History of Microsoft 1975 jonpaulmoen 2010-12-18 | In 1975, a nineteen year old kid and his twenty-two year old business partner sold their first program to a little computer company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The program was called BASIC, and it was the start of this company we call Microsoft. 1975 History of Microsoft Timeline: January 1, 1975 The MITS Altair 8800 appears on the cover of Popular Electronics. The article inspires Paul Allen and Bill Gates to develop a BASIC language for the Altair. February 1, 1975 Bill Gates and Paul Allen complete Altair BASIC and sell it to Microsoft's first customer, MITS of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is the first computer language program for a personal computer. March 1, 1975 Paul Allen joins MITS as director of software. April 7, 1975 "Altair BASIC -- Up and Running," declares the headline of the first edition of MITS Computer Notes. July 1, 1975 Bill Gates' and Paul Allen's BASIC officially ships as version 2.0 in both 4K and 8K editions. July 22, 1975 Paul Allen and Bill Gates sign a licensing agreement with MITS regarding the Basic Interpreter. The name Microsoft has not yet been chosen, and Microsoft is not yet an official partnership. July 29, 1975 In a letter to Paul Allen, Bill Gates uses the name "Micro-soft" to refer to their partnership. This is the earliest known written reference. December 31, 1975 The 1975 year-end sales total equals 16,005 dollars, as detailed on Form 1065 U.S. Partnership Return of Income.
History of Microsoft 1995 jonpaulmoen 2011-10-10 | For Microsoft, 1995 was filled with Windows. On January 7, 1995, during his first keynote at the consumer electronics show in Vegas, Bill Gates announces Microsoft "Bob" for Windows. Microsoft and Dreamworks SKG announce that they have signed a joint-venture agreement to form a new software company and we announce internet explorer 1.0 for Windows 95. 1995 Revenue/Headcount The 1995 fiscal year-end sales total $5,940,000,000. The 1995 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 17,801 people. Official Subsidiaries Launched: Microsoft d.o.o., Ljubljana (Slovenia), Microsoft Hungary,Microsoft Philippines, Inc., Microsoft Slovakia s.r.o. (Slovak Republic), Microsoft De Panama, S.A., Microsoft De Guatemala, S.A, Microsoft Corporation (The People's Republic of China) ,Microsoft Uruguay S.A. ,PT Microsoft Indonesia
History of Microsoft 1994 jonpaulmoen 2011-10-10 | For Microsoft, 1994 was an ambitious year as we introduce the architecture for its new software solution, code-named "Tiger," for delivering continuous media such as audio and video. We sign a definitive agreement to acquire Softimage, Inc. of Montreal, Quebec, a leading developer of high-performance 2-D and 3-D computer animation. And Microsoft Plus, a support program designed to increase users' satisfaction with Microsoft and its products, is announced. 1994 Revenue/Headcount The 1994 fiscal year-end sales total $4,649,000,000. The 1994 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 15,257 people. Official Subsidiaries Launched: Microsoft De Centroamerica S.A. (Costa Rica), Microsoft Peru, S.A. January 31, 1994 Microsoft Plus, a support program designed to increase users' satisfaction with Microsoft and its products, is announced. February 14, 1994 Microsoft signs a definitive agreement to acquire Softimage, Inc. of Montreal, Quebec, a leading developer of high-performance 2-D and 3-D computer animation and visualization software. The stock transaction, which has an approximate value of $130 million U.S., has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies. May 17, 1994 Microsoft introduces the architecture for its new software solution, code-named "Tiger," for delivering continuous media such as audio and video. The Tiger technology, based on Microsoft® Windows NT™ Advanced Server, is a fully scaleable media file-server solution, providing media-on-demand for personal, corporate, and citywide deployment. Compaq and Intel are the first hardware manufacturers to demonstrate continuous media servers based on this technology. Other Products Released in 1994: Encarta, 1994 Edition on CD-ROM for Mac, Cinemania 1994 on CD-ROM for Mac, and Bookshelf 1994 on CD-ROM for Mac and Windows, Microsoft Multimedia Schubert: The "Trout" Quintet, Excel 5.0, Windows Sound System 2.0, , Cinemania 1994, Office Developer's Kit, PowerPoint 4.0 for Windows, Office 4.2 for Windows, Money 3.0 for Windows, The Best of Microsoft Entertainment Pack, FoxPro 2.6 for Windows and MS-DOS, Microsoft Golf Championship Courses, Dangerous Creatures, Microsoft Multimedia Strauss: Three Tone Poems, Complete Baseball, Isaac Asimov's The Ultimate Robot, Ancient Lands, Project version 4.0 for Windows, FoxPro version 2.5 for the Macintosh, Access Developer's Toolkit for Windows 2.0, SQL Server version 4.21, Access Solutions Pack for Windows 1.0, Microsoft Mail and Schedule+ Extensions for Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, MS-DOS 6.21, Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Software Developers Kit (SDK) 2.0, Office Assistant
History of Microsoft 1993 jonpaulmoen 2011-10-10 | For Microsoft, 1993 is a stellar year as we introduce Microsoft Encarta, the first multimedia encyclopedia designed for a computer. The Microsoft BallPoint Mouse is launched into Space and Microsoft reports that the number of licensed users of Microsoft Windows now totals more than 25 million, making it the most popular graphical operating system in the world. 1993 Revenue/Headcount The 1993 fiscal year-end sales total $3,752,701,000. The 1993 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 14,430 people. February 25, 1993 Microsoft announces that it has gained ownership of the Windows trademark through its extensive use of the mark and industry-wide recognition of its successful Windows product. Under U.S. law, trademark registration is optional and merely facilitates trademark enforcement. March 22, 1993 Microsoft Encarta, the first multimedia encyclopedia designed for a computer, is available. March 30, 1993 Microsoft announces the availability of the MS-DOS 6.0 Upgrade. April 6, 1993 Microsoft BallPoint Mouse Launched Into Space: A new breed of mouse will be aboard the NASA space shuttle Discovery, scheduled to launch today. April 14, 1993 Microsoft reports that the number of licensed users of Microsoft Windows now totals more than 25 million, making it the most popular graphical operating system in the world. April 23, 1993 Frank Gaudette, Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer, passes away after an eight-month battle against cancer. He was 57. April 27, 1993 Microsoft Mouse 2.0, with a sophisticated new ergonometric design, is available. May 7, 1993 Former President George Bush and his 10-person staff upgrade their computers Mail 3.2 and Windows Remote Mail, thanks to the Dallas account team. The upgrade to mail products completes a transition for Bush and his staff to Windows and Windows-based applications. May 24, 1993 Microsoft announces Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1 at Windows World 1993 in Atlanta, Georgia. June 2, 1993 Plug and Play ISA Specification Version 1.0 Released: The distribution of Plug and Play ISA Specification 1.0 is announced at an implementation workshop hosted by Intel and Microsoft today. June 9, 1993 Microsoft unveils Microsoft At Work, a new software architecture which focuses on making the full functionality of digital devices easier to use, and on creating digital connections between all office machines (like faxes and printers) to allow information to flow freely among all device types throughout the workplace. August 24, 1993 Excel 4.0 Becomes the World's Top-Selling Spreadsheet: Worldwide shipments of Excel surpass those of any other vendor for Windows, Apple Macintosh and MS-DOS combined. Excel has shipped more than 5 million new units worldwide. September 14, 1993 Microsoft ships SQL Server for Windows NT. The shipment of SQL Server and related tools, interfaces and connectivity components for Windows NT underscores Microsoft's commitment to deliver a complete family of information management products for client-server computing. October 4, 1993 Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Home brand, a broad range of consumer software products targeted at home computer users. October 21, 1993 Release of a key specification for Plug and Play architecture is announced. ISA and driver interface specifications have already been released in final form, and the Plug and Play BIOS specification is currently available for final public comment.
