Microsoft. It is a company whose products and computer software has changed the way we view technology. Microsoft has become one of the biggest technology companies in the world. The products, computer, and software applications created by Microsoft have become essential in our everyday lives.
There are currently over 1.2 billion users that use Microsoft office. That is only one of their software applications that the company has created, so imagine how many more people are using their other products and applications. Microsoft continues to explore the future of technology and keeps bringing it to the next level.
How did Microsoft come to be? That’s a great question, it all began with two well-known names you know of today. Microsoft began with Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
How They Met
A computer terminal is what brought young Bill Gates and Paul Allen together. They had both attended a school called Lakeside School in Seattle. Bill Gates was two years younger than Paul Allen. Gates was in the 8th grade while Allen was in the 10th grade.
They became friends when they realized they both had a deep and common interest in the computer terminal at their school. At the time, these computer terminals were very expensive. They ranged from up to $40 an hour in order to use it. At their age, they couldn’t afford to pay that expensive price tag to use it, so they found a different way to use it.
Gates and Allen exploited a bug into the system so they can have some computer time. The school eventually caught on to what they were doing, and they got busted. However, this was the beginning of a partnership between Gates and Allen.
It Started with an Idea
Gates and Allen remained friends throughout and even after high school. They still had the same passion and drive with computer software that they had when they first met. In 1975, Gates & Allen pursued their interest in computer programming and created a programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer.
Allen was working as a computer programmer but quit his job in order to start his own company, Microsoft. Gates who currently was attending Harvard at the time, left during his sophomore year of college to launch Microsoft with Allen. Gates never went back to complete his degree at Harvard.
Microsoft became a major player in the industry as companies wanted the computer software that Gates and Allen were creating. By the end of 1978, sales at Microsoft were over $1 million. Microsoft allowed personal computing to exist.
Microsoft Office Applications
As I had mentioned earlier, there are over 1.2 billion users that use the Microsoft Office Applications. In the Microsoft Office Applications, there are numerous applications within it.
These applications include:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft OneNote
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Publisher
- Microsoft Access
- Skype for Business
- Microsoft InfoPath
- Windows 10 apps
- Office Mobile for iPad/iPhone
- Office Mobile for Android
- Office Mobile for Windows Phone
- Office for Windows 10 Mobile
All of these applications are useful programs that can be used on different systems. They include email programs, database management solutions, word processing programs, and much more. These programs have become an essential part of our personal lives, work lives, and at school.
Windows PCs
Microsoft also offers a variety of PCs on their website and at their in-person locations. They can range from as little as $180 to up to $2000. On their site, they also have a quiz that users can take. This quiz is designed to help users determine which PC is best suited for their lifestyle.
One of the most popular Microsoft PCs today is the New Surface Pro X. It is a 2-in-1 laptop with LTE and a 13’’ touchscreen. It has the Microsoft SQ1 processor as well as a 30 day trial of the Microsoft Office software.
Today’s Microsoft Products
Besides the software applications and PC listed above, Microsoft has multiple other softwares and products that they offer. They have several accessories to go along with their products such as earbuds, headphones, keyboards, and PC pens.
One of the Microsoft products that has changed the gaming industry, is the Xbox. The Xbox One X is one of the most powerful gaming consoles out there. It has 40% more power than any gaming console and has a true 4k gaming experience. There are currently over 65 million users on Xbox.
Microsoft Corporation
The Microsoft Corporation was founded in April 4, 1975 in Albuquerque, NM by two childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
Today, Microsoft Corporation is known as an American multinational technology giant. Its revenue is 125.8 billion USD. The Microsoft Corporation is located in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
Where are they Today?
Bill Gates is the co-founder, technology advisor, and a board member of Microsoft. He is the second richest person in the world. He, along with his wife, started the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, to help people out of hunger and extreme poverty.
Unfortunately, Paul Allen died at the age of 65 to cancer. Throughout his lifetime, he had given away over $2 billion to charity. He had established the Paul G Allen Family Foundation, that gives to regional and local causes in the Seattle area.
Looking at the Future
Microsoft continues to advance with its technology and uses it to help improve the world around us. It strives to use technology for good and bring forth a sustainable future.
Currently, Microsoft is focusing on their Microsoft AI. They want to use this artificial intelligence to bring solutions and new discoveries to consumers and businesses. This is something that is new and there is much more to be learned about AI.
Microsoft Corporation is one of the biggest technology companies today. It continues to develop new computer and software applications that serve us great purpose. The company is only expected to grow as it continues to push for innovation. This would not have been possible without the founders of Microsoft, Paul Allen and Bill Gates.
