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{{Infobox_Company | '''Bold text'''{{Infobox_Company | ||
| company_name = Microsoft Corporation | | company_name = Microsoft Corporation | ||
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== Microsoft Sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! == | |||
| company_type = ] ({{nasdaq2|MSFT}}) | |||
| foundation = ] (] ])<ref name="founding">{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5085630.stm | title=Bill Gates: A Timeline | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> | |||
| location = {{flagicon|USA}} ], ], ] | |||
| key_people = ] (recently retired), ] and ]<br />], ]<br />], ]<br /> ], Chief Software Architect | |||
| industry = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]| products = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />(]) | |||
| revenue = {{profit}} ''']44.28 billion''' (2006)<ref name="2006financials">{{cite web | title=Microsoft Fourth Quarter FY 2006 Earnings Release | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/earnings/FY06/earn_rel_q4_06.mspx }}</ref> | |||
| operating_income = {{profit}} '''US$16.47 billion''' (2006)<ref name="2006financials" /><br /> ('''36.3%''' ]) <ref name="margins">{{cite web | url=http://www.investor.reuters.com/business/BusCompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=MSFT&target=%2fbusiness%2fbuscompany%2fbuscompfake%2fbuscompoverview | title=MICROSOFT CORP: Company Overview | work=] | accessdate=2006-05-24}}</ref> | |||
| net_income = {{profit}} '''US$12.6 billion''' (2006)<ref name="2006financials" /><br /> ('''31.6%''' ])<ref name="margins" /> | |||
| num_employees = '''71,553''' (2006) <ref name="fastfacts">{{cite web | title=Fast Facts about Microsoft | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/inside_ms.mspx | accessdate=27 July | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> | |||
| homepage = | |||
}} | |||
The '''Microsoft Corporation''', ({{nasdaq|MSFT}}, {{sehk2|4338}}) is a ] ] technology ] with global annual ] of ]44.28 ] and 71,553 employees in 102 countries as of July ]. It develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of ] products for computing devices. <ref name="2005annual">{{cite web | title=Microsoft 2005 Annual Report | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/ar05/downloads/MS_2005_AR.doc | accessdate=1 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref name="fastfacts" /><ref name="2006financials" /> Headquartered in ], ], ], its best selling products are the ] ] and the ] suite of productivity software, each of which has achieved near-ubiquity in the ] market. Microsoft possesses footholds in other markets, with assets such as the ] ] network, the ] ], and the ] multimedia encyclopedia. The company also markets both ] products such as the ] as well as ] products such as the ], ] and ].<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
Microsoft's name, originally ] as ''MicroSoft'' or with hyphenation as ''Micro-Soft'', is a ] of "microcomputer software"<ref></ref> and is often abbreviated informally as ''MS''. The company was founded in ], ] on ] ] by ] and ] to develop and sell ] ]s for the ].<ref name="founding" /> After the market saw a flood of ] clones in the mid-1980s, Microsoft used its new position, which it gained in part due to a contract from ], to dominate the ] operating system market with ], which stood for Microsoft Disk Operating System.<ref name="thocp1">{{cite web | title=Microsoft history at the History of Computing Project | url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm | accessdate=August 11 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> The company later released an ] in the ], which netted several of its employees millions of dollars due to the ensuing rise of the stock price.<ref name="ipoblog">{{cite web | title=Corps Law Blog:The Greatest IPO Ever | url=http://www.corplawblog.com/archives/000219.html | accessdate=9 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref name="stockrich">{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/29/business/yourmoney/29millionaire.html?ex=1275019200&en=de3d71cbbb7e06f8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss | title=The Microsoft Millionaires Come of Age | author=Julie Bick | date=] | publisher=] | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> The price of the stock continued its rise steadily into the early 2000s. In Microsoft Windows, originally an add-on for MS-DOS, the company was selling what would become the most widely used operating system in the world;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560420/Windows.html | title="Windows," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006 | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/resources/design/windows.html | title=Microsoft Design | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1938458.stm | title=Microsoft profits disappoint | publisher=BBC News | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/235169_vistatest04.html | title=Beta version of Microsoft's Vista shows a lot of potential | publisher=Associated Press | author=Matthew Fordahl | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> Microsoft continued to push into multiple markets, such as computer hardware and television.<ref name="thocp2">{{cite web | title=Microsoft history at the History of Computing Project (Part 2) | url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm | accessdate=August 11 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> In addition, Microsoft has historically given customer support over ] newsgroups and the ], and awards ] status to volunteers who are deemed helpful in assisting the company's customers.<ref name="MVP">Multiple: | |||
* {{cite web | url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/06/13/somehow_usenet_lumbers_on/ | title=Somehow, Usenet lumbers on | author=Hiawatha Bray | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-03 | publisher=]}} | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs | title=Microsoft MVP FAQ | accessdate=2006-07-01}}</ref> | |||
With what is generally described as a developer-centric business culture, Microsoft has become widely known for some of its internal codes of conduct for its employees.<ref name="bb">Multiple: | |||
* {{cite journal | first=John | last=Charles | title=Indecent proposal? Doing Business With Microsoft | journal=IEEE Software | issue=January/February 1998 | pages=113-117}} | |||
* {{cite book | author=Jennifer Edstrom | coauthors=Marlin Eller | title=Barbarians Led by Bill Gates: Microsoft from inside | year=1998 | publisher=N.Y. Holt | id=ISBN 0-8050-5754-4}} | |||
* {{cite book | author=Fred Moody | title=I Sing the Body Electronic: A Year With Microsoft on the Multimedia Frontier | publisher=Viking | year=1995 | id=ISBN 0-670-84875-1}} | |||
* {{cite book | author=Michael A. Cusumano | coauthors=Richard W. Selby | title=Microsoft Secrets: How the World's Most Powerful Software Company Creates Technology, Shapes Markets and Manages People | publisher=Free Press | year=1995 | id=ISBN 0-684-85531-3}}</ref> One example is the ] mantra, which describes the practice of using pre-release products inside the company to test them in an environment geared towards the real world.<ref name="dogfood">{{cite web | title=Microsoft tests its own 'dog food' | url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5047467.html | accessdate=2005-10-09 }}</ref> Microsoft has been convicted of ] business practices — the ], among others, has sued Microsoft for ] violations and software bundling.<ref name="usvms">{{cite web | title=United States v. Microsoft | url=http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm | accessdate=August 5 | accessyear=2005 }} homepage at the ]</ref> The slogan "]" is often used to describe Microsoft's strategy for entering product categories involving widely-used standards, extending those standards with ] capabilities, and then using those differences to disadvantage its competitors.<ref name="eee">{{cite web | url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-512681.html | title=Intel exec: MS wanted to 'extend, embrace and extinguish' competition | author=Will Rodger | publisher=] News | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> In addition, Microsoft has been criticized for the insecurity of its software.<ref name="insecurebydesign">{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34978-2003Aug23?language=printer | title=Microsoft Windows: Insecure by Design | author=Rob Pegoraro | publisher=Washington Post | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> However, Microsoft has won several awards, such as the "1993 Most Innovative Company Operating in the U.S." by '']'' magazine, as well as maintaining a place on the ] list of companies ].<ref name="awards">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/citizenship/diversity/inside/awards.asp | title=Awards received by Microsoft | accessdate=2006-07-01}}</ref> | |||
== History == | |||
{{seealso | History of Microsoft Windows}} | |||
=== 1975–1985: The founding of Microsoft === | |||
], ]. From left to right:<br /><small>'''Top:''' ], ], ].<br />'''Middle:''' ], ], ], ].<br />'''Bottom:''' ], ], ], ].</small>]] | |||
