What Is Microsoft?
Microsoft is a company that provides software and computer hardware to consumers and businesses. It is one of the world’s largest software vendors, with offices in over 60 countries. The company is a leading provider of cloud computing services.
One of the most famous products produced by Microsoft is Windows. Although the company initially faced some challenges, it has since been one of the most successful in the industry. Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. They started out by writing a BASIC interpreter for an Altair 8800. Later, they created other programming languages. In the 1980s, the company’s MS-DOS operating system surpassed the IBM OS/2 and CP/M as the most widely used operating system.
When Windows was released, it became the most popular PC operating system in the world. By the early 1990s, Microsoft had developed several programs in the business area, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, Access and Outlook. As the company continued to grow, its software became less expensive.
During the 1990s, Microsoft also developed the browser Internet Explorer. In 1995, Microsoft introduced Windows 95, which incorporated the Internet Explorer web browser. This was a major advancement in the company’s product line. Almost 90 percent of the world’s PCs rely on Microsoft’s operating system. Despite the success of Internet Explorer, its popularity declined as users switched to Google’s Chrome. Eventually, Microsoft deprecated Internet Explorer in its latest version, Windows 10.
In addition to Internet Explorer, Microsoft has a number of other programs available on its website. These include Microsoft Powerpoint, which allows you to create slide animations and 3D models, and Microsoft OneNote, which is a digital notebook. You can also use Outlook to manage your e-mail and calendar.
Since the release of the first Windows operating system in the mid-1980s, Microsoft has grown into the world’s largest software vendor. While it is still best known for its software for computers, it also produces electronic game systems, including Xbox. Other products include Skype, which is a social networking service, and the Activision-Blizzard video game publisher.
Microsoft’s rapid growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s raised concerns among its rivals. They contended that its rapid expansion threatened to stifle competition. However, Microsoft’s management understood the need for a presence in the consumer market.
With the introduction of the Xbox gaming console, Microsoft took on Nintendo and Sony. While it faced strong competition from the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation, Xbox 360 remained the most popular gaming console. Microsoft has also launched a broadband gaming network, Xbox Live.
Throughout the early part of the 21st century, Microsoft entered the public cloud market, with its Azure platform. Cloud computing is when a computer or other device is connected to a server to store and process data. Instead of having to maintain an on-site data center, companies can build their own computing infrastructure in the “cloud” to be available to their employees.
Microsoft has a number of research laboratories in the United States and abroad. Some of these are located in Cambridge, England; Bengaluru, India; and New York.