History of Microsoft 1992 jonpaulmoen 2011-10-10 | For Microsoft, 1992 is about partnership. Intel and Microsoft introduce a new specification (in beta form) called DV MCI (the digital video command set of MCI), that expands the Media Control Interface (MCI) for the Microsoft® Windows® graphical environment to work with current and future forms of digital video. We announce the Microsoft Certified Professional Program, a rigorous series of online exams covering Windows 3.1, LAN Manager, and SQL Server. And in response to an inflammatory newspaper article in the New York Post, Microsoft announces that there are no hidden messages contained in any of the Wingdings fonts in the Microsoft® Windows® operating system and certainly no hate messages against any religious or ethnic group. Revenue/Headcount The 1992 fiscal year-end sales total $2,758,725,000. The 1992 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 11,542 people. January 20, 1992 A Portable Computing Initiative suite of technologies is announced. As the first phase of the initiative, Microsoft will offer: Advanced Power Management (APM) to extend battery life; Microsoft® MS-DOS® ROM version 5.0; Interlink, a fast new data transfer utility; and Solid-State memory support. January 28, 1992 Scott Oki senior vice president of U.S. sales, marketing and service retires and Microsoft promotes Jeff Raikes, currently vice president of the Office Systems Group, to fill the position. February 3, 1992 Microsoft announces a new organizational structure and outlines three centers of strategic focus: worldwide product development, worldwide sales and support, and worldwide operations. March 10, 1992 Intel and Microsoft introduce a new specification (in beta form) called DV MCI (the digital video command set of MCI), that expands the Media Control Interface (MCI) for the Microsoft® Windows® graphical environment to work with current and future forms of digital video. March 23, 1992 Microsoft announces the Microsoft Certified Professional Program, a rigorous series of online exams covering Windows 3.1, LAN Manger, and SQL Server. Microsoft certification measures expertise which helps ensure quality support to end users and company personnel. March 31, 1992 Microsoft is teaming up with OEMs, computer resellers, and component manufacturers to pre-install Microsoft® Windows® version 3.1 (Ready-to-Run) on a wide variety of personal computers, allowing both first-time users and large corporate installations to have Windows up and running quickly and easily. April 6, 1992 Microsoft ships Windows 3.1 with more than 1,000 enhancements. The new version creates unprecedented user demand, with over more than 1 million advance orders placed worldwide. April 7, 1992 The new pen operating system, Microsoft® Windows® for Pen Computing (Windows for Pens) is announced. It is the only operating system that combines full pen computing functionality and full compatibility with version 3.1 of the Microsoft Windows® operating system. July 29, 1992 The Microsoft Developer Network (MDN), a new customer service established to support all commercial and corporate developers writing applications for Microsoft® Windows®, is announced. August 19, 1992 Unit shipments of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system have exceeded one million per month in each of the last four months. November 10, 1992 Microsot Chairman and CEO Bill Gates and President of Intel Corporation, Andrew S. Grove announce the two companies' shared vision for the next wave in personal computing, called Digital Video Computing. Microsoft announces Video for Windows, which incorporates Intel Indeo technology, that will allow users to integrate digital video information into applications that run on Microsoft Windows.
History of Microsoft 1991 jonpaulmoen 2011-05-26 | For Microsoft, 1991 brings a new toll-free Piracy Hotline Number for consumer reports or inquires about pirated Microsoft® products: 1-800-NOCOPYN. We announce the BallPoint Mouse, designed especially for use with laptop computers and sales of software applications written for Windows 3.0 skyrocket. 1991 Revenue/Headcount The 1991 fiscal year-end sales total $1,843,432,000. The 1991 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 8,226 people. February 1, 1991 The redesign of product packaging to include the new Windows Flag logo begins in February 1991. This is NOT the 4-colored flag, but the first "Windows --compatible" mark. March 6, 1991 Microsoft reports an agreement to acquire the assets of Consumers Software, Inc. (CSI). Assets are: The Network Courier product line for PC local area networks, including server software and client software for the MS-DOS, Macintosh, OS/2 Presentation Manager. March 11, 1991 Microsoft announces the BallPoint Mouse, designed especially for use with laptop computers. March 18, 1991 Microsoft announces the Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows on CD-ROM, a core set of reference materials for the home, office or school that is run on a personal computer. It includes an encyclopedia, a speaking dictionary, a thesaurus, two references for quotes, an atlas, and an almanac. March 18, 1991 Microsoft announces that, along with 11 other companies, it plans to use a special MPC trademark to indicate to customers that hardware products and systems software bearing the mark are compatible with the previously announced Multimedia PC (MPC) specification. The trademark will be transferred from its current owner, Microsoft, to an appropriate industry organization before general availability of products bearing the MPC mark. March 25, 1991 Sales of software applications written for Windows 3.0 skyrocket. Newly released Software Publishers Association (SPA) data for the year-end of 1990 shows a 157 percent increase in sales of Windows applications in the U.S. and Canada. May 10, 1991 There's a new slogan for an aggressive anti-piracy campaign being launched this summer: "Work With The Original." Logos, artwork and posters, marketing materials and brochures, and marketing programs and events will all emphasize the advantages of working with legitimate software both domestically and internationally. May 20, 1991 Microsoft announces Visual BASIC for Windows at Windows World 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia June 11, 1991 Microsoft announces the immediate availability of Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0. June 14, 1991 Microsoft is connected to the nationwide TCP/IP-based Internet. The Internet is a wide-area network that connects computers at a large number of universities, research institutions, and commercial concerns around the world. July 8, 1991 A Product Support Services site is planned to be opened in Dallas, Texas in October 1991. The new Dallas site will be headed by Glenn Young, Central Region Manager, who will report to Patty Stonesifer. August 5, 1991 Microsoft® Wizards will allow Microsoft applications to anticipate what a user will want to do next or suggest a better way to accomplish the task. The technology would enable the program to follow a user's movements as she or he works and draw conclusions as to what the user is apt to do next. They are expected to be included in Microsoft Publisher for Windows. August 9, 1991 More than 1,800 software developers will convene in Seattle, August 11, 1991 for a Microsoft Windows Software Developers Conference. This number exceeds projections by 300 percent, the conference is at capacity, and hotels in the heart of Seattle are full. August 26, 1991 Excel 3.0 for Windows is generating significant gains in market share and a groundswell of support from software developers and corporate customers. Microsoft ships 1.5 million units of Excel worldwide and 40 percent of the increased market share of Excel comes from users who are switching competitive spreadsheet packages. September 16, 1991 Microsoft releases the Solution Series, a collection of stand-alone, task-oriented applications designed for the personal and small-business computer user. The applications, Works for Windows, Money, and Publisher, run under Windows 3.0 and are designed for people who are new to personal computing and those who don't want to spend a lot of extra time playing around with their computers. November 1, 1991 The new Microsoft® Windows® logo, a colorful window with trailing rectangular tails in the shape of a fluttering flag, is announced at Fall/COMDEX '91. It is intended to be displayed on products that are compatible with versions 3.0 and 3.1 of Windows. November 8, 1991 For the first time, employees contribute more than $1 million to the United Way campaign. With Microsoft's dollar-for-dollar corporate match, the 1991 donation comes to more than $2 million.
