Portal:Microsoft
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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions.
Its most profitable products are Microsoft Office, which has come to dominate the commercial office suite market, and the Microsoft Windows operating system, which has achieved near ubiquity in the desktop computer market. The company has also diversified in recent years into the video game industry with the Xbox, its successor, the Xbox 360 and most recently the Xbox One as well as into the consumer electronics and digital services market with Bing, MSN and the Windows Phone OS.
According to recent polls, Microsoft is the most admired company in the world,[1] and products such as Windows are among the most beloved by consumers.[2]
- References
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base. Windows XP, the successor to Windows 2000 and Windows ME, was the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel. Windows XP was released worldwide for retail sale on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006. The NT-based versions of Windows, which are programmed in C, C++, and assembly, are known for their improved stability and efficiency over the 9x versions of Microsoft Windows. It is also the first version of Windows to use product activation to combat illegal copying. During Windows XP's development, the project was codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort. According to web analytics data generated by Net Applications, Windows XP was the most widely used operating system until August 2012, when Windows 7 overtook it.
Bill Gates, former chairman and co-founder of Microsoft, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2007.
- September 30: Microsoft announces the Windows Insider program which allows users to test Windows 10 and provide feedback to Microsoft. Currently their are over 5 million Insiders.
- January 21: HoloLens, the world's first holographic headset is announced and Microsoft announces that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for customers with Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 (excluding enterprise).
- April 29: Microsoft holds their annual developer conference in San Francisco. Some highlights of the event include the name of the Windows 10 browser is announced (Microsoft Edge), iOS and Android (operating system) apps will work with Windows 10 and Continuum, a new feature that allows you to use your phone as a full PC when paired with a mouse, keyboard and monitor.
- May 5: Microsoft launches the Surface 3
- July 29: Windows 10 is launched in 190 countries
- October 6: Microsoft announces the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and Band 2.
- October 15: Skype introduces a new feature that allows video calls without an account
- October 26: The flagship Microsoft Store opens in New York City
Bill Gates (correctly William Henry Gates III) (born October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington) is the co-founder, chairman, former chief software architect, and former CEO of Microsoft, the world's largest software company. According to Forbes magazine's list of The World Billionaires, he was ranked as the richest person in the world for thirteen consecutive years, and recent estimates put his net worth near $82 billion dollars. When family wealth is considered, his family ranks second behind the Walton family. Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. Although he is widely respected by people who see his wealth as a product of intelligence and foresight, since amassing his fortune, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, established in 2000.
- ... that Windows XP's default Bliss wallpaper was taken north of San Francisco in 1996?
- ... that Microsoft's revenues on Microsoft Office are in the range of $250 million USD a week?
- ... that Turing Award winner and long-time Microsoft Research technical fellow Jim Gray was lost at sea during a solo sailing trip?
- ... that Robert Fripp, founding member of King Crimson, helped create the system sounds for Windows Vista?
- ... that brand consultancy Millward Brown Optimor reported in 2006 that "Microsoft" is the most powerful brand name in the world?
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<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>Template:/box-header Software: Windows • Office • Servers • Dynamics • Visual Studio • Money • Encarta • Defender• more…
Technology: Active Directory • DirectX • .NET • Internet Explorer • Microsoft Edge • Windows Media • PlaysForSure • more…
Web properties: Windows Live • Office Live • MSNBC • ninemsn • MSN • Hotmail • Messenger • Spaces • Groups • Live ID • Popfly
Gaming: Microsoft Game Studios • Zone • XNA • Xbox / 360 / One • Xbox Live (Arcade, Marketplace) • Games for Windows • Games for Windows - Live
Hardware: Zune • Keyboard • Natural Keyboard • Mouse • Webcam • MSN TV • SideWinder • Ultra-Mobile PC • Fingerprint • Audio System • Pocket PC • Smartphone • Microsoft Surface • Microsoft HoloLens
Education and recognition: MCPs • MSDN • MSDNAA • MSCA • Microsoft Press • Microsoft MVP • Studies related to Microsoft
Board of directors: Nadella • Cash • Dublon • Gates • Gilmartin • Marquardt • Noski • Panke • Shirley Template:/box-footer
Template:/box-header This portal is about all things Microsoft, from its history to its products to its criticism.
This portal is not an advertisement for Microsoft; it simply summarizes various encyclopedic NPOV (neutral point of view) articles related to Microsoft. Please remove any blatant advertising for Microsoft (or any other individual or company for that matter) in accordance with Wikipedia's policy on advertising.
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WikiProject Microsoft is a group of editors who are willing to improve Wikipedia's coverage of Microsoft Corporation, its technologies, web properties & its people. This WikiProject is brand new and is welcoming editors to help out. Template:/box-footer
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