After reading the ] ] issue of '']'' that demonstrated the ], Bill Gates called the creators of the new ], ] (Micro Instrumentation and ] Systems), offering to demonstrate an implementation of the ] for the system.<ref name="keyevents">{{cite web | title=Key Events In Microsoft History | url=http://www.microsoft.com/visitorcenter/student.mspx | accessdate=1 October | accessyear=2005 }} (] format) </ref> Gates had neither an interpreter nor an Altair system, yet in the eight weeks before the demo he and ] developed the interpreter. The interpreter worked at the demo and MITS agreed to distribute ].<ref name="thocp1" /> ] left ], moved to ] where MITS was located, and founded Microsoft there. The name ''Microsoft'', without the hyphen, was first used in a letter from Gates to Allen on ], ],<ref name="thocp1" /> and on ], ] the name became a ].<ref name="keyevents" /> The company's first international office was founded on ], ], in Japan, entitled "] Microsoft" (now called "]").<ref name="keyevents" /> On ], ], the company moved from Albuquerque to a new home in ]. <ref name="keyevents" /> ] joined the company on ], ], and would later succeed Bill Gates as ].<ref name="keyevents" /> The company restructured on ] ], to become an incorporated business in its home state of Washington (with a further change of its name to "Microsoft, Inc."). As part of the restructuring, Bill Gates became president of the company and Chairman of the Board, and Paul Allen became Executive Vice President.<ref name="keyevents" /> | |||
The first ] the company publicly released was a variant of ] in 1980. Acquired from ] through a distribution license, Microsoft dubbed it ], and hired ] in order to port/adapt the ] to several platforms.<ref name="xenix1">{{cite news | title=Is It Time Again For Microsoft And Unix? | url=http://www.informationweek.com/author/internet36.htm | author=Jason Levitt | publisher=Information Week | date=] | accessdate=2006-04-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.computersourcemag.com/articles/viewer.asp?a=695 | title=Under The Hood: Part 8 | publisher=Computer Source | author=Dafydd Neal Dyar | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> This Unix variant would become home to the first version of Microsoft's ], ]. Originally titled "Multi-Tool Word", Microsoft Word became notable for its concept of "What You See Is What You Get", or ]. Word was also the first application with such features as the ability to display bold text. It was first released in the spring of 1983, and free demonstration copies of the application were bundled with the November 1983 issue of ], making it the first program to be distributed on-disk with a ].<ref>{{cite book | first=Roy | last=A. Allen | title=A History of the Personal Computer: The People and the Technology | year=2001 | month=October | publisher=Allan Publishing | edition=1st edition | id=ISBN 0-9689108-0-7 | url=http://www.retrocomputing.net/info/allan/ | chapter=Chapter 12: Microsoft in the 1980's | chapterurl=http://www.retrocomputing.net/info/allan/eBook12.pdf | pages=12-13 | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> However, Xenix was never sold to end users directly although it was licensed to many software OEMs for resale. By the mid-1980s Microsoft had gotten out of the Unix business entirely.<ref name="xenix1" /> | |||
] (] Operating System) was the operating system that brought the company its real success. On ], ], after negotiations with ] failed, ] awarded a contract to Microsoft to provide a version of the ] operating system, which was set to be used in the upcoming ] (PC). For this deal, Microsoft purchased a ] clone called ] (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from ] of ] for less than US$50,000, which IBM renamed to ]. Due to potential ] problems with CP/M, IBM marketed both CP/M and PC-DOS for US$240 and US$40, respectively, with PC-DOS eventually becoming the standard because of its lower price.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.joewein.de/dri.html | title=Digital Research History | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/1223/258_print.html | title=Pioneers Die Broke | publisher=Forbes | author=John Steele Gordon Michael Maiello | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-05}}</ref> Around 1983, in collaboration with numerous companies, Microsoft created a home computer system, ], which contained its own version of the DOS operating system, entitled ]; this became relatively popular in Japan, Europe and South America <ref name="thocp1" /><ref>{{cite web | title=comp.sys.msx FAQ | url=http://www.komkon.org/fms/MSX/MSX.faq | accessdate=14 October | accessyear=2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/company.asp?st=1&m=86 | title=MSX History | work=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref>. Later, the market saw a flood of IBM PC clones after ] successfully cloned the IBM ], quickly followed by ] and ] <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0304/09r04/09r04.asp&guid= | title=Booting Your PC: Getting Up Close & Personal With A Computer’s BIOS | publisher=Smart Computing | date=November 1999 | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/1994/july94/pcn0713/pcn0713.asp&articleid=5360&guid= | title=What Is The BIOS? | date=July 1994 | publisher=Smart Computing | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1151907,00.asp | title=Everything You Want or Need to Know About Your BIOS | publisher=Extreme Tech | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | chapter=Appendex B | chapterurl=http://www.law.berkeley.edu/institutes/bclt/pubs/ipnta/appenb.pdf | title=Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age | id=ISBN 073553652X | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref>. The deal with IBM allowed Microsoft to have control of its own QDOS derivative, ], and through aggressive marketing of the operating system to manufacturers of IBM-PC clones Microsoft rose from a small player to one of the major software vendors in the home computer industry.<ref>Multiple: | |||
* {{cite web | url=http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/MSDOS-PCDOS.htm | title=MS DOS and PC DOS | work=Lexikon's History of Computing | accessdate=2006-07-05}} | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/1994/june94/pcn0608/pcn0608.asp&articleid=5103&guid= | title=When It Comes To DOS, You Now Have A Choice | publisher=Smart Computing | date=June 1994 | accessdate=2006-07-05}} | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/r0603/09r03/09r03.asp | title=Microsoft to Microsoft disk operating system (MS-DOS) | publisher=Smart Computing | date=March 2002 | accessdate=2006-07-05}}</ref> With the release of the ''Microsoft Mouse'' on ], ], Microsoft continued to expand its product line in other markets. This expansion included ], a book publishing division, on ] the same year, which debuted with two titles: "Exploring the IBM PCjr Home Computer" by ], and "The Apple Macintosh Book" by ].<ref name="keyevents" /> | |||
=== 1985–1991: The rise and fall of OS/2 === | |||
] | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref>]] | |||
The ] became home to Microsoft's first international production facility in 1985, and on ] Microsoft released its first retail version of ], originally a graphical extension for its MS-DOS operating system.<ref name="keyevents" /> In August, Microsoft and IBM partnered in the development of a different operating system called ]. OS/2 was marketed in connection with a new hardware design proprietary to IBM, the ].<ref>{{cite web | title=Techworld Article:OS/2 users must look elsewhere | url=http://www.techworld.com/applications/features/index.cfm?featureid=1603&Page=1&pagePos=5 | accessdate=August 5 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> Shortly afterwards on ], ], Microsoft relocated to Redmond, Washington. Around one month later, on ], the company went public with an IPO, raising US$61 million at US$21.00 per share. By the end of the trading day, the price had risen to US$28.00. In 1987, Microsoft eventually released their first version of OS/2 to ].<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft OS/2 announcement | url=http://pages.prodigy.net/michaln/history/pr/87apr_m3592.html | accessdate=August 5 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> | |||
Meanwhile, Microsoft began introducing its most prominent office products. ], an integrated office program which combined features typically found in a ], ], ] and other office applications, saw its first release as an application for the ] towards the end of 1986.<ref name="thocp1" /> Microsoft Works would later be sold with other Microsoft products including Microsoft Word and ], a reference collection introduced in 1987 that was the company's first ] product.<ref name="keyevents" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeobsoleteproducts | title=Obsolete Microsoft products | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Later, on ], ], Microsoft would introduce its most successful office product, ]. Unlike the model of Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office was a bundle of separate office productivity applications, such as Microsoft Word, ] and so forth. While Microsoft Word and Microsoft Office were mostly developed internally, Microsoft also continued its trend of rebranding products from other companies, such as ] on ] ], a ] for companies that was based on technology licensed from ].<ref name="keyevents" /> | |||
On ], ] Microsoft launched ].<ref name="thocp1" /> The new version of Microsoft's operating system boasted such new features as streamlined ] graphics and improved ] capability for the ] processor; it sold over 100,000 copies in two weeks.<ref name="thocp1" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/WinHistoryDesktop.mspx | title=Windows History | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Windows at the time generated more revenue for Microsoft than OS/2, and the company decided to move more resources from OS/2 to Windows.<ref name="OS/2 history">{{cite web | url=http://www.os2bbs.com/os2news/OS2History.html | title=OS/2 History | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> In an internal memo to Microsoft employees on ], ], Bill Gates announced that the OS/2 partnership was over, and that Microsoft would henceforth focus its platform efforts on Windows and the ] ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bralyn.net/etext/literature/bill.gates/challenges-strategy.txt | title=May 16, 1991 internal strategies memo from Bill Gates | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Some people, especially developers who had ignored Windows and committed most of their resources to OS/2, were taken by surprise, and accused Microsoft of deception. This changeover from OS/2 was frequently referred to in the industry as "the head-fake".<ref>{{cite web | title=GrokLaw:The Novell Antitrust Complaint in text | url=http://gl.scofacts.org/gl-20041115214025458.html | accessdate=October 9 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> In the ensuing years, the popularity of OS/2 declined, and Windows quickly became the favored PC platform. 1991 also marked the founding of ], an organization in Microsoft for researching ] subjects, and ], a popular development product for companies and individuals.<ref name="keyevents" /> | |||