The History of Microsoft The Charles Simonyi Story (Part 1 of 2) jonpaulmoen 2011-05-25 | Meet software visionary, business executive, and space tourist Charles Simonyi. Simonyi pioneered the development of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. This documentary begins with Simonyi's youth in Hungary in the 1960s, where he first learned to program on hand-me-down Soviet computers, and follows him on to Xerox Palo Alto Research Center where he invented Bravo, the first WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) text editor. It also follows him into the exciting world of Microsoft in the 1980s. Make sure to check out Part Two of The History of Microsoft with Charles Simonyi.
The History of Microsoft The Charles Simonyi Story (Part 2 of 2) jonpaulmoen 2011-05-25 | In this documentary, Charles Simonyi tells the history of Microsoft's business and creative challenges, and how, after becoming known as the father of Excel and Word, he went on to co-found his own company and to take up space travel. Make sure to check out Part One of The History of Microsoft with Charles Simonyi.
History of Microsoft 1990 jonpaulmoen 2011-05-25 | For Microsoft, 1990 is about communication as we announce the integration of voice messaging capabilities into Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks. WinMail, a Windows version 3.0-based mail front end is available for internal use and Russian MS-DOS 4.01 is the first Microsoft product localized for the Soviet market. 1990 Revenue/Headcount The 1990 fiscal year-end sales total $1,183,446,000, over the $1 billion mark for the first time. The 1990 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 5,635 people. February 13, 1990 Microsoft and Micro Decisionware announce the Database Gateway, which integrates SQL Server and mainframe environments so that users can obtain data transparently from either or both, with standard PC applications. February 20, 1990 Microsoft License Paks for large corporate accounts are announced. Available for each of the major applications products, Microsoft License Paks will be a new Microsoft packaged product and will be distributed through dealers. This will be a worldwide program. March 5, 1990 Microsoft will provide TrueType outline font technology in Microsoft Windows and in OS/2 Presentation Manager 2.00. Microsoft also reports that Microsoft TrueImage will be the name for its page description language. March 12, 1990 Nathan Myhrvold is appointed Vice President of Advanced Technology and Business Development. Myhrvold will be responsible for assessing future systems software technology and identifying new business development opportunities and will coordinate various internal and third-party research and development projects. He will report to Steve Ballmer, Vice President of Systems Software. He has been with Microsoft since 1986. March 26, 1990 Microsoft announces the integration of voice messaging capabilities into Microsoft Mail for AppleTalk Networks. Mail is the first business application to incorporate sound recording, compression, and playback technology, developed with Farallon Computing, Inc. March 30, 1990 WinMail, a Windows version 3.0-based mail front end, is available for internal use. WinMail allows the users to manage e-mail on a local PC with the Windows 3.0 graphical user interface. Previously, Microsoft employees were using Xenix e-mail. April 2, 1990 Microsoft appoints Michael R. Hallman as president and chief operating officer, to succeed upon Jon Shirley's retirement. April 30, 1990 Technical support will be offered to the more than 25 million users of Microsoft® MS-DOS® in the U.S. The support applies to all OEM versions of MS-DOS. Because Microsoft licenses the MS-DOS system only to OEMs rather than end users, product support has previously been the responsibility of the individual OEM. Now Microsoft will provide supplementary support. May 22, 1990 Microsoft announces the availability of Windows 3.0 at the City Center Theater in New York, New York. Breakthroughs in computer memory management would help this version be the one that finally got momentum in third party applications being built for the Windows environment. June 15, 1990 The Microsoft Road Show '90, "Seeing is Believing," is on the road. For the third year, products and expertise are taken to selected cities around the country and seminars are offered to end users and resellers. This show is almost entirely devoted to Microsoft® Windows® products and the graphical user interface. July 2, 1990 The Microsoft Company Store opens. It will provide Microsoft® Press books, Microsoft software, and Microsoft Mark logo items. July 24, 1990 Kicking off its 15th-anniversary celebration, Microsoft becomes the first personal computer software company to exceed 1 billion dollars in sales in a single year, with revenues of 1.18 billion dollars. August 30, 1990 Microsoft forms the Microsoft Consulting Services Group, aimed at helping large corporate customers better use Microsoft products to build complex information systems. September 16, 1990 Microsoft launches the Microsoft Windows Computing Marketing Program, the largest single marketing campaign in the company's history to date. The total cost of the marketing campaign is more than $7 million. September 19, 1990 IBM reaffirms its relationship with Microsoft and extends its licensing arrangements for the Microsoft® MS-DOS®, Microsoft Windows®, and OS/2® products. Highlighted are a series of steps that have been taken to improve the efficiency and productivity of development efforts for MS-DOS and OS/2. October 1, 1990 Office for Windows which includes: Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is available. November 12, 1990 Microsoft® Corp. and Interface Group announce the joining of forces to launch Windows World™ Conference and Exposition. The annual industry event will address the needs of the rapidly growing number of companies offering Windows® products November 12, 1990 Bill Gates delivers his Information At Your Fingertips speech at Fall/COMDEX Las Vegas, Nevada.
