Microsoft’s Rise to Power: The Story of Tech’s Biggest Giant
Giants in any field have always intrigued the common-man. This is no different for technology, as Microsoft’s rise to power stands as one of the most monumental ascensions of any business in modern-day history. From humble beginnings in the late 1970s to a corporate giant in 2019, Microsoft’s story is an incredible one spanning four decades.
History of Microsoft
Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975 by childhood friends Paul Allen and Bill Gates, who had previously worked together on the creation of computer software. Their first product was a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800, a personal computer. Gaining sales momentum, they went on to develop MS-DOS, the first widely used operating system (OS).
In 1981, Microsoft introduced the first version of Windows, a graphical OS, joining the world’s first home computer, the IBM Personal Computer. This collaboration between Microsoft and IBM set the stage for the success Microsoft would experience for years to come.
The Windows Operating System
The Windows Operating System (OS) is Microsoft’s biggest technological asset. Departing from the traditional command-line interface that had been the staple of computer operating systems since their inception, Microsoft introduced their own graphical user interface (GUI) as part of Windows 1.0. This paved the way for the user-friendly operating systems we’re all familiar with today.
The success of Windows is directly linked to the success of Microsoft as a business. Microsoft’s first major success was Windows 3.0, widely popular around the world with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide.
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is Microsoft’s second major technological asset. Office consists of a suite of productivity applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, designed to increase the productivity of everyday tasks such as document and data entry, presentations, and more.
The original Microsoft Office application suite was released in 1989 and was an instant success. Office has since seen multiple releases, with the most recent version being Office 2019. It has become a staple of the global corporate landscape, with billions of people worldwide using it to access their emails, prepare presentations and documents, and organize their data.
Other Products
Microsoft’s technology portfolio is vast and consists of many other products mostly aimed at the business and educational sectors.
•Azure: A cloud platform for businesses to host applications, store and manage data.
•SharePoint: A cloud-based collaboration platform for businesses to store documents and data, create websites and manage workflow.
•Visual Studio: An integrated development environment (IDE) for developers to create software.
•Power BI: A business intelligence platform for data visualization.
•PowerApps: A platform for creating business applications.
•Microsoft HoloLens: An augmented reality (AR) headset used to visualize 3D models.
Recent Developments
In recent years, Microsoft has made a major push into the digital space, focusing heavily on development of its products and services.
•Microsoft Teams: A cloud-based workspace for collaboration between teams.
•Microsoft 365: A cloud-based subscription service with access to productivity applications, cloud storage and collaboration tools.
•MicrosoftEdge: Microsoft’s own web browser.
•Windows 10: The latest version of the Windows operating system.
Innovations in Technology
In order to stay ahead of the competition, Microsoft has steadily released a steady stream of innovative products and services that have set the standard for technology.
•Virtual Reality: In 2016 Microsoft launched the HoloLens, an augmented reality (AR) headset that allows users to view 3D models in their own office.
•Artificial Intelligence: Microsoft has made major strides in artificial intelligence development, developing tools such as Microsoft Cognitive Services, a collection of APIs and services that allow developers to integrate AI capabilities into their applications.
•Cloud Computing: Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform has become one of the most popular cloud computing platforms in the world, used by over 57% of Fortune 500 companies.
In its 42 years of existence, Microsoft has achieved something remarkable. It has gone from a small tech startup to the world’s biggest technology corporation. From providing the framework for the computing revolution to an industry-leader in the fields of augmented reality and artificial intelligence, Microsoft’s story is an inspiring one. It stands as one of the most successful business success stories of all time, and it’s not stopping any time soon.