=== 1992–1995: Domination of the corporate market === | |||
]-Str. 1, ], ]. Microsoft became an international company with headquarters in many countries.]] | |||
During the transition from MS-DOS to Windows, the success of Microsoft's product ] allowed the company to gain ground on application-software competitors, such as ] and ].<ref name="thocp2" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.vnunet.com/computing/analysis/2073923/behind-pearly-gates | title=Behind the Pearly Gates | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> Novell, an owner of WordPerfect for a time, alleged that Microsoft used its inside knowledge of the DOS and Windows kernels and of undocumented ] features to make Office perform better than its competitors.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/16/novell_microsoft_wordperfect_analysis/ | title=Novell's MS complaint: we wuz robbed | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> Eventually, Microsoft Office became the dominant business suite, with a ] far exceeding that of its competitors.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,18462,pg,1,00.asp | title=A Peek at Office Upgrade | publisher=PCWorld.com | date=2000-09-13 | author=Harry McCracken | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> In March 1992, Microsoft released ] along with its first promotional campaign on TV; the software sold over three million copies in its first two months on the market.<ref name="thocp2" /><ref name="keyevents" /> In October, ] was released with integrated networking capabilities such as ] file and printing sharing.<ref name="thocp2" /> In November, Microsoft released the first version of their popular database software ].<ref name="thocp2" /> | |||
] Microsoft campus, ]. Microsoft has developed Arabic versions for most of its products.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/info/ | title=Microsoft Middle East info | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref>]] | |||
By 1993, Windows had become the most widely used ] operating system in the world.<ref name="thocp2" /> ''Fortune Magazine'' named Microsoft as the "1993 Most Innovative Company Operating in the U.S."<ref name="awards" /> The year also marked the end of a five-year ] legal case brought by ], dubbed ], in which the ruling was in Microsoft's favor, the release of ], a new version of the consumer line of Windows, and ], a server-based operating system with a similar user interface to consumer versions of the operating system, but with an entirely different kernel.<ref name="thocp2" /> As part of its strategy to broaden its business, Microsoft released ] on March 22, the first encyclopedia designed to run on a computer.<ref name="keyevents" /> Microsoft changed its slogan to ''"Where do you want to go today?"'' in 1994 as part of an attempt to appeal to nontechnical audiences in a US$100 million ].<ref name="thocp2" /> | |||
Microsoft continued to make strategic decisions directed at consumers. The company released ], a graphical user interface designed for novice computer users, in March 1995. Discontinued in 1996 due to poor sales, Bill Gates later attributed its failure to hardware requirements that were too high for typical computers; Microsoft Bob is widely regarded as Microsoft's most unsuccessful product.<ref>Multiple: | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software/486133-1.html | title=Microsoft Bob: the social interface | publisher=Soft-Letter | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-04}} | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://www.eweek.com/slideshow_viewer/0,1205,l=&s=25984&a=181201&po=1,00.asp | title=Microsoft's Top 10 Flops, #1 - Microsoft Bob | publisher=eWeek | accessdate=2006-07-03}} | |||
* {{cite web | url=http://www.g4tv.com/techtvvault/features/27528/Remembering_Microsoft_Bob.html | title=Remembering Microsoft Bob | accessdate=2006-07-03}} | |||
* {{cite news | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/businessnews/19990523bob6.asp | title=Bob is dead; long live Bob | publisher=Post-Gazette | author=Michael Newman | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-04}} | |||
* {{cite web | url=http://www.microprocessor.sscc.ru/comphist/comp1995.htm | title=Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers: 1995+ Confusion | author=Ken Polsson | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref><ref name="cnettop10worst">{{cite web | url=http://www.cnet.com/4520-11136_1-6313439-1.html | title=Top 10 worst products | publisher=CNet | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> ] and Microsoft formed a new company, ] (in 2000 acquired by ] which named it EA Los Angeles), to produce interactive and ] properties.<ref name="keyevents" /> In August 24, Microsoft released ], a new version of the company's flagship operating system which featured a completely new user interface, including a novel ]; more than a million copies of Microsoft Windows 95 were sold in the first four days after its release.<ref name="thocp2" /> | |||
Windows 95 was released without a browser as Microsoft had not yet developed one. The success of the Internet caught them by surprise and they subsequently approached ] to license their browser as ]. Spyglass went on to later dispute the terms of the agreement, as Microsoft was to pay a royalty for every copy sold. However, Microsoft sold no copies of Internet Explorer, choosing instead to bundle it for free with the operating system. | |||
Internet Explorer was first included in the Windows 95 Plus! Pack that was released in August 1995.<ref></ref> In September, the Chinese government chose Windows to be the operating system of choice in that country, and entered into an agreement with the Company to standardize a Chinese version of the operating system.<ref name="thocp2" /> Microsoft also released the ] joystick in an attempt to further expand its profile in the ] market.<ref name="thocp2" /> | |||
=== 1995–1999: Foray into the Internet and other ventures === | |||
] | |||
In the mid-90s, Microsoft began to expand its product line into ]ing and the ]. On ] ], it launched a major ], ] (Microsoft Network), as a direct competitor to ]. MSN became an umbrella service for Microsoft's online services, using Microsoft Passport (now called ]) as a universal login system for all of its websites.<ref name="keyevents" /><ref name="thocp2" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/nov02/11-08MSN8GlobalTimeLine.mspx | title=MSN Historical Timeline | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> The company continued to branch out into new markets in 1996, starting with a joint venture with ] to create a new 24/7 cable news station, ]. The station was launched on ] to compete with similar news outlets such as ].<ref name="thocp2" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/07/15_mpp.html | title=American Public Media archive for July 15, 1996 | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Microsoft also launched ], an ] edited by ], which offered political and social commentary along with the cartoon ].<ref name="keyevents" /> In an attempt to extend its reach in the consumer market, the Company acquired ], which enabled consumers to access the Internet from their televisions.<ref name="keyevents" /> Microsoft entered the palm computing market in November with ], a new built-from-scratch version of their flagship operating system, specifically designed to run on low-memory, low-performance machines, such as handhelds and other palm-sized computers.<ref name="cehistory">{{cite web | url=http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/windowsce/ | title=Windows CE History | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> 1996 saw the release of ], which brought the Windows 95 GUI and Windows NT kernel together.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winserver2k3_gold1.asp | title=Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold | work=Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> | |||
While Microsoft largely failed to participate in the rise of the Internet in the early 1990s, some of the key technologies in which the company had invested to enter the Internet market started to pay off by the mid-90s. One of the most prominent of these was ], an application programming interface built on the ] (]); this enabled Microsoft and others to embed controls in many ], including the company's own ]s, such as ] and ]. ActiveX included frameworks for documents and server solutions.<ref name="thocp2" /> The company also released the Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, which had built-in support for internet applications.<ref name="thocp2" /> Later in 1997, ] as well as ] were released, marking the beginning of the takeover of the browser market from rival ], and by agreement with ], Internet Explorer was bundled with the ] operating system as well as with Windows.<ref name="thocp2" /> ], the handheld version of Windows, was released this year, including a host of bug fixes and new features designed to make it more appealing to corporate customers.<ref name="cehistory" /> In October, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal ] in which they stated that Microsoft had violated an agreement signed in 1994, and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.<ref name="keyevents" /> | |||
