Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational software corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington that develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of products and sevices related to computing.Microsoft is the worlds largest software maker measured by revenues. It is also one of the worlds most valuable company.

In 1975, Gates and Allen form a partnership called Microsoft. Like most start-ups, Microsoft begins small, but has a huge visiona computer on every desktop and in every home. During the next years, Microsoft begins to change the ways we work. 1983: Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Mouse and Word for MSDOS 1.00. 1985:Microsoft and IBM forge a joint development agreement. 1986:Microsoft stock goes public . 1987:The company's first CD-ROM application is released. 1990:The company becomes the first PC software firm to surpass $1 billion of sales in a single year. 1993:The company introduces Windows NT. 2000:The company acquires Visio Corporation, its largest acquisition to date. Since 2001 until present Microsoft launches Widows XP , Windows vista, windows 7, windows 8. "Our vision is to create innovative technology that is accessible to everyone and that adapts to each person's needs. Accessible technology eliminates barriers for people with disabilities and it enables individuals to take full advantage of their capabilities."Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation n prezent peste 60 de milioane de oameni utilizeaz produsele firmei Microsoft pe calulatoarele lor. Avnd produse de mare succes n fiecare categorie de soft, ncepnd cu sisteme de operare i pn la programe de calcul tabelar i programe de text, asta fr s menionam renumitul mediu grafic Windows care a dobort toate recordurile la vnzri, deciziile asfel luate la Microsoft influeneaz direct ntreag industrie soft i, asfel, opiunile tuturor celor care utilizeaz calculatoare. Microsoft a devenit una dintre cele mai mari firme ale cror cotaii la burs sunt intens urmrite pe Wall Street iar milioane de investitori i urmresc cu rigurozitate activitatea zilnic. The company is present in Romania since 1992 Anti-corporate advocates criticize multinational corporations for entering countries that have low human rights or environmental standards.[13] They claim that multinationals give rise to large merged conglomerations that reduce competition and free enterprise, raise capital in host countries but export the profits, exploit countries for their natural resources, limit workers' wages, erode traditional cultures, and challenge national sovereignty.[according to whom?]The aggressive use of tax avoidance schemes allows multinational corporations to gain competitive advantages over small and medium-sized enterprises.[14] Organizations such as the Tax Justice Network criticize governments for allowing multinational organizations to escape tax since less money can be spend for public services

Despite ever-increasing Mac sales, Microsoft still has an undisputed dominance over the computer industry.With such a vast presence, much has already been written about Microsoft: Its history, its products, even its former CEO Bill Gates. For those itching to know even more, we've dug up some snippets of info that you might not have heard before.

1. "Micro-soft's" First Ever MentionThe first ever mention of "Microsoft" was in a letter from Bill Gates to co-founder Paul Allen in 1975. Gates initially wrote the company name as Micro-soft, which made sense considering it's aportmanteauof "microcomputer" and "software."2. Microsoft's Fave Food Is Pizza 3. Microsoft was one of the Worlds Most Ethical Companies list 4 years in a row4. Microsoft Uses CodenamesEver since the company's first operating system, Microsoft has worked on its projects under codenames, of which Wikipedia has along list. Apparently Gates was ready to launch Windows under the name "Interface Manager" before he was persuaded to change it by an employee.

5. The Average "Softie"The average Microsoft employee, or "Softie" as they call themselves, is a 38-year-old male with theaverage salaryfor a developer coming in at $106,000.Microsoft currently employs 88,180 people who work across 32,404,796 square feet of Microsoft's premises, over 50,000 of which are U.S.-based. The male to female ratio is very high among Microsoft's American employees with a staggering 76% male workforce.

6. Microsoft Celebrates Anniversaries With M&MsAll companies have their little in-house traditions, and Microsoft is no exception. It seems it's customary for Softies to celebrate their yearly employment anniversaries with candy, and more specifically, M&Ms.Each anniversary, a Microsoft employee is expected to provide one pound of M&Ms for every year they've worked.

7. Microsoft's Stock Has Split Nine TimesMicrosoft has split its stock nines times since it went public back in March 1986. Put very, very simply, a company will generally split its stock when its share price becomes too high.

8. Microsoft Has a Huge Art Collection Microsoft is one of thelargest corporate collectorsof artworks with over 5,000 contemporary pieces including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photographs, ceramics, studio glass, and multimedia works.

9. Microsoft Asks Strange Interview QuestionsMicrosoft has a reputation in the industry for asking off-beat, off-the-wall questions during its job interview. The most oft-quoted question is: "Why is amanhole coverround?".Rather than plain "Where do you see yourself in five years" type questions, Microsoft is more likelyto askyou to solve a logic puzzle or think through a problem like "Design a coffee maker that will be used by astronauts".

10. Microsoft Holds Over 10,000 PatentsMicrosoft holdsover 10,000 patentsand files around 3,000 every year, ranking as one of the top five patent owners in the U.S.