / 'Sprout' Commences

Microsoft begins internal development on its ambitious graphical desktop database project, initially code-named 'Cirrus' and later 'Sprout'. This marked the conceptual genesis of what would become Microsoft Access, aimed at a user-friendly relational database for Windows.

Significance

This period was crucial for defining the core vision and architectural blueprint for Access, moving from abstract ideas to concrete development efforts.