Microsoft Corporation Info

Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates, Microsoft began as a humble company that sold software for the Altair 8800 Micro-computer. Now, Microsoft is known worldwide for its various computer electronics and Windows operating system. Microsoft is also a well known video game publisher and creators of both the Zune and the X-Box 360 video gaming console.

Bill Gates

1. Bill Gates is the founder and chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Born in 1955, Mr. Gates grew up in Seattle, Washington until he left for Harvard University in 1973. As a college junior, Gates dropped out of school to devote the majority of his time to his newly created company, Microsoft. As of 2008, Mr. Gates began to delegate his day-to-day roles within Microsoft to others so he could spend more time with his charity, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Despite this change, Gates still serves as Microsoft's chairman.

Windows

2. Windows is a series of operating systems first released with Windows 1.0 in 1985. Since then there have been many successful operating systems bearing the "Windows" name released, such as Windows NT, 95, XP and Windows 7. Microsoft releases different versions of each new operating system, each offering more features but costing more than the previous version. Some versions of their operating systems are designed for home use, while others for businesses.

Computer Software

3. Microsoft has also made a name for itself with software designed for its Windows operating systems. One of their better known software products is a productivity suite known as Microsoft Office. A suite is simply a bundle of different programs packaged or sold as one. Office includes programs such as Word, Excel and Powerpoint, software that makes Office attractive to both home users and businesses. Much like with Windows, different versions of the suite are available that contain different programs based on customers' needs, such as "Home & Student" and "Professional."

Video Games

4. As of 2010, Microsoft has successfully developed and released two video game consoles. In 2001, the original X-Box was released and sold enough consoles and games to compete with industry giants such as Sony and Nintendo. By 2005, Microsoft released the X-Box 360, beating the releases of both the Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3. Microsoft also develops games for their consoles as well as PC games for their Windows operating systems.

Zune

5. Always competing with Apple, Microsoft first released the Zune in 2006. The Zune is a portable music and video player designed to rival the Apple iPod. Since the initial release, the Zune has undergone many changes, including a larger screen and the inclusion of touch screen functionality. Zune's are commonly used to listen to MP3 or other portable music files as well as for watching video. As of 2010, the largest capacity for a Zune is 64 GB, enough room for about 16,000 songs.