What Is Microsoft?
Microsoft is a multinational technology company that develops and sells software for personal computers and other electronic devices. The company is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The company was founded in 1975 and currently employs around 45,000 people in more than a dozen countries. As of 2017, the company has over $180 billion in revenue.
Microsoft is the world’s largest software maker and has offices in over 60 countries. It is known for its Windows operating system, Office suite, and Internet Explorer web browser, among many other products. Microsoft is also active in the video game industry, mobile phones, and internet search. Microsoft has also recently acquired Skype Technologies for $8.5 billion.
Microsoft had initially been a hardware supplier before the 1990s when personal computers became popular and Microsoft shifted its focus to software. In 1990, it became the first software company to earn a $1 billion profit. This helped Microsoft gain a larger share of the global PC market. The company grew to become the market leader in productivity software, outpacing rivals such as Lotus and WordPerfect.
The company is also criticized for its alleged anti-competitive practices. The company is accused of using a strategy known as “embrace, extend, and extinguish” in an attempt to gain a monopoly position. This strategy focuses on using its proprietary capabilities to advantage Microsoft over competitors. It also causes users to become dependent on Microsoft products and services. This is known as vendor lock-in.
Microsoft has also released several versions of its Windows operating system over the past few decades. The first version, Windows 7, replaced the previous version, Vista. Critics hailed Windows 7 for its innovative features, including the start screen with tiles. The latest version, Windows 10, introduced Cortana, which responds to voice commands. It also introduced Microsoft Edge to replace Internet Explorer.
Microsoft Azure offers a variety of cloud services. Users can use Azure to develop new applications or run existing ones. Microsoft is making efforts to make key on-premises applications compatible with Azure. As of today, over 95% of Fortune 500 companies are using Azure. It can be used for analytics, virtual computing, storage, and many other applications.
Microsoft also offers a learning management system that makes it easy to train a whole team or individual departments. Using this system, you can assign training to employees and track their progress. Additionally, you can choose to obtain certifications from Microsoft that will prove your expertise in specific programs. It is estimated that over 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies use SharePoint to share documents.
Microsoft is constantly working to improve the software it offers. Office apps are highly customizable and easy on the eyes. They feature a spacious interface and feel at home on modern hardware. Microsoft has also jumped into the cloud with its Office 365 cloud-based software suite. This cloud-based service includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook.