The year 1998 was significant in Microsoft's history, with Bill Gates appointing ] president of Microsoft but remaining as Chair and CEO himself.<ref name="keyevents" /> The company released an update to the consumer version of Windows, ].<ref name="keyevents" /> Windows 98 came with Internet Explorer 4.0 SP1 (which had ] bundled), and included new features from Windows 95 OSR 2.x including the ] ], and new features specifically for Windows 98, such as support for multiple displays.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win98/proddocs/chapt18.mspx?mfr=true | title=Introducing MS Windows 98, Second Edition - Chapter 18 | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Microsoft launched its ]n headquarters as well, which would eventually become the company's second largest after its U.S. headquarters.<ref name="thocp2" /> Finally, a great deal of controversy took place when a set of internal memos from the company were leaked on the internet. These documents, colloquially referred to as "]", were widely reported by the media and go into detail of the threats that ] / ] poses to Microsoft's own software, previously voiced mainly by analysts and advocates of open source software. The documents also allude to legal and other actions against ] as well as other open source software.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.opensource.org/halloween/ | title=The Halloween Documents | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9811/06/linux.threat.idg/ | title=Microsoft pondering legal challenge to Linux | publisher=CNN | date=] | author=Bob Trott | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> While Microsoft acknowledges the documents, it claims that they are merely engineering studies. Despite this, however, some believe that these studies were used in the real strategies of the company.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.catb.org/~esr/halloween/halloween1.html | title=Halloween Document 1 | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> | |||
=== 2000–2005: Legal issues, XP, and .NET === | |||
], ]. The India campus is the largest Microsoft campus outside the United States.<ref name="thocp2" />]] | |||
<!-- keep antitrust cases short, please. we don't need to go into great detail here as we have several wiki pages for it --> | |||
Microsoft in 2000 released new products for all three lines of the company's flagship operating system, and saw the beginning of the end of one its most prominent legal cases. On ], ] Microsoft released an update to its business line of software in ], which some considered to be a significant improvement over previous versions. It provided an OS stability similar to that of its ] counterparts due to its usage of the ] kernel, and provided matching features for several of those found in the home line of the operating system including a DOS ] that could run many ] DOS applications.<ref name="thocp2" /> On ] ], a judgment was handed down in the case of ],<ref name="usvms" /> calling the company an "abusive monopoly"<ref name="findingsoffact">{{cite web | url=http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm | title=U.S. vs. Microsoft findings of fact | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> and forcing the company to split into two separate units. Part of this ruling was later overturned by a federal ], and eventually settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001. On ], ] the company also released a new version of its hand-held operating system, ].<ref name="cehistory" /> The main change was the new programming APIs of the software. Previous versions of Windows CE supported only a small subset of the ], the main development library for Windows, and with Version 3 of Windows CE, the operating system now supported nearly all of the core functionality of the WinAPI. The update to the consumer line, ] (or Windows Millennium Edition), was released on ], ].<ref name="keyevents" /> It sported several new features such as enhanced multimedia capabilities and consumer-oriented PC maintenance options,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdpcm/is_200011/ai_ziff4183 | title=Windows ME: To Upgrade or Not? | publisher=PC Magazine | date=November 2000 | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> but is often regarded as one of the worst versions of Windows due to installation problems and other issues. | |||
<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,2,00.asp | title=The 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time | work=PCWorld | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref><ref name="cnettop10worst" /> | |||
] in Copenhagen in 2004.]] | |||
Microsoft released ] in 2001, a version that aimed to encompass the features of both its business and home product lines. The release included an updated version of the Windows 2000 kernel, enhanced DOS emulation capabilities, and many of the home-user features found in previous consumer versions. XP introduced a new ], the first such change since Windows 95.<ref name="keyevents" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/features.mspx | title=Windows XP Professional Features | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> The operating system was the first to require ], an ] mechanism that requires users to activate the software with Microsoft within 30 days. Later, Microsoft would enter the multi-billion-dollar ] market dominated by ] and ], with the release of the ].<ref name="keyevents" /> ], the console ranked distant second to Sony's ] and slightly ahead of ]'s ] in market share in the United States. The console sold 24 million units,<ref></ref> compared with PlayStation 2 at greater than 100 million units, and the company took a US$4 billion loss on the console.<ref>{{cite web | title=Xbox surpasses five million console milestone in Europe | url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=6520 | accessdate=October 18 | accessyear=2005 }} </ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft's midlife crisis | url=http://www.forbes.com/business/global/2005/1003/036A_4.html | accessdate=October 18 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> | |||
In 2002, Microsoft launched the ] initiative, along with new versions of some of its development products, such as ].<ref name="keyevents" /> The initiative has been an entirely new development API for Windows programming, and includes a new programming language, ]. ] was launched, featuring enhanced administration capabilities, such as new user interfaces to server tools.<ref name="thocp2" /> In 2004, the company released ], a version of Windows XP specifically designed for multimedia capabilities, and ], a version of Windows XP with a smaller feature set designed for entry-level consumers.<ref name="keyevents" /> However, Microsoft would encounter more turmoil in March 2004 when antitrust legal action would be brought against it by the ] for allegedly abusing its market dominance (see ]). Eventually Microsoft was fined ]497 million (US$613 million), ordered to divulge certain protocols to competitors, and to produce a new version of its Windows XP platform—called Windows XP Home Edition N—that did not include its ].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu/ | title=Microsoft hit by record EU fine | publisher=] | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref><ref name="euantitrust">{{cite web | title=Text of the European Union ruling against Microsoft | url=http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/antitrust/cases/decisions/37792/en.pdf | accessdate=August 5 | accessyear=2005 | format=]}} (from the official EU website)</ref> Microsoft was also ordered to produce separate packages of Windows after ] also landed a settlement against the company in 2005. It had to pay out US$32 million and produce more than one version of Windows for the country in the same vein as the European Union - one with Windows Media Player and ] and one without the two programs.<ref name="skorea">{{cite news | url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/12/07/HNmicrosoftfined_1.html | title=Update: Microsoft fined $32M by South Korea | author=Dan Nystedt | publisher=IDG News Service | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> | |||
=== 2005–2007: The road to Vista === | |||
<!-- remember - DESCRIPTION OF FUTURE EVENTS IS NOT ENCYCLOPEADIC --> | |||
] in ] ].]] | |||
Formerly codenamed "Longhorn" in the early development stages, the next planned version of Windows, ] is scheduled for release to consumers in January, 2007 as of September 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blogs.technet.com/windowsvista/archive/2006/09/01/453491.aspx | title=It's Official: Windows Vista RC1 Is Complete | accessdate=2006-09-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/mar06/03-21WindowsVistaDeliveryPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Updates Windows Vista Road Map | accessdate=2006-03-21}}</ref> Microsoft announced the new name of the operating system at the ''Microsoft Global Business Conference'' (MGB) in ] on ], ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul05/07-22LHMA.mspx | title=Media Alert: Microsoft Unveils Official Name for “Longhorn” and Sets Date for First Beta Targeted at Developers and IT Professionals | accessdate=2006-05-16}}</ref> The next version of the company's server operating system, codenamed ] is scheduled for release in 2007 as of March 2006 .<ref name="longhorn server">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/roadmap.mspx | title=Windows Server Product Roadmap | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> Microsoft plans to release a new version of Microsoft Office as well, called ], and is set to be released along side Vista in January 2007 as of May 2006.<ref name="Office 12">{{cite web | url=http://news.com.com/Microsoft+Office+2007+to+be+late%2C+too/2100-1012_3-6053504.html?tag=nl | title=Microsoft Office late too | accessdate=2006-05-22}}</ref> In addition to Office, the next version of Visual Studio, the company's development suite, code named ''Orcas'', is currently available as a Community Technology Preview (CTP).<ref name="orca CTP">{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=AD0CE56E-D7B6-44BC-910D-E91F3E370477&displaylang=en | title=Microsoft Visual Studio Code Name “Orcas” Community Technology Preview | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> As of May 2006, an official release date is yet to be set for the development suite.<ref name="infoworld">{{cite web | url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/01/30/74906_HNteamfoundationvslive_1.html | title=Microsoft's Team Foundation Server represents a shift to collaborative-centric focus | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> | |||