History of Microsoft 1989 jonpaulmoen 2011-05-25 | For Microsoft, 1989 brings the availability of Office for the Macintosh, Steve Ballmer is promoted to Senior Vice President and we announce the availability of Microsoft Flash File System, a file system for Intel's flash memory technology. 1989 Revenue/Headcount The 1989 fiscal year-end sales total $804,530,000. The 1989 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 4,037people. January 20, 1989 The Microsoft Road Show opens in Seattle, Washington, the first of 10 stops around the country. Dealers and corporate executives have a chance to try nine different applications, get a peek at three unreleased products and attend specialty seminars on Excel and Word. *I think there is a video* January 25, 1989 Microsoft unveils the promotional campaign for Excel for Windows, targeting users who are considering purchasing or upgrading to future releases of Lotus 1-2-3. The campaign includes an exchange offer for 1-2-3 users, free evaluation copies, and nationwide Excel seminars. February 15, 1989 Microsoft and The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. announce that Microsoft will make a minority investment of less than 20 percent in SCO, the world's leading developer and publisher of UNIX System software. Since 1981 the two companies have worked together to develop and market XENIX, the first commercial version of the UNIX operating system. March 27, 1989 Microsoft hosts the Fourth International Conference on CD-ROM, "Seeing Is Believing," in Anaheim, California. Among the innovations this year are an on-site electronic mail system; simultaneous translation of all sessions into Japanese via a wireless headset system; and a CD-ROM Industry Yearbook. May 3, 1989 Microsoft and Ashton-Tate announce the shipment of the Microsoft SQL Server 1.0. The product is the result of a joint development effort of Ashton-Tate, Microsoft, and Sybase. SQL Server is a powerful, relational database server for PC-based Local Area Networks (LANs). May 3, 1989 Steve Ballmer is promoted to Senior Vice President. He had been Vice President of Systems Software since 1984. He will report to Jon Shirley, President. June 5, 1989 Microsoft forms the Multimedia Division, dedicated to the development and marketing of multimedia systems software and consumer products. June 19, 1989 Office for the Macintosh is available. Macintosh applications include: Word 4.00, Excel 2.20, PowerPoint 2.01, and Mail 1.37. The four applications provide the tools to perform essential business tasks of most business professionals. *this is first version of Office* June 26, 1989 Microsoft Mouse sales surpass two million units, twice the number sold less than one year ago. It took Microsoft five years to ship the first million units, but it has taken only one year to ship the second million. In August, Microsoft introduced a re-designed product that has accounted for 1.5 million of the total units. July 18, 1989 The Usability Group opens its new in-house testing facilities with an open house to demonstrate usability procedures and showcase a range of new data-collection equipment. The usability group tests interfaces, documentation, and instructional materials. August 1, 1989 Microsoft announces OnLine Plus, a comprehensive software support service that gives corporations priority access to senior technical support staff. The service includes unlimited telephone access through a private phone number and electronic access to high-level support personnel and an extensive database of product information. August 18, 1989 The Microsoft Velvet Sweatshop logo sweatshirts are created in response to a Seattle Times cover article intended to reveal the true working environment at Microsoft. The article alleges that employees are working long and dedicated hours that preclude any personal life. August 31, 1989 A complete Chinese MS-DOS® version 3.21 will be provided to licensed OEMs and shipped in the future by representatives in Taiwan. As a service to users in Taiwan, a retail version of the Chinese MS-DOS operating system will be made available to end users on a temporary basis. This will be the first time a retail version of MS-DOS had been made available directly to customers. October 3, 1989 Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft Flash File System, a file system for Intel's flash memory technology. This system allows MS-DOS to support new memory storage devices as well as traditional storage media. It allows the MS-DOS end-user to use flash memory in exactly the same way as a conventional disk drive. Microsoft will license the Flash File System in binary form to OEMs. December 27, 1989 Microsoft announces that Jon Shirley will retire as president and chief operating officer on June 30, 1990. Shirley, president since August of 1983, will continue to play a role in the management of the company as a member of the Board of Directors and as a consultant for strategic projects.
History of Microsoft 1988 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1988 announces Microsoft OnLine a two-way electronic support service, offering a complete package of technical support and service solutions. Microsoft Mouse sales top the one million mark, less than one year after hitting the ½ million mark and the "Making It All Make Sense" advertising campaign is launched. 1988 Revenue/Headcount: The 1988 fiscal year-end sales total $590,827,000. The 1988 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 2,793people. Official Subsidiaries Launched: Microsoft CH (Korea, sales office was established in 1983) January 13, 1988 Microsoft and Ashton-Tate announce Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database server software product for Local Area Networks (LANs) based on a relational database management system licensed from Sybase. April 8, 1988 Manufacturing and Distribution move to the new Canyon Park industrial complex, a 245,000-square foot facility in Bothell, Washington. June 14, 1988 Microsoft hires Mike Maples, previously with IBM, as vice president of the Applications Software Division. June 15, 1988 Microsoft announces Microsoft OnLine, a two-way electronic support service, offering a complete package of technical support and service solutions. Users can send questions or requests for service directly to Microsoft support engineers, take part in discussions, and access a special Microsoft database that contains answers to previously solved problems. June 20, 1988 Microsoft Mouse sales top the one million mark, less than one year after hitting the ½ million mark. August 19, 1988 A new Out-Of-Office notification feature for XENIX e-mail is offered to Microsoft employees. Anyone who sends e-mail will receive an automatic message that the employee is out of the office, plus any instructions the employee may wish to include in the message. September 1, 1988 Microsoft restructures the Applications Division into five business units, designed to streamline product development and prepare the Applications Division for its expected growth into the next five years. Each business unit will have an assigned product mission, with responsibility for its products from conception and development through introduction and on-going marketing. October 