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Microsoft is a multinational computer technology corporation. The history of Microsoft began on April 4, 1975, when it was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque.[1] Its current best-selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.
In 1980, Microsoft formed a partnership with IBM that allowed them to bundle Microsoft 's operating system with IBM computers, paying Microsoft a royalty for every sale. In 1985, IBM requested that Microsoft write a new operating system for their computers called OS/2; Microsoft wrote the operating system, but also continued to sell their own alternative, which proved to be in direct competition with OS/2. Microsoft Windows eventually overshadowed OS/2 in terms of sales. When Microsoft launched several versions of Microsoft Windows in the 1990s, they had captured over 90% market share of the world 's personal computers.
The company has now become largely successful. As of 2008, Microsoft has a global annual revenue of US$ 60.42 billion and nearly 90,000 employees in 105 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.[2][3][4]
Contents [hide]
1 1975–1985: The founding of Microsoft
2 1985–1991: The rise and fall of OS/2
3 1992–1995: Domination of the corporate market
4 1995–1999: Foray into the Web and other ventures
5 2000–2005: Legal issues, XP, and .NET
6 2005–present: Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
1975–1985: The founding of Microsoft[edit]
Microsoft staff photo, December 7, 1978. From left to right:
Top: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace, Jim Lane.
Middle: Bob O 'Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, Gordon Letwin.
Bottom: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood, Paul Allen
Missing: Ric Weiland, Miriam Lubow.
Gates described the photograph in 2009 as "that famous picture that provides
Microsoft is a multinational computer technology corporation. The history of Microsoft began on April 4, 1975, when it was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque.[1] Its current best-selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.
In 1980, Microsoft formed a partnership with IBM that allowed them to bundle Microsoft 's operating system with IBM computers, paying Microsoft a royalty for every sale. In 1985, IBM requested that Microsoft write a new operating system for their computers called OS/2; Microsoft wrote the operating system, but also continued to sell their own alternative, which proved to be in direct competition with OS/2. Microsoft Windows eventually overshadowed OS/2 in terms of sales. When Microsoft launched several versions of Microsoft Windows in the 1990s, they had captured over 90% market share of the world 's personal computers.
The company has now become largely successful. As of 2008, Microsoft has a global annual revenue of US$ 60.42 billion and nearly 90,000 employees in 105 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.[2][3][4]
Contents [hide]
1 1975–1985: The founding of Microsoft
2 1985–1991: The rise and fall of OS/2
3 1992–1995: Domination of the corporate market
4 1995–1999: Foray into the Web and other ventures
5 2000–2005: Legal issues, XP, and .NET
6 2005–present: Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
1975–1985: The founding of Microsoft[edit]
Microsoft staff photo, December 7, 1978. From left to right:
Top: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace, Jim Lane.
Middle: Bob O 'Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, Gordon Letwin.
Bottom: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood, Paul Allen
Missing: Ric Weiland, Miriam Lubow.
Gates described the photograph in 2009 as "that famous picture that provides
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