In guise of competing with other ] companies such as the search service ], in 2005 Microsoft announced a new version of its ] service.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119512,00.asp | title=Microsoft Spotlights Its Search Engine | publisher=PCWorld | author=Juan Carlos Perez | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> Later, in 2006, the company launched ], a service that offers ] advertisements, in an effort to further develop their search marketing revenue.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114671006737543462-_J28L_xrIrBNHdGD7jifJ9xlb5o_20070504.html | title=With adCenter, Microsoft Bids For Web-Search Bonanza | publisher=Wall Street Journal | author=Robert A. Guth | coauthors=Kevin J. Delaney | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> | |||
On ], ] Gates announced his plans for a two year transition period out of a day-to-day role with Microsoft until ], ]. After that date, Gates will continue in his role as the company's chairman, head of the Board of Directors and act as an adviser on key projects. His role as Chief ] will be filled immediately by ], the ] of the company as of ], ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jun06/06-15CorpNewsPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Announces Plans for July 2008 Transition for Bill Gates | accessdate=2006-06-16}}</ref> Bill Gates stated "My announcement is not a retirement — it’s a reordering of my priorities."<ref> {{cite news | url=http://news.ft.com/cms/s/fb5a5b88-fcab-11da-9599-0000779e2340.html | title=Bill Gates calls time on career at Microsoft | author=Richard Waters | publisher=Financial Times | date=] | accessdate=2006-06-17}}</ref> | |||
== Product divisions == | |||
<!-- Generally we stick to products that are in the current annual report here - if you wish to add one that is not you probably need to provide a reference for it --> | |||
To be more precise in tracking performance of each unit and delegating responsibility, Microsoft reorganized into seven core business groups — each an independent financial entity — in April 2002. Later, on ] ], Microsoft announced a rationalization of its original seven business groups into the three core divisions that exist today: the Windows Client, MSN and Server and Tool groups were merged into the ''Microsoft Platform Products & Services Division''; the Information Worker and Microsoft Business Solutions groups were merged into the ''Microsoft Business Division''; and the Mobile and Embedded Devices and Home and Entertainment groups were merged into the ''Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division''.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft product groups | url=http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/articles/business.asp | accessdate=August 5 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Announcement of group reorganization intro three core divisions | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/sep05/09-20ExecChangesPR.mspx | accessdate=September 26 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> | |||
=== Microsoft Platform Products and Services Divisions === | |||
], one of the company's best-known products.]] | |||
This division produces Microsoft's ] product, the Windows operating system. It has been produced in many versions, including ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Almost all ] ] designed for the consumer come with Windows preinstalled. The next planned desktop version of Windows is ]. The ] MSN, the cable television station ], and the Microsoft online magazine ''Slate'' are all part of this division. ''Slate'' was later acquired by '']'' on ], ]. At the end of 1997, Microsoft acquired ], the most popular ] service, which it rebranded as "MSN Hotmail". Later in 1999 Microsoft introduced ], an ] client, to compete with the popular ]. Along with Windows Vista, MSN is to become ].<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
] is the company's set of ] tools and ]. The software product is GUI-oriented and links easily with the ]s, but must be specially configured if used with non-Microsoft libraries. The current version is ]. The previous version, ].Net 2003, was named after the .NET initiative, a Microsoft marketing initiative covering a number of technologies. Microsoft's definition of .NET continues to evolve. As of 2004, .NET aims to ease the development of Microsoft Windows-based applications that use the Internet, by deploying a new Microsoft communications system, ] (now renamed ]). This is intended to address some issues previously introduced by Microsoft's DLL design, which made it difficult, even impossible in some situations, to manage, install multiple versions of complex ]s on the same system (see ]), and provide a more consistent development platform for all Windows applications (see ]). In addition, the Company established a set of certification programs to recognize individuals who have expertise in its software and solutions. Similar to offerings from ], ], ], IBM, and ], these tests are designed to identify a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers (]), system/network analysts (]), trainers ("]") and administrators (] and ]).<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
Microsoft offers a suite of ] software, entitled ]. ], an operating system for network servers, is the core of the Windows Server System line. Another server product, ], is a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution, and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: | |||
* ], a ] management system; | |||
* ], for certain business-oriented ] features; | |||
* ], for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and | |||
* ], for employee integration assistance and other functions. | |||
<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
As of Novemeber 2006 Microsoft has extended itself to Linux and open source companies to allow Windows server to work harmoniously with servers running Linux, it has been stated Microsoft has paid $240 million to Novell for this. | |||
=== Microsoft Business Division === | |||
] | |||
The Microsoft Business Division produces ], which is the company's line of office software. The software product includes ] (a word processor), ] (a personal relational database application), ] (a ] program), ] (Windows-only ], frequently used with ]), ] (presentation software), ] (a ] ]), and ] (]). A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including ], ], ], ] and ].<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
The division focuses on developing financial and business management software for companies. These products include products formerly produced by the Business Solutions Group, which was created in April 2001 with the acquisition of ]. Subsequently, ] was acquired to provide a similar entry into the European market, resulting in the planned release of ] in 2006. The group markets ] and Solomon, catering to similar markets, which is scheduled to be combined with the Navision and Great Plains lines into a common platform called ].<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
=== Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division === | |||
], Microsoft's second console in the gaming console market.]] | |||
Microsoft has attempted to expand the Windows brand into many other markets, with products such as ] for ]s and its "Windows-powered" Smartphone products. Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for ]s, which today has developed into ] 5. The focus of the operating system is on devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The company produces ], formerly ], a television-based ]. Microsoft used to sell a set-top ] (DVR) called the ], which allowed users to record up to 35 hours of television programming from a ] ] provider ]. This was the main competition in the UK for ]'s (BSkyB) SKY + service, owned by ]. UltimateTV has since been discontinued, with DirecTV instead opting to market DVRs from ] Inc. before later switching to their own ] brand.<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
