Microsoft has been around long enough that this giant corporation is able to offer quite the selection of products and services. I’ve done a bit of reading up on Microsoft and found out some interesting facts. Even if you aren’t a fan of this company and consider yourself to be more of a Mac or Linux person, you still might find these tidbits to be a good read. Here’s my list of 8 facts on Microsoft.
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It’s Almost as Old as I Am
I had no idea that Microsoft was founded in 1975. It was started in Albuquerque, New Mexico and moved to a couple of different cities in Washington. The current location of this ginormous corporation is Redmond, Washington.
It Took 11 Years for Microsoft Stock to Go Public
I guess I’d always assumed that a company’s stock was always available to the public, so I was surprised when I found out that Microsoft’s stock didn’t go public until 1986. I found out that owners can offer private stock in their businesses and they have a lot more control over how these stocks are handled. There also isn’t a need for a group of board of directors with private stock holdings. Owners and investors are the ones in charge of coming up with how investments and returns will be dealt with.
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The Xbox 360 Was Launched in the Fall of 2005
Where would my boys be without this magnificent machine? Lost. That’s where. They can communicate with their friends, it’s a superb form on entertainment, and it increases hand-eye coordination. Granted most of the communication is in the form of grunts and shouts while playing endless rounds of Halo.
The Founder Was Once a Hacker
I find it surprising that this company that was devised by a hacker still has so many problems with hackers today. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people complaining that their Windows system has been hacked into. I would think that software designed by an ex-hacker would be more secure, since Bill Gates should be able to notice any loopholes that a hacker might find. Right? On the other hand, without hackers there’d be no need to manufacture and sell upgrades for Windows on a regular basis. Hmmm.
There Used to Be a Hyphen in the Name
Today’s Microsoft was originally called ‘Micro-soft’. It only took a year for Bill to decide that the hyphen should be removed. The hyphen was taken out in 1976 and no other changes have been made to the name.
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It Only Took 4 Years for Microsoft to Being Making a Million Dollars
The company had a total revenue of 16 thousand dollars during the very first year, but was bringing in a million for the year 4 years later. Today the revenue of this company is in the billions, not millions.
The Windows Operating System Originally Had a Longer Name
The funny thing is that the word ‘windows’ wasn’t even in the original name choice. Apparently this well known operating system was going to be called ‘Interface Manager’. The marketing people decided that ‘Windows’ was a much better name. I have to say, it’s much easier to say ‘Windows’ than ‘Interface Manager’. It’s probably a good thing that the name was changed since it would have most likely been shortened to ‘IM’ by people and then that would cause a lot of confusion since ‘IM’ generally refers to Instant Messaging.
Microsoft Owns about 150 Companies
In the 30-plus years Microsoft has been in business, it has acquired around 150 companies. Of course most of the companies purchased had something to do with software. However they do also own a company that makes video game controllers, an online shopping company, a company in Israel that offers digital TV services, an online Spanish portal, and a company that offers 3D sensing technology.
These 8 facts of Microsoft were just a handful of the most interesting ones I came across. Do you have any that you’ve found while searching the net?
Top Photo Credit: AnNamir™