11, 1988 Microsoft and five other major software companies announce the formation of the Business Software Association to combat international software piracy, promote strong intellectual property protection, and reduce international trade barriers. October 25, 1988 An extensive new education program is announced to cover every level of the education market: K-12, colleges and universities, educators, and education software dealers. This major new partnership includes a cooperative hardware/software packaging promotion with IBM; special-priced, academic versions of selected Microsoft software and a new dealer program. October 31, 1988 Microsoft and IBM release the jointly developed OS/2 1.1 with Presentation Manager. November 1, 1988 The "Making It All Make Sense" advertising campaign is launched. It will stress: vision, technical brilliance, business practicality, and commitment to customers. December 6, 1988 A new Microsoft Product Support Center opens in Bellevue, Washington. The 49,000-square-foot facility, located at Lincoln Plaza in Bellevue, incorporates the latest technology and design features. The new facility is completely dedicated to and houses 250 staff members of the Product Support Services Division of Microsoft. December 6, 1988 Microsoft to Package Software Specially for Education. Microsoft announces plans to release Academic Editions of Works, Word, Excel and PowerPoint for the Macintosh that will sell at a reduced rate through the Authorized Education Dealer Program. December 9, 1988 Mike Maples and Steve Ballmer swim "Lake Bill" as a result of a challenge Mike issued to Steve during the 1988 United Way campaign to see whose group could raise the most money. The competition between the Applications and Systems divisions raised $152,506 for United Way. Applications won the contest on the basis of the highest percentage of participation, but Systems was the big money winner of the two, so both were required to swim. Ballmer jumped into the lake wearing swim trunks, while Maples jumped into the lake in his suit and tie, which covered a wet suit. Other Product Released in 1988: Learning DOS 2.0, Microsoft Stat Pack on CD-ROM, MS-DOS 4.01, Small Business Consultant 1.0 on CD-ROM, SQL Server Network Developers Kit 1.0, Excel for OS/2, Word 5.0 for PC, Quick Basic 4.5, Excel for Windows 2.1, OS/2 Software Development kit 1.2, Microsoft Programmer's Library on CD-ROM, Quick Basic 1.0 for Mac, MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions 2.0, COBOL Optimizing Compiler 3.0, Flight Simulator 3.0 for PC, PowerPoint 2.01 for Mac, Learning DOS 2.0, Stat Pack 1.0 Notable New Hires: David Cutler
History of Microsoft 1987 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1987 brings the announcement of Excel for Windows, we ship our first CD-ROM application and Microsoft announces the "New Mouse" which is nicknamed the "Dove Soap Bar". 1987 Revenue/Headcount The 1987 fiscal year-end sales total $345,890,000. The 1987 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 1,816 people. Official Subsidiary Launched: Microsoft MS Iberica S.R.L. (Spain) February 26, 1987 A total redesign of corporate materials is introduced. Spearheading the new corporate identity is a new logo, "Pacman Logo," earmarked by its simplicity, and a clean, uncluttered design. Says designer Scott Baker, "The former logo ( the 'Blibbet' ( was more in keeping with how we saw our company five years ago." 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. April 2, 1987 Microsoft and IBM announce OS/2. This is the first product to be announced as a result of the Joint Development Agreement between Microsoft and IBM in August 1985. May 1, 1987 Bill Gates throws the first pitch to start the Seattle Mariners baseball game. June 26, 1987 In honor of the birthday of Buck Ferguson, Director of Investor Relations, a 300-lb., 16-foot duck appears in "Lake Bill." This is part of a running gag about Buck's concern over too many ducks in the pond. July 30, 1987 Microsoft acquires Forethought, the developer of PowerPoint, a leading desktop presentation application. August 31, 1987 Microsoft announces the "New Mouse", 1.0, a plug-compatible mouse. The design of the mouse is nicknamed the "Dove Soap Bar". September 8, 1987 Microsoft ships its first CD-ROM application, Microsoft Bookshelf, a collection of 10 of the most popular and useful reference works on a single CD-ROM disk. September 14, 1987 Microsoft unveils Works for DOS, a breakthrough productivity software package for Home/Small Business workers. October 6, 1987 Microsoft announces Excel for Windows offering unprecedented functionality, presentation capabilities, and customizability to spreadsheet users. It ships November 19. October 13, 1987 Microsoft acquires InterMail, an electronic mail program for Apple Macintosh systems developed by Interactive Network Technologies Inc. It will ship one month later as Microsoft Mail 1.0 for the Mac. December 9, 1987 Windows 2.0 and Windows/386 ships to dealers and distributors. Other Products Shipped in 1987: PageView, Quick C 1.0, Microsoft C Optimizing Compiler, Quick Basic 4.0, XENIX System V/286 2.23, Word 4.0 for DOS, Word 3.0 for XENIX, Macro Assembler 5.0, Chart 3.0, Project 4.0, Word 3.01 for the Mac, OS/2 Software Development Kit, MS-DOS Manager 1.0, BASIC and PASCAL compilers for XENIX System V/286, MS-DOS v 3.3, Quick Basic 3.0, MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions 1.0, Fortran Optimizing Compiler 4.0, Windows Software Development Kit 1.03, Multiplan 3.0 Notable new hires: Mike Appe, Melinda French (Gates), Jonathan Lazarus, Peter Neupert
History of Microsoft 1986 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1986 brings a slice or royalty as Prince Charles of Great Britain pays a visit to the Microsoft Showroom at the Infomart in Dallas, we move to a new Corporate Campus and our stock goes public at $21 per share. 1986 Revenue/Headcount: The 1986 fiscal year-end sales total $197,514,000. The 1986 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 1,153 people. Official Subsidiaries Launched: Microsoft Corporation, Limited (Japan), Microsoft International, B.V. (Holland) January 17, 1986 A survey of lunchroom consumption figures for July through October 1985 reveals that Diet Coke topped the employee popularity list. January 30, 1986 Microsoft and Santa Cruz Operation announce new agreements and joint marketing plans concerning Microsoft Networks for XENIX. SCO will be the prime distributor of XENIX System V to the VAR (Value Added Retailer) and VAD (Value added Dealer) channels, and will also distribute all of Microsoft's language products for XENIX including BASIC, PASCAL, FORTRAN, and COBOL. February 26, 1986 Microsoft moves to its new Corporate Campus, buildings 1 through 4, in Redmond, Washington. March 13, 1986 Microsoft stock goes public at $21 per share, rising to $28 per share by the end of the first trading day. The initial public offering raises $61 million. April 22, 1986 Direct shipment of software to the Republic of South Africa is stopped, and the relationship with the local distributor has been terminated due to the South African government's policy of apartheid. Previously, support for anti-apartheid activities had