The History of Microsoft

            “What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds” (Gates). Microsoft had begun in 1975 with two Partners that were from Harvard, Bill Gates and Paul Allen. They both were really fortunate and thought they might start a company to develop new software. This software later became used for any kind of technology like computers, video game consoles, or any other device. Bill Gates and Paul Allen launch Microsoft Corp. in 1975 which can lead to many new long term effects.

            In order to truly understand the Starting of Microsoft Corp. one must understand what occurred prior to this event. Bill Gates and Paul Allen both went to Harvard as partners. They called their partnership Microsoft. Gates and Allen saw one day in a magazine called Popular Electronics a picture of the first ever personal computer called Altair, made by MITS. They had decided to make a BASIC computer language for the Altair and show it to MITS. The BASIC computer language was the first ever computer language that was made for a personal computer. Bill leaves Harvard to work with four programmers for Microsoft in New Mexico.

              The Starting of Microsoft Corp. occurred in 1975. In 1975 Microsoft signed a contract with MITS that allowed them to market the BASIC software but Microsoft still kept ownership of the computer language. That same year Allen joined MITS as its director of software development. In 1977 Allen left MITS and formed an official partnership with Gates for Microsoft. Microsoft had given the new Apple II, Radio Shack’s Tandy computer, the Commodore PET, and TRS-80 the BASIC computer language. It than began selling copies of BASIC. In 1985 the first version of Windows was released and ships at retail. In 2001 Microsoft launches Windows XP and enters the video gaming business with Xbox.  After this Bill retires from Microsoft in 2008 and returns to do day to day work with Microsoft.

            A major event such as The Starting of Microsoft Corp. has many short- and long-term effects.

For example, one short-term effect was the launch of windows. The reason why that was a short term effect is because it was only good until Windows XP was launched a couple years after that which was in 2001. This was important to because without Windows, being launched Microsoft would have never came up of the idea of launching Vista which made them billions of dollars. An example of a long-term effect of the event is when Bill Gates had retired from Microsoft. This could affect us very badly because without Bill being chairman there is  not going to be much great things expected from Microsoft any more. Microsoft will not release as much programs, software, and technology as they did before without Gates and Allen in the business anymore. The analysis of these effects helps one to better understand the far-reaching impacts of such a major event as The Starting of Microsoft Corp.

                “Microsoft has had its success by doing low-cost products and constantly improving those products and we’ve really redefined the IT industry to be something that’s about a tool for individuals” (Gates). Bill Gates and Paul Allen launch Microsoft corp. which led to many long term effects.  This event was one of the greatest events America has ever had without the starting of Microsoft PC’s would be nothing. Microsoft had the first ever Computer Language that changed all computers lives. Without Microsoft PC’s wouldn’t be the same.