A Brief History of Microsoft

Basic

Jan 2, 1975

Bill Gates and Paul Allen create a version of the BASIC language to run on microcomputers

Microsoft is founded

Apr 4, 1975

Microsoft founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izrlj2Swsbc ' TARGET="_blank">Click to watch a video</a>

IBM

Aug 12, 1981

IBM awards Microsoft the contract to provide an operating system for the IBM PC. This operating system later becomes known as MS-DOS. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwrlNwOQ9wA ' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Word

Oct 25, 1983

Microsoft released Microsoft Word. The word processor is the first to use WYSIWYG features.

First version of Windows

Nov 20, 1985

Microsoft launches the first version of Windows. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Windows 2

Apr 2, 1987

Microsoft announces OS/2, an operating system developed jointly with IBM. OS/2 is officially released in December of 1987. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k1qeRFVGVg ' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Windows 3

May 22, 1990

Microsoft releases Windows 3.0. This is the first version of Windows that gains popularity among IBM PC users and eventually becomes a standard install by manufacturers.

Visual Basic

May 20, 1991

Microsoft announces Visual Basic, a development platform with a visual interface.

Windows NT

May 24, 1993

Windows NT is launched. Originally developed as OS/2 version 3.0, Microsoft slowly split from IBM and the joint development of OS/2 after Windows 3.0's popularity.

Windows 95

Aug 24, 1995

Microsoft releases Windows 95, the replacement to MS-DOS. The Microsoft Network (MSN) is also officially launched on this date. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k1qeRFVGVg' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Windows XP

Oct 21, 2001

Microsoft XP is released. This operating system signals the end of the Windows 95 line of operating systems and brings the NT line into the mainstream. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A_Kkb9w5bw ' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Xbox

Nov 25, 2001

Microsoft launches the Xbox.

Windows Mobile

Jun 23, 2003

Microsoft announces Windows Mobile, an operating system for smartphones and PDAs <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XErMdraAFz4 ' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Windows Vista

Jan 30, 2007

Microsoft releases Windows Vista. The release of Windows Vista came more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, the longest time span between successive releases of Microsoft Windows desktop operating systems. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOtqg0REUrI ' TARGET="_blank">Click to view a video</a>

Windows 7

Oct 22, 2009

Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible. <a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6adgIJE8YQ ' TARGET="_blank" >Click to view a video</a>