Microsoft sells ] that run on Windows PCs, including titles such as '']'', '']'' and the '']'' series. It produces a line of ]s that include ]s and ]es, under the name Encarta. ] hosts free premium and retail games where players can compete against each other and in tournaments. Microsoft entered the multi-billion-dollar ] market dominated by ] and ] in late 2001,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.npd.com/dynamic/releases/press_020207.htm | title=NPD REPORTS ANNUAL 2001 U.S. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT SALES SHATTER INDUSTRY RECORD | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> with the release of the ]. The company develops and publishes its own video games for this console, with the help of its ] subsidiary, in addition to ] Xbox ]s such as ] and ], who pay a license fee to publish games for the system. The Xbox also has a successor in the ], released on ] in ] and other countries.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174401045 | title=Midnight Madness Hypes Xbox 360 Launch | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4491804.stm | title=Xbox 360 sells out within hours | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> With the Xbox 360, Microsoft hopes to compensate for the losses incurred with the original ]. However, Microsoft made some decisions considered controversial in the video ], such as selling two different versions of the system, as well as providing ] with only particular Xbox titles<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6139702.html | title=360 to play 200-plus Xbox games | author=Tor Thorsen | publisher=GameSpot | date=2005-11-11 | accessdate=2006-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6140998.html | title=360 backward-compatibility update rereleased | author=Tor Thorsen | publisher=GameSpot | date=2005-12-09 | accessdate=2006-07-14}}</ref>. In addition to the Xbox line of products, Microsoft also markets a number of other computing-related hardware products as well, including ], ]s, ]s, and ]s, along with other ]s, the production of which is ] in most cases.<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
The division also houses Microsoft's ], one of the largest developers of ] software outside Apple itself. The unit produces Macintosh versions of popular Microsoft productivity titles such as ] and ]; as well as certain Mac-specific titles such as ].<ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
== Business culture == | |||
] | |||
Microsoft has often been described as having a developer-centric business culture. A great deal of time and money is spent each year on recruiting young university-trained ]s and on keeping them in the company. For example, while many software companies often place an entry-level software developer in a cubicle desk within a large office space filled with other cubicles, Microsoft assigns a private or semiprivate closed office to every developer or pair of developers. In addition, key ] at every level are either developers or former developers. In a sense, the software developers at Microsoft are considered the "stars" of the company in the same way that the sales staff at IBM are considered the "stars" of their company.<ref name="bb" /> | |||
Within Microsoft the expression ] is used to describe the policy of using the latest Microsoft products inside the company in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations. Only prerelease and beta versions of products are considered dog food.<ref name="dogfood" /> This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. The company is also known for their hiring process, dubbed the "]", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a ] round?" and is a process often mimicked in other organizations, although these types of questions are rarer now than they were in the past.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.g4tv.com/screensavers/features/6282/Square_Manhole_Covers_and_Crazy_Questions.html | title=Square Manhole Covers and Crazy Questions | accessdate=2006-07-01}}</ref> For fun, Microsoft also hosts the ], an annual ] (a live puzzle game where teams compete to solve a series of puzzles) held at the Redmond campus. It is a spin-off of the ].<ref>{{cite web | title=List of Microsoft Puzzle Hunts | url=http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/~jowens/game/puzzlehunt/ | accessdate=14 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> | |||
As of 2006, Microsoft employees, not including Bill Gates, have given over $2.5bn dollars to ]s worldwide, making Microsoft the worldwide top company in per-employee donations. <ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft Employee Giving | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/sep06/09-21CharitableDonationsPR.mspx | accessdate=22 September | accessyear=2006 }}</ref> | |||
== User culture == | |||
<!-- Note that we could really use more here about the user culture as the expected bahaviur - i.e. how apple tends to generate advocates while Microsoft users mainly see its products as tools, for example --> | |||
Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as ''Microsoft Systems Journal'' (or MSJ) are available through the Microsoft Developer Network, often called ]. MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/faq/default.aspx | title=MSDN Subscription FAQ | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/ | title=Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> In recent years, Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, entitled ], which provides many modern features such as a ] and an ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.webpronews.com/news/webdevelopmentnews/wpn-42-20050411MicrosoftsChannel9andCulturalRules.html | title=Microsoft's Channel 9 And Cultural Rules | accessdate=2006-07-03}}</ref> Another community site that provides daily ]s and other services, ''On10.net'', launched on March 3, 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.On10.net | title=On10.net homepage | accessdate=2006-05-04}}</ref> | |||
Most free technical support available through Microsoft is provided through online ] ] (in the early days it was also provided on ]). There are several of these newsgroups for nearly every product Microsoft provides, and often they are monitored by Microsoft employees. People who are helpful on the newsgroups can be elected by other peers or Microsoft employees for ] (MVP) status, which entitles people to a sort of special social status, in addition to possibilities for awards and other benefits.<ref name="MVP" /> | |||
== Corporate affairs == | |||
=== Corporate structure === | |||
The company is run by a '''Board of Directors''' consisting of ten people, made up of mostly company outsiders (as is customary for ] companies). Current members of the ] of Microsoft are: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The ten board members are elected every year at the annual ]s' meeting, and those who do not get a majority of votes must submit a ] to the board, which will subsequently choose whether or not to accept the resignation. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the ''Audit Committee'', which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the ''Compensation Committee'', which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the ''Finance Committee'', which handles ] matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the ''Governance and Nominating Committee'', which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the ''Antitrust Compliance Committee'', which attempts to prevent company practices from violating ] laws.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft Corporation Corporate Governance Guidelines | url=http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/governance/guidelines.mspx | accessdate=9 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft 2005 Proxy Statement | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/reports/proxy2005.mspx | accessdate=2006-07-03 }}</ref> | |||
There are several other aspects to the corporate structure of Microsoft. For worldwide matters there is the '''Executive Team''', made up of sixteen company officers across the globe, which is charged with various duties including making sure employees understand Microsoft's culture of business. The sixteen officers of the ''Executive Team'' include the Chairman and ], the CEO, the ] and Secretary, the ], senior and group vice presidents from the business units, the CEO of the Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions; and the heads of Worldwide Sales, Marketing and Services; ]; and Corporate Marketing. In addition to the ''Executive Team'' there is also the '''Corporate Staff Council''', which handles all major staff functions of the company, including approving corporate policies. The Corporate Staff Council is made up of employees from the Law and Corporate Affairs, Finance, Human Resources, Corporate Marketing, and Advanced Strategy and Policy groups at Microsoft. Other ] include the Presidents and Vice Presidents of the various product divisions, leaders of the marketing section, and the ], among others.<ref>{{cite web | title=Microsoft 2004 Citizenship Report | url=http://www.microsoft.com/citizenship/default.mspx | accessdate=9 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref name="2005annual" /> | |||
=== Stock === | |||
When the company debuted its ] in ], ], the ] price was US$21.<ref name="ipoblog" /><ref name="stockfaq">{{cite web | title=Microsoft stock FAQ | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/stock.mspx | accessdate=2006-07-03 }}</ref><ref name="stocksheet">{{cite web | title=Microsoft stock price spreadsheet from Microsoft investor relations | url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/a/7/da7e8eca-4410-4475-a211-03327408b655/msftpricehist.xls | accessdate=2006-07-04 }} (] format)</ref> By the close of the first ], the stock had closed at twenty-eight dollars, equivalent to 9.7 cents when adjusted for the company's first nine ]s.<ref name="stocksheet" /> The initial close and ensuing rise in subsequent years made several Microsoft employees millions.<ref name="stockrich" /> The stock price peaked in 1999 at around US$119 (US$60.928 adjusting for splits).<ref name="stocksheet" /> While the company has had nine stock splits, the first of which was in ] ], the company did not start offering a ] until ] ].<ref name="stocksheet" /><ref name="dividendfaq">{{cite web | title=Microsoft dividend FAQ | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msft/FAQ/dividend.mspx | accessdate=2006-07-03 }}</ref> The dividend for the 2003 ] was eight cents per ], followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year.<ref name="dividendfaq" /> The company switched from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005, for eight cents a share per quarter with a ] of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year.<ref name="dividendfaq" /> | |||
