  Powerful methods based on supersymmetry allow one to find exact solutions to
certain problems in strong coupling gauge theories. The inception of some of
these methods (holomorphy in the gauge coupling and other chiral parameters, in
conjunction with instanton calculations) dates back to the 1980's. I describe
the early exact results -- the calculation of the beta function and the gluino
condensate -- and their impact on the subsequent developments. A brief
discussion of the recent breakthrough discoveries where these results play a
role is given.