been demonstrated by the donation of all profits earned from South Africa software sales to the American Friends Service Committee. May 9, 1986 Microsoft® Press releases "Windows: The Official Guide to Microsoft's Operating Environment," by Nancy Andrews. This is the first book available on this operating environment and is a complete introduction to the basic operations of the Microsoft Windows® environment, the seven Windows desktop applications, and using Windows Write and Windows Paint. July 3, 1986 IBM has recently announced the PC Convertible, which uses 3.5-inch disks. Consequently, all applications software that runs on Microsoft® MS-DOS®, programming languages, hardware, and Microsoft Windows® products will be made available on 3.5-inch disks. The disks will be provided free to dealers, distributors, and customers who request them. July 9, 1986 Microsoft announces Microsoft MACH 10, an add-on board which makes Microsoft Windows run up to 2-1/2 times faster on an IBM PC, PC XT, or Portable PC. July 21, 1986 Bill Gates makes the cover of FORTUNE magazine for the first time and is featured in an eight-page article entitled "The Deal That Made Bill Gates, Age 30, $350 Million: The Inside Story of Microsoft's Stock Issue." August 20, 1986 Microsoft begins shipping Excel, Word, File, Multiplan, and Chart for the Macintosh on 800K, double-sided disks. September 5, 1986 Steve Ballmer completes the first "translakebillg" swim after losing a challenge to the MS-DOS 5 team to complete their bug fixes by Sept. 1. September 17, 1986 Microsoft announces the availability of extensions to MS-DOS that support the use of CD-ROM disk drives with personal computers. These extensions allow any computer that runs MS-DOS 3.1 or 3.2 and has a CD-ROM drive to read data from any CD-ROM disk formatted in the recently issued High Sierra CD-ROM file format. Microsoft will license these extensions directly to CD-ROM drive manufacturers and they are available only on an OEM basis. October 2, 1986 Microsoft Works for the Macintosh ships. October 10, 1986 The Microsoft Systems Journal magazine makes its debut this week. Targeted toward software developers, the magazine will carry articles on present and future versions of the Microsoft® MS-DOS® and Microsoft XENIX® operating systems, Microsoft Windows®, languages, and networking. The first issue is devoted exclusively to Windows. October 22, 1986 Aldus, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft form a desktop publishing alliance to market their products as a complete desktop publishing solution. Microsoft will provide Windows and Word. Together, the companies plan to spend more than $2 million on marketing activities aimed at promoting the cooperative solution. Notable New Hires: Nathan Myhrvold, David Vaskevitch, Darryl Rubin, Richard Fade, William H. Neukom
The History of Microsoft The Jeff Raikes Story (Part 2 of 2) jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | Jeff Raikes is the Visionary behind Microsoft Office. In Part One, we got a great glimpse into Jeff's history and the history of the technology industry. In Part Two, Jeff Raikes talks about Odyssey, which was the codename for Microsoft Excel. Jeff explains making, along with Bill Gates, the tough decision of shifting Odyssey from the PC and instead focusing its initial release on the Apple Macintosh. He also talks about the dominant word processing products WordStar and Word Perfect, and about having an idea in 1987 for a presentation product before discovering Forethought, which had a product called PowerPoint.
The History of Microsoft The Jeff Raikes Story (Part 1 of 2) jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | Jeff Raikes left Apple in 1981 and became the visionary behind Microsoft Office. This is Part One of the Jeff Raikes story for The History of Microsoft series. Jeff's entire story is told with great visuals; we dug through thousands of old tapes and photographs to bring you this compelling documentary, which takes an incredible look into the history of technology, what life was like at Apple in 1980, how Jeff taught himself to program on an Apple II, and his first assignment, which was working on Visicalc, the first electronic spreadsheet. Jeff also discusses why he left Apple, and what it was like to work for Steve Jobs and then Steve Ballmer before coming to Microsoft at a time when there were only about 100 employees. He also tells great stories about Microsoft hiding the protype to the IBM personal computer and how Microsoft Office came to see the light of day. Be sure to check out Part Two.
History of Microsoft 1985 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1985 brings the announcement of the release of Microsoft MacEnhancer expansion system, the Microsoft Mouse is quarantined in Canada and Microsoft celebrates its 10th Anniversary. There's some great footage of the 1985 Roast in this episode. January 23, 1985 Microsoft announces the release of Microsoft MacEnhancer expansion system, a new hardware product designed to open up the Apple Macintosh computer to a wide range of IBM compatible peripherals. February 1, 1985 Ida Cole is named the new Vice President of Applications, responsible for planning, development, and marketing for the application software product line. She will report to Jon Shirley, President. She was previously with Apple Computer, Inc.. May 3, 1985 Microsoft Mouse Quarantined in Canada Rich MacIntosh, General Manager of Microsoft Canada, Inc., was recently called to the Canadian Department of Agriculture to retrieve his Microsoft "Mouse" after four weeks of quarantine. August 9, 1985 Microsoft announces that Wright Runstad & Company breaks ground today on a new Microsoft World Headquarters in Redmond scheduled for completion by mid-1986. The $25 million facility will be located in the southeast quadrant of Evergreen Place Office Park, in a heavily wooded, 29-acre campus setting. August 12, 1985 Microsoft celebrates its 10th anniversary with sales figures of $140 million for the fiscal year of 1985. August 22, 1985 Microsoft signs an agreement with IBM for joint development of operating systems and other systems software products. September 3, 1985 Microsoft selects the Republic of Ireland as the site of its first production facility outside the U.S. for software products to be sold in the European market. September 30, 1985 Microsoft announces the shipment to retail stores of Excel for the Macintosh, a powerful, full-featured microcomputer spreadsheet that combines business graphics with an on-sheet database. November 20, 1985 Microsoft ships the retail version of Windows, an operating system that extends the features of the MS-DOS. Other products released in 1985: MS-DOS 3.2, Chart for Macintosh, Microsoft Access 1.0 (business communication app, not database), Cobol 2.1, MacEnhancer 2.0, Basic 2.1 Interpreter for the Mac, Chart 2.0 for DOS, Word for Networks, QuickBasic Compiler, LOGO for the Mac, Notable New Hires: Jeremy Butler - Former Senior Vice President, International and OEM.;Tony Dirksen - Former Senior Manager, Investor Relations;Ralf Harteneck - Former Vice President, Communication and Meeting Services Group;Min S. Yee - Former Vice President and Publisher of Microsoft Press.