Around 2003 the stock price began a slow descent. Despite the company's ninth split on ] ] and subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock continues to stagnate as of June 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title=Yahoo MSFT stock chart | url=http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=my | accessdate=9 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=MSN Money MSFT chart with dividend and split info | url=http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/charts/chartdl.asp?Symbol=MSFT&CP=0&PT=8&C5=10&C6=2005&C7=10&C8=2005&C9=2&CE=0&CompSyms=&CF=1&D9=1&D0=1&D4=1&D5=0&D7=&D6=&D3=0&ShowChtBt=Refresh+Chart | accessdate=9 October | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref name="dividendfaq" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6084396.html?tag=st.prev | title=Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role, page 2 | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> | |||
=== Diversity === | |||
In 2005, Microsoft received a 100% rating in the Corporate Equality Index from the ] relating to its policies concerning ] (], ], ] and ]) employees. Partly through the work of the ] (GLEAM) group, Microsoft added ] to its antidiscrimination policies in April 2005, and the Human Rights Campaign upgraded Microsoft's Corporate Equality Index from its 86% rating in 2004 to its current 100% rating, putting it among the most progressive companies in the world, according to the Human Rights Campaign.<ref>{{cite web | title=HRC Corporate Equality Index for 2005 | url=http://www.hrc.org/TemplateRedirect.cfm?Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=28841 | accessdate=October 13 | accessyear=2005 }} (] format)</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Gay and Lesbian Employees at Microsoft (GLEAM) | url=http://www.microsoft.com/citizenship/diversity/inside/dac/gleam.asp | accessdate=2006-06-26}}</ref> | |||
In April 2005, Microsoft received wide criticism for withdrawing support from Washington state's H.B. 1515 bill that would have extended the state's current antidiscrimination laws to people with alternate ]s,<ref>{{cite web | title=HRC: Microsoft withdraws support for H.B. 1515 | url=http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Room&CONTENTID=26588&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm | accessdate=August 11 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> although some claim they never withdrew support and instead simply were neutral on the bill. However, under harsh criticism from both outside and inside the company's walls, Microsoft decided to support the bill again in May 2005.<ref>{{cite web | title=HRC: Microsoft renews support for H.B. 1515 | url=http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Room&CONTENTID=26803&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm | accessdate=August 11 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2005/tc20050512_7358_tc024.htm | title=How Microsoft Changed Its Mind | publisher=] | date=] | accessdate=2006-07-01}}</ref> | |||
During his visit to ] in October 2005, Microsoft co-founder ] stated, "Most years, we hire more students out of Waterloo than any university in the world, typically 50 or even more."<ref name="gates">{{cite web | url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051013/billgates_waterloo_20051013/20051013?hub=Canada | title=Bill Gates draws a crowd at Waterloo university | year=2005 | publisher=CTV.ca | accessdate=2006-04-10}}</ref> | |||
Microsoft hires many foreign workers as well as domestic ones, and is an outspoken opponent of the cap on ]s, which allow companies in the United States to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas make it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap." | |||
'']'' magazine named Microsoft one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 and 2005.<ref name="awards" /> | |||
=== Logos and slogans === | |||
In 1987, Microsoft adopted its current logo, the so-called "] Logo" designed by ]. According to the March 1987 ''Computer Reseller News Magazine'', "The new logo, in Helvetica italic typeface, has a slash between the ''o'' and ''s '' to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed." Dave Norris, a Microsoft employee, ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter ''O'', nicknamed the ''blibbet'', but it was discarded.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/07/14/438777.aspx | title=Remember the blibbet | author=Larry Osterman | accessdate=2006-07-04}}</ref> | |||
Microsoft's logo depicted here, with the "''Your potential. Our passion.''" tagline below the main corporate name, is based on the slogan Microsoft had as of 2006. Around 2002, the company started using the logo in United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of ''"Where do you want to go today?."''<ref name="wherego1" /><ref name="potentialpassion1" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060123-6031.html | title=Microsoft set to launch new marketing campaign | publisher=arstechnica | author=Jeremy Reimer | date=] | accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref> Like some of Microsoft's other actions, the slogan met its fair share of criticism. For example, in his ThirdWay Advertising Blog, David Vinjamuri states that while "This is gorgeous, touching advertising of the type that wins awards," he ends by noting that the slogan "Only reminds us what we don't like about the brand. Can it."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thirdwayblog.com/?p=1 | title=Microsoft "Your potential. Our passion" | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> | |||
<gallery> | |||
Image:Mslogohistorical.png|Microsoft "blibbet" logo, mid-1980s. | |||
Image:Microsoft - Where do you want to go today.svg|Microsoft logo with the 1994–2002 slogan ''"Where do you want to go today?"'' <ref name="wherego1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.12/redmond.html|title=The Rise and Rise of the Redmond Empire|publisher=Wired|date=December 1998|accessdate=2006-09-02}}</ref><ref name="potentialpassion1">{{cite news|url=http://www.vnuemedia.com/aw/login/login_subscribe.jsp?id=zf1eaW8N0UQ6/I7ScH8pMBa0vvBdIda7Co4SD6hXb+3YurLHGiElVKfMCKLSDvhMfcWYNjLTbIp5AaUu4URhUaFftYJBpPT7jwY6KH8vjzYvjVSV2x+gdxcTLL4+tmQ2Z5tb84fvTveHEbebObdFah1P+29WbIGTxFtp+/aekDByqf0fbIC4bPDrIVMwdstxi+4MyyvXbRwq0uaWMzTesw7be966TpBoUMjnkuRLrNTx2p8wkW6SQ83Q+90D6V4q4ClrnGOk7MloSfykn7IREg==|title=McCann Thinks Local for Global Microsoft|author=Randi Schmelzer|publisher=] | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> | |||
Image:Microsoft logo.png|Microsoft logo as of 2006, with the slogan ''"Your potential. Our passion."'' <ref name="potentialpassion1" /> | |||
</gallery> | |||
== Criticism == | |||
{{see also | Criticism of Microsoft}} | |||
=== Corporate === | |||
Since the 1980s, Microsoft has been the focus of much controversy in the computer industry. Most criticism has been for its business tactics, which some perceive as unfair and anticompetitive. Often, these tactics have been described with the motto "]". Microsoft initially embraces and extends a competing standard or product, only to later extinguish it through such actions as writing their own incompatible version of the software or standard.<ref name="eee" /> These and other tactics have led to various companies and governments filing lawsuits against Microsoft.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.burst.com/new/newsevents/pressrelease007.htm | title=Microsoft Corp. Licenses Burst.com Patents & Settles Suit | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/05/eolas_web_patent_nullified/ | title=Eolas' web patent nullified | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=6905 | title=Sendo & Microsoft — it all ends in tears | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref><ref name="skorea" /><ref name="euantitrust" /><ref name="usvms" /> Microsoft has been called a "velvet sweatshop" in reference to allegations of the company working its employees to the point where it might be bad for their health. The first instance of "velvet sweatshop" in reference to Microsoft originated from a '']'' article in 1989, and later became used to describe the company by some of Microsoft's own employees.<ref>{{cite news | last=Andrews | first=Paul | title=A 'Velvet Sweatshop' or a High-Tech Heaven? | date=] ] | publisher=The Seattle Times | url=http://www.krsaborio.net/research/1980s/89/890423.htm}} | |||
</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Editor's note, MSJ August 1997 | url=http://www.microsoft.com/msj/0897/ednote0897.aspx | accessdate=September 27 | accessyear=2005 }}</ref> | |||
] proponents point to the company's joining of the ] (TCPA) as a cause of concern. A group of companies that seek to implement an initiative called ] (which sets out to increase security and privacy in a user's computer), the TCPA is decried by critics as a means to allow software developers to enforce any sort of restriction they wish over their software. | |||
{{"|Large media corporations, together with computer companies such as Microsoft and ], are planning to make your computer obey them instead of you|], founder of the ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.com.com/2009-1001-964628.html|title=Trust or treachery?|publisher=] ]|author=Robert Lemos|date=]|accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref>}} | |||
Advocates of free software also take issue with Microsoft's promotion of ] (DRM), and the company's ] (TCO) comparisons with its "Get the facts" campaign. Digital Rights Management is a technology that gives digital content and software providers the ability to put restrictions on how their products are used on their customers' machines; these restrictions are seen by the technology's detractors as an infringement on ] and other rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=465447|title= | |||
