Definition: Microsoft

(Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) One of the most successful companies in the world. Microsoft's DOS and Windows operating systems, combined with Intel's hardware, pioneered the PC and revolutionized the computer industry.

Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Windows is the de facto standard with approximately a billion and a half desktop and laptop machines running some version of the software. In addition, Microsoft Office is the most successful application suite in history. The company also has a thriving business in programming languages, which are its roots, as well as in numerous other software categories.

Gates and Allen were in college when they wrote the first BASIC language interpreter for the Intel 8080 microprocessor (see 8080). MBASIC was licensed to Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems to accompany its Altair microcomputer kit, and by the end of 1976, more than 10,000 Altairs were sold through Radio Shack, Apple and others.

Although Microsoft became a leader in programming languages, its outstanding success was fitting IBM PCs with DOS and PC clones with MS-DOS. In 1990, Windows 3.0, the third version of Windows, was enormously popular. Later, Windows 95 and Windows NT cemented Microsoft's leadership. See Altair, IBM PC, DOS and Windows 3.0.

After the explosion of the Web, Microsoft gave away its Internet Explorer (IE) browser and then integrated it into Windows. IE became the leading on-ramp to the Internet, and the company embraced the online world with MSN Network and numerous MSN-branded applications and services (see MSN). IE was eventually replaced (see Edge browser).

Although Microsoft is known for software, it is also a hardware company, offering mice, keyboards, Webcams and the very successful Xbox gaming console (see Xbox). In 2013, Microsoft acquired the handset division of Nokia, giving it control over its very innovative smartphone platform. However, it later abandoned the mobile phone business (see Windows Phone). Introduced in 2015, the HoloLens ventured into augmented reality (see Windows Mixed Reality).

Microsoft is also a major player in AI, having invested $10 billion in OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. The company's Azure cloud computing platform is second only to Amazon, and Azure offers numerous AI services (see Microsoft Azure). See Windows, DOS, Microsoft Office and Microsoftie.

William H. Gates, III

By the turn of the century, Bill Gates became the most widely known business entrepreneur in the world, regardless of industry. (Image courtesy of Microsoft Corporation.)

The Microsoft Campus

This is the main building of the sprawling Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington, near Seattle. (Image courtesy of Microsoft Corporation.)