In the nineties, Bill Gates was the most famous person in the world of computer technology and software. Over time, his popularity waned, as did that of Microsoft, which he co-founded with his friend Paul Allen. Despite this, Microsoft is still the most famous and successful company, not only in its industry, but throughout the business world. And it's pretty hard to believe that a little over forty years ago it was a small enterprise of two students passionate about programming.
What is Microsoft?
Every time most users start their computer, a picture with a four-colored flag appears on the screen. This is the Microsoft logo and is also a symbol that the Microsoft operating system is installed on this device. More sophisticated users know that Microsoft Corporation is a world leader in the production ofprograms and applications. And not only for computers, but also for set-top boxes, tablets and various mobile phones.
The history of Microsoft Corporation in the 70s
As you know, Jobs and Wozniak stood at the origins of Apple. Likewise, two coding friends, Gates and Allen, are the founders of Microsoft Corporation.
It is worth saying that the mid-seventies is the time of the beginning of the active development of computer technology. The most amazing thing is that ordinary students-enthusiasts actually created and then developed this area. These were Bill Gates and his fellow student Allen. Together, the guys tried to spend all their time at computers, writing various programs.
In 1975, Altair released a new device - "Altair-8800". The guys became so interested in him that they created for him an interpreter of the then popular computer language "Basic". The program, written by a couple of students, impressed the owners of the company, and they signed a contract with talented guys to use their software.
However, in the US, in order to provide any services for the purchase and sale of goods or services, and even more so software, you need to have a registered company. So Paul Allen and his friend Bill quickly completed the paperwork and named their business "Microsoft Corporation."
Soon the company began to gain momentum. Although in the first year of operation, the profit was a little more than sixteen thousand dollars, througha couple of years the company became so famous that it even opened its representative office in Japan.
Microsoft in the 80s
The 1980s brought tremendous changes to the company. In addition to experiments with the logo, another important event took place. Microsoft founder Allen decided to leave the company due to personal problems.
Meanwhile, a serious client appeared in the company itself - IBM. It was for them that the disk operating system MS DOS was created on the basis of the already existing and purchased by Microsoft from another company. This OS was used by IBM and other companies until 1993
Not resting on their laurels, the company was developing a qualitatively new operating system, which was introduced to the world already in 1985 and was called Windows. Thanks to this Microsoft product, its creators have gained incredible popularity and we alth.
Completed the decade another breakthrough in the field of computer programs. In 1989, a user introduced Microsoft Office, an analogue of a typewriter. However, unlike the latter, it was convenient to adjust the text in the new editor, change the font, its color and indents. Since then, many similar programs have been created by programmers, but they all originate from here.
Microsoft in the 90s
In the nineties, the company entered inspired by a series of successes of the eighties. At this time, Bill Gates, the only founder of Microsoft who remained in the company, began to pursue a rather tough, but at the same time successful policy. Thanks to which, by 1993, Windows becamethe most popular and used in the world.
To meet the growing needs of users, Microsoft has developed improved versions of the OS over the years: Windows 95 and Windows 98. It is noteworthy that the version of the ninety-fifth year already introduced a browser for working with the Internet - Internet Explorer.
Microsoft in 2000s
The company marked the new millennium with the release of new versions of its legendary OS - Windows 2000 and Windows Millenium. Unfortunately, they were not very successful. To redeem itself, Windows XP, beloved by many users, was released in 2001, which helped Microsoft remain the leader in the software market.
With the increasing popularity of tablets, Windows 7 was released in 2009. It was not so demanding on device resources and could be used freely on tablets and laptops. She was able to help the company turn things around after the disastrous Windows Vista.
Microsoft Today
Despite numerous lawsuits and fines, the company remains one of the most profitable in the world. And although Microsoft earned significantly less in 2015 than in the previous year, its management does not give up.
In 2012, a new version of Windows 8 was released and quickly gained popularity. And in 2015, Windows 10 launched.
Microsoft logo and history
In the early days of Microsoft, when its young founders were just thinking about registering the company, they planned to take a completely different name. "Allen and Gates"- that's what Paul and Bill wanted to name their company. But the guys soon found such a pompous name more suitable for a legal services organization than for a company engaged in the development and sale of computer programs. Then Paul Allen suggested calling their company an abbreviation of the two words microprocessors (microprocessors) and (software) software. This is how the name Micro-Soft was born.
However, in this form, it did not last long, and in the fall of 1976, Gates and Allen's company was renamed Microsoft Corporation.
About the same period, the logo appeared. True, then it was a little like a multi-colored flag known to the whole world. At first, the Microsoft logo was the name of the company, written in two lines in a disco style.
In 1980, it was decided to change the logo. The inscription began to be written in one line and in style was very reminiscent of the logo of the cult band Metallica.
Just a year later, after signing a lucrative contract with IBM, it was decided to make a more solid logo. As a result, the name of the company began to be written in milky color on a green background.
In 1987, the company changed its logo again. Now they have become a recognizable black inscription with a waving flag. In this form, it lasted twenty-five years, after which it was changed to a modern one. The "Microsoft" branding is now gray for the first time ever, and the flying flag has been replaced with a multi-colored square.
The fate of Microsoft founder BillGates
Microsoft's legendary founder and long-term leader, Gates was born in 1955 to a fairly we althy corporate lawyer family.
While studying at one of the schools in Seattle, the boy almost immediately showed an ability in mathematics, and a little later - in programming. There is a well-known fact in Gates's biography: when a guy and his friends were forbidden to use the school computer, they simply hacked into the system and provided themselves with access to it. Gates was later punished for this. But soon Bill got a job at a company whose computer was hacked.
After high school, he was able to enter the prestigious Harvard. However, after studying there for only two years, he flew out of there. But the guy was not discouraged, because in the same year he and his friend Paul founded their own company, Micro-Soft.
In total, Gates gave thirty years of his life to work in this company, until he was forced to step down as the head of the company in 2008, but retained his position as chairman of the board of directors, as well as a stake in Microsoft.
In 2010, he finally left his job in his company and, together with his wife Melinda, focused on charity. So, over the years, the Gates have donated almost thirty billion dollars. At the same time, Gates' fortune is estimated at seventy-six billion.
The life of Paul Allen
Slightly less rich is another creator of Microsoft - Allen. He has about thirteen billion in his account. And this man was born in 1953 in a less we althy family than Gates.
The guy's father was a librarian and his mother was a teacher. Despite their modest income, the Allens did their best to give their son a good education.
However, when the money ran out, Paul left his studies and got a job as a programmer. In their free time, he and his friend Bill tried to write their own programs. Have not yet decided to organize their own company.
Thanks to the irrepressible imagination of its creators, Microsoft's business went uphill. Over time, Paul focused more on writing programs, and Bill took care of organizational issues.
In 1983, Paul Allen was diagnosed with cancer. In order to undergo a full-fledged treatment, he left the company, leaving with him a seat on the board of directors and a stake. And when the disease receded, he decided not to return there, since dividends from Microsoft shares allowed him to lead a comfortable life.
He turned to charity instead. Helping people with cancer and AIDS in the first place.
In 2011, Paul Allen wrote a memoir about Microsoft.
They continue to be friends with Bill Gates to this day.
For many years, Microsoft and its operating systems have become faithful companions of every owner of a personal computer. And although two people stood at the origins of the company, most remember only one of them. Therefore, to the question: "What is the name of the creator of Microsoft?" - everyone will answer: "Gates". And rarely will anyone add: "Allen." But despite this historical injustice, the fathers of Windows are now both we althy people,successful philanthropists. And most importantly, over the years they have been able to maintain friendship.