DRM: Digital Rights or Digital Restrictions?|author=David Chisnall|publisher=InformIT|date=] | accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> DRM restricts even legal uses, for example, re-mixing or playing in a slideshow. Microsoft is not the only platform provider who supports DRM, however. For example, Apple Computer has been under fire from the French Government for "]," a DRM system used to control usage of content downloaded from its ] service.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/3593541 | title=A French Crack at FairPlay | publisher=internetnews.com | author=Nicholas Carlson | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-23}}</ref> The "Get the facts" campaign argues that Windows Server has a lower TCO than Linux and lists a variety of studies in order to prove its case.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/facts/default.mspx | title=Get the facts home | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> Proponents of Linux unveiled their own study arguing that, contrary to one of Microsoft's claims, Linux has lower management costs than Windows Server.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150210/linux-fans-hit-back-microsoft | title=Linux fans hit back at Microsoft TCO claims | author=Robert Jaques | publisher=vnunet.com | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> Another study by the ] claims that Windows Server cost less than Linux for those with legacy systems and more for those without.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1553727,00.asp | title=Yankee Independently Pits Windows TCO vs. Linux TCO | author=Mary Jo Foley | publisher=eWeek.com | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> | |||
=== Technical === | |||
]" in ]. It is a screen encountered when Windows cannot (or is in danger of being unable to) recover from a system error.<ref name="bluescreenqa">{{cite news | url=http://tech2.nytimes.com/mem/technology/techreview.html?res=9C03E6DD1E31F936A15750C0A96F958260 | title=Q & A; Blue Screen: Not 'Death,' But Annoying | author=J. D. Biersdorfer | publisher=New York Times | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref>]] | |||
Older versions of Microsoft products were often characterized as being unstable — versions of Windows based on MS-DOS, and later the ] kernel from the mid 1990s to early 2000s, were widely panned for their instability, displaying the "]", when Windows abruptly terminates an application — usually due to malfunctioning drivers or hardware. In Windows NT/2000/XP Professional, the blue screen is also known as the ''Windows Stop Message''. <ref name="bluescreenqa" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1647 | title=Beginners Guides: Crash Recovery - Dealing with the Blue Screen Of Death | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> While less frequent, Windows 2000 and XP are still susceptible to Blue Screens of Death.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://money.cnn.com/2001/08/23/technology/windowsxp/index.htm | title=Looking through Windows XP | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-26}}</ref> Computer users not familiar with the division of responsibilities among applications, the operating system, and third-party ]s sometimes blame Microsoft for problems that are created by third-party software, particularly poorly written and unsigned drivers. Microsoft has consequently announced that it will disallow unsigned drivers in the ] editions of Windows Vista.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/4915/ | title=IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL message restarts my Windows 2000 server | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/winlogo/benefits/signature-benefits.mspx | title=Digital Signature Benefits for Windows Users | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=244617 | title=How to Use Driver Verifier to Troubleshoot Windows Drivers | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_ff_x64.asp | title=Windows Vista Feature Focus: 64-bit Support | accessdate=2006-05-26}}</ref> | |||
The user interface of Microsoft products is occasionally criticized for its inconsistency and complexity, requiring interactive ] to function as an extra layer between the user and the interface. | |||
{{"|It's almost like Microsoft is designing for ]s and ] is designing for real people|Joe Wilcox, ] ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=01300000C0UO|title=Learning Lessons from the Mac|author=Walaika K. Haskins|publisher=NewsFactor Magazine Online|date=]|accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref>}} | |||
Numerous Microsoft products, most notably Internet Explorer, are seen as being insecure to malicious attacks such as ]es. Rob Pegoraro, writing for the ], says that due to Windows leaving five Internet ports open for various running services, malefactors have an easier time compromising the system.<ref name="insecurebydesign" /> A study conducted by ] refutes these claims, stating that it found that after a year of studying Windows and several ]s, Windows had the fewest vulnerabilities and that "Microsoft was the only vendor to have corrected 100% of the publicly known flaws during the study's time period."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/facts/analyses/vulnerable.mspx | title=Windows Users Have Fewer Vulnerabilities | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> In an article for ], ] said that as of ] there were 153 accumulated security holes since ] and that Internet Explorer "is a buggy, insecure, dangerous piece of software."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/249 | title=Time to Dump Internet Explorer | author=Scott Granneman | date=] | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> Mike Nash, a Microsoft Corporate Vice President, responded to Internet Explorer security concerns in a 2005 interview by stating that the version of Internet Explorer shipped with Windows XP Service Pack 2 gives it security on the same level as its competition.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/feb05/02-15Updates.mspx | title=Q&A: How Microsoft Is Keeping Pace with an Ever-Changing Security Landscape | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> The next planned version of Internet Explorer, 7, is scheduled to feature a security overhaul with anti-phishing and malware prevention technology.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/securityupgrade.mspx | title=Internet Explorer 7: Security gets an upgrade | accessdate=2006-05-19}}</ref> In a recent review, PC Magazine's Neil Rubenking commented that the phishing technologies in Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3 were superior to equivalents from ] and Symantec.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2004857,00.asp | title=McAfee Total Protection review by PC Magazine | accessdate=2006-08-23}}</ref> | |||
== Microsoft.com == | |||
Microsoft.com is one of the most popular destinations on the internet. It receives more than 100 million hits per day from across the globe. According to Alexa.com, Microsoft.com is currently ranked 16th amongst all websites for Traffic Rank.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/main?url=Microsoft.com | title=Alexa - Related info for: Microsoft.com | accessdate=2006-10-09}}</ref> | |||
<gallery> | |||
Image:Microsoft starmap.png|One of the first Microsoft.com ], as of ], ]. | |||
Image:Microsoft.com screenshot.png|The Microsoft.com ] as of ], ] | |||
</gallery> | |||
== See also == | |||
<!-- Please do not turn these bullets into headers! They expand the TOC and make the FAC people rather unhappy --> | |||
'''General''' | |||
* ] — A movie based on the rise of Apple and Microsoft. | |||
'''Microsoft''' | |||
* ] — Set of toys developed by Microsoft. | |||
* ] — Part of Microsoft's technical support that deals with malware and virus issues. | |||
* ] — Controversial initiative by Microsoft for increasing security and reliability on PCs. | |||
* ] — Microsoft's new system of obtaining customer satisfaction on Windows Vista | |||
* ] — Joint specification by Microsoft and others for a small form factor ]. | |||
* ] — A division responsible for the creation of video content for Microsoft and its partners. | |||
* ] — award sponsored by ] and awarded by the ] in ] | |||
'''Lists''' | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
== References and footnotes == | |||
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"> | |||
<references /> | |||
</div> | |||
== External links == | |||
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{{Sisterlinks | Microsoft}} | |||
; General | |||
* — 'Microsoft Corporation Company Overview - Reuters' | |||
* — 'Search Microsoft-related pages' | |||
* — 'Collection of free downloadable books available from Microsoft' | |||
* — 'Dissecting Microsoft' | |||
; Microsoft | |||
* — 'Official website' | |||
* — 'Preview of the Updated Official website' (has been reported to redirect to the normal official website in some instances) | |||
* — 'Official update site' | |||
* — 'Official security update site' | |||
* — 'International Portal' | |||
; News | |||
* — 'Microsoft Corporation Company Profile - Yahoo' | |||
* — 'Microsoft's most recent conference call transcripts' | |||
* — 'Microsoft CEO before the US Congress (includes audio)' | |||
* — 'Microsoft News' | |||
* — 'Arcon5: Microsoft News' | |||
; Blogs | |||
* — 'News, research and analysis from ]' | |||
* — 'Stay up to date on various news and developments around Microsoft' | |||
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Revision as of 15:25, 12 November 2006
Bold text{{Infobox_Company | company_name = Microsoft Corporation