History of Microsoft 1984 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1984 means a partnership with Apple, Microsoft Press Introduces its first two titles and we create a new Hardware and Peripherals Division dedicated to developing and marketing hardware products. 1984 Revenue/Headcount The 1984 Fiscal year-end sales total $97,479,000. The 1984 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 860 people. January 24, 1984 Microsoft and Apple Computer announce the new Apple Macintosh computer and Microsoft's custom-designed productivity software for the new computer. Macintosh's interface, combined with Microsoft's software: Multiplan, Chart, Word, File, and BASIC provides a powerful and functional environment for all users. March 4, 1984 Microsoft joins forces with Spectravideo and four Japanese firms to establish a hardware/software compatibility standard based on the popular Z80® 8-bit microcomputer. The standard, called MSX, was announced on June 15, 1983 and made available a new set of standard specifications so diverse software programs would be compatible with low-cost home computers from different manufacturers. MSX was developed primarily for the Japanese market as the first unified format in Japan for software or hardware. It was never adapted for sale in the U.S. March 22, 1984 Microsoft Press introduces its first two titles: Cary Lu's "The Apple Macintosh Book" and Peter Norton's "Exploring the IBM PCjr Home Computer." March 29, 1984 Microsoft creates a new Hardware and Peripherals Division dedicated to developing and marketing hardware products that complement Microsoft's software product line. August 14, 1984 IBM chooses XENIX and MS-DOS for its new generation personal computer, the IBM PC AT. September 9, 1984 Microsoft schedules a meeting with Redmond city officials to discuss relocating the company to the Evergreen Place development in 1985. September 24, 1984 Francis J. Gaudette joins Microsoft as vice president of Finance and Administration. Other products released in 1984: Project 1.0, Multiplan for Mac 1.0, Chart 1.01, Serial Mouse 2.5, SoftCard II, PCJr Booster w/Mouse, Pascal 3.2, Fortran 3.2, C Compiler 2.0 Notable New Hires: Charles Stevens - Corporate Vice President, Enterprise & Partner Group (EPG);Rich Macintosh - Former vice president of Sales and Support, U.S. Sales;Marty Taucher - Former senior group marketing manager for Microsoft's Consumer Division.;Joe Vetter - Former vice president of the Western U.S. and South Pacific Regions;
History of Microsoft 1983 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1983 means the end of an era with the resignation of Paul Allen, the introduction of MS - DOS 2.0 and the formation of Microsoft Press, a trade-book publishing division specializing in computer books. February 18, 1983 Paul Allen resigns as Microsoft's executive vice president, but remains on the Board of Directors. March 9, 1983 Microsoft introduces MS-DOS 2.0. May 2, 1983 Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Mouse, a low-cost, handheld pointing device for use with the IBM PC as well as any other MS-DOS-based personal computer. August 1, 1983 The assets of Wiser Laboratories Pty, Ltd. of Australia, the local distributor of Microsoft products, are acquired. With the establishment of this subsidiary, Microsoft obtains a direct distribution network into the region. All of Wiser's employees will be retained, and the firm will stay at its existing address. This is considered the company's first acquisition. September 29, 1983 Microsoft ships it's full-featured word processing program, Word for MS-DOS 1.00 and provides a free demonstration copy to subscribers of The PC World Software Review. November 3, 1983 Microsoft Press, a trade-book publishing division specializing in computer books, is formed. Nahum Stiskin is named General Manager and Publisher. The primary marketing focus is the business professional, with secondary emphasis on the hobbyist, home, and education markets. Microsoft Press expects to publish 30 to 35 books in its first year. November 10, 1983 Microsoft unveils Windows, an extension of the MS-DOS operating system that provides a graphical operating environment. Windows features a window management capability that allows a user to view unrelated application programs simultaneously. It also provides the capability to transfer data from one application program to another. Windows wouldn't actually ship until 2 years later. December 1, 1983 The first international subsidiaries to connect to Microsoft e-mail are in Europe: Microsoft Ltd. in the U.K., Microsoft Sarl in France, and Microsoft G.m.b.H. in Germany. Other products released in 1983: BASIC Interpreter 1.0, Multi-Tool Budget 1.0, Microsoft Multiplan 1.1, Microsoft Sort Notable new hires: Jon Shirley - Former Microsoft president, chief operating officer, and director; Joachim Kempin - Former senior vice president of Microsoft's OEM Division;Mike Slade -Former product manager, helped products such as Excel and Works to become household names and managed the entire line of Mac products;Pete Higgins - Former group vice president of the Interactive Media Group and member of the Office of the President;Raymond B. "Buck" Ferguson - Former senior director of Investor and Shareholder Relations;Bernard Vergnes - Chairman Emeritus of Microsoft EMEA.
History of Microsoft 1982 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1982 means a new Chief Operating Officer, a new logo and the very first in-house fax machine. March 24, 1982 Microsoft U.K. Ltd. (United Kingdom) is incorporated (first official international subsidiary). June 25, 1982 James C. Towne is appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft. In July he takes over all responsibilities from Bill Gates, who will assume the title of Executive Vice President, responsible for all development activities. Gates remains Chairman of the Board. Towne was previously Vice President and General Manager of the Instrument Division at Tektronix. He is replaced by Jon Shirley the next year. June 28, 1982 Microsoft announces a new corporate logo, new packaging, and a comprehensive set of retail dealer support materials. (blibbet) July 6, 1982 Microsoft becomes a registered trademark in the U.S. ( No. 1,200,236 in Int.Cls 9 and 42 (computer programs and computer programming services). July 16, 1982 Microsoft Acquires a Fax Machine for in-house use. It is a Panafax 1200 and is group I and II compatible. July 16, 1982 The Microsoft Local Area Network (MILAN) is now fully functional, linking all of Microsoft's in-house development computers, including a DEC 2060, two PDP-11/70s, a VAX 11/250, and many MC68000 machines running XENIX. This system will simplify e-mail delivery on-site. (Bill Gates becomes billg) August 1, 1982 Microsoft Multiplan version 1.00 for MS-DOS ships. September 1, 1982 Microsoft announces the availability of its symbolic mathematic package muMATH/muSIMP for the IBM Personal Computer. This package is also offered for the Apple II, TRS-80, and CP/M-80 computer systems. October 1, 1982 Paul Allen is diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, which is localized and in a very treatable form. He is on a limited work schedule while undergoing treatments. Although his treatment is successful, he will resign from Microsoft in 1983. 1982 Revenue/Headcount The 1982 year-end sales total $24,486,000. The 1982 Calendar Year employee headcount totals 220 people. Other products released in 1982: Cobol 4.6, Typing Tutor II for Apple II, SoftCard Premium, Flight Simulator for MS-DOS
History of Microsoft 1981 jonpaulmoen 2011-02-25 | For Microsoft, 1981 means an entrance into the Operating Systems Business, we organize into a privately help organization and revenue jumps to over 17 million bucks. April 9, 1981 First semi-annual company meeting is held in the newly built Bellevue Athletic Club. June 25, 1981 Microsoft reorganizes into a privately held corporation with Bill Gates as president and chairman of the board and Paul Allen as executive vice president. Microsoft becomes Microsoft, Inc., an incorporated business in the state of Washington. August 12, 1981 IBM introduces its Personal Computer (PC), MS-DOS version 1.0, plus BASIC, COBOL, Pascal, and other Microsoft products. This is Microsoft's entry into the operating systems business. Included in the IBM-compatible list of software is a game newly adapted to the PC, Microsoft Adventure. October 1, 1981 The Microsoft Building (Northup Building) at 10700 Northup Way, (P.O. Box 97200) Bellevue, Washington, 98004, is leased. December 8, 1981 Microsoft announces that is has signed a letter of intent to enter a second-source agreement with The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. for the XENIX operating system. The agreement will provide additional services to purchasers of XENIX, especially pre- and post-sale support, maintenance, and documentation. 1981 Revenue/Headcount The 1981 year-end sales total $17,331,000. The 1980 Calendar Year employee headcount totals 129 people. Notable employees hired: Tandy Trower, Jeff Raikes, Chris Peters and 100th employee Ellen Aycock. Chris Larson is hired as an FTE after several summer-long internships.
History of Microsoft 1980 jonpaulmoen 2011-01-16 | For Microsoft, 1980 means a new decade and new technology. Microsoft introduces the Z-80 SoftCard, Steve Ballmer joins the company and we announce XENIX OS, a portable, UNIX-based operating system for 16-bit microprocessors. January 1, 1980 Microsoft Consumer Products announces its first consumer-oriented application software, Typing Tutor. April 2, 1980 Microsoft introduces the Z-80 SoftCard, a circuit board that plugs into the Apple II computer and allows Apple II users to run CP/M applications with only minor modifications. June 11, 1980 Steve Ballmer joins Microsoft with responsibility for Operations, including personnel, finance, and legal areas of the business. August 25, 1980 Microsoft announces XENIX OS, a portable, UNIX-based operating system for 16-bit microprocessors. 1980 Revenue/Headcount The 1980 year-end sales total $8,000,000. The 1980 Calendar Year employee headcount totals 40 people. Other products released in 1980: Basic Compiler 5.3, TRS-DOS COBOL and Basic, muLISP and muMATH, TRS-80 Editor/Assember, XMacro-86 Cross Assembler, COBOL-80 Compiler 4.0, BASIC Interpreter for Z8000, Olympic Decathlon (game), M/SORT, FORTRAN & COBOL for Apple II, RAMcard (memory expander for the Apple II)
History of Microsoft 1979 jonpaulmoen 2011-01-16 | For Microsoft, 1979 is all about Basic when the M6800 version of Microsoft Basic is released, The 8080 version of Microsoft® Basic is the first microprocessor software product to win the ICP Million Dollar Award and we announce the availability of Microsoft BASIC Compiler for 8080 and Z-80 CP/M systems. January 1, 1979 Microsoft moves its offices to Bellevue, Washington from Albuquerque, New Mexico. March 12, 1979 A M6800 version of Microsoft Basic is released April 4, 1979 The 8080 version of Microsoft® Basic is the first microprocessor software product to win the ICP Million Dollar Award. June 18, 1979 Microsoft BASIC, currently in use in over 200,000 Z80 and 8080 installations has just been released in a new version for the 8086 16-bit microprocessor. August 1, 1979 Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft BASIC Compiler for 8080 and Z-80 CP/M systems. November 29, 1979 Service to the European market is expanded with the addition of a new representative, Vector Microsoft, located in Haasrode, Belgium. December 1, 1979 Level III BASIC, the most powerful BASIC written for the TRS-80, has been introduced by Microsoft Consumer Products, the new consumer software development and marketing division of Microsoft December 3, 1979 Microsoft distributes the first CODASYL-compatible database management system for microcomputers. 1979 Revenue/Headcount The 1979 year-end sales total $2,390,145. There are 28 employees.
History of Microsoft 1978 jonpaulmoen 2010-12-19 | For Microsoft, 1978 begins with the announcement of the Microsoft COBOL-80, which conforms to the 1974 ANSI standards for 8080, Z80, and 8085 microprocessor systems. We establish our first international sales office and fiscal year sales for the first time exceed one million dollars . Oh and of course, it was the year of Andy Gibb. April 11, 1978 Microsoft COBOL-80, which conforms to the 1974 ANSI standards for 8080, Z80, and 8085 microprocessor systems, is announced. November 1, 1978 Microsoft establishes its first international sales office in Japan, ASCII Microsoft. November 6, 1978 Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft EDIT-80, a random access, line oriented text editor for 8080 and Z-80 systems. EDIT-80 is the first microcomputer editor with random line access to floppy disk files. December 1, 1978 Microsoft announces Microsoft Macro-80 for 8080; Z-80. The 14K assembler is the fastest macro assembler currently on the microcomputer market, assembling over 1000 lines per minute. December 1, 1978 Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft FORTRAN-80 Compiler for TRS-80. December 31, 1978 Microsoft's year-end sales exceed $1 million at $1,355,655. There are 13 employees. The Albuquerque office's Coca Cola bill for Calendar Year 1978 totals $566.50.
History of Microsoft 1977 jonpaulmoen 2010-12-19 | For Microsoft, 1977 marks the beginning of an official partnership between Paul Allen and Bill Gates, we hire our first official employee and the FORTRAN-80, Microsoft's second language product finally becomes available. February 3, 1977 An official partnership agreement between Paul Allen and Bill Gates is executed. July 1, 1977 FORTRAN-80, Microsoft's second language product, is available at the prices of $500 for an individual license. OEM licenses are available. September 13, 1977 Microsoft receives new computers from Commodore, Radio Shack and Texas Instruments. September 26, 1977 The Albuquerque facilities are expanded by three new offices in the same building. November 18, 1977 Microsoft terminates an exclusive license to MITS for Microsoft's BASIC product and announces availability of versions for the 8080 and Z-80 microprocessors. 1977 Revenue/Headcount: The 1977 Calendar Year revenue totals $381,715, headcount is 9.
History of Microsoft 1976 jonpaulmoen 2010-12-18 | For Microsoft, 1976 was the first year with an official name, it was the first time Bill Gates raised the issue of piracy and we hired our first full-time employee Marc McDonald. The History of Microsoft - 1976 Timeline. February 3, 1976 Bill Gates is the first programmer to raise the issue of software piracy. In "An Open Letter to Hobbyists," first published in Computer Notes, Gates accuses hobbyists of stealing software and thus preventing good software from being written. March 27, 1976 Bill Gates gives the opening address at the First Annual World Altair Computer Convention held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. April, 1976 Marc McDonald becomes Microsoft's first official employee. (Other people did work on Microsoft products before that, but on a contract basis) July, 1976 Microsoft's first advertisement appears in Digital Design magazine. November 1, 1976 Paul Allen resigns from MITS to join Microsoft full time. November 26, 1976 The trade name, Microsoft, is registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico. September 1, 1976 Microsoft leases official office space in the Two Park Central Tower Building at 300 San Mateo Blvd, N.E., Suite 819, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 1976 Headcount/Revenue The 1976 Calendar Year employee headcount totals six people. Revenues are $22,496
