// University of Washington
// CSE 143 Project 2
// Name          : Erwin Faizal
// Section       : JA
// 
// Document Title: Key Events in Microsoft History
// Source        : http://www.microsoft.com/msft/download/keyevents.doc
// Dates         : October 22, 2002
1/1/1975
The MITS Altair 8800 appears on the cover of Popular Electronics. The article inspires Paul Allen and Bill Gates to develop a BASIC language for the Altair.
2/1/1975
Bill Gates and Paul Allen complete BASIC and sell it to Microsoft’s first customer, MITS of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is the first computer language program for a personal computer.
3/1/1975
Paul Allen joins MITS as director of software.
4/7/1975
“Altair BASIC – Up and Running,” declares the headline of the first edition of MITS Computer Notes.
7/1/1975
Bill Gates' and Paul Allen's BASIC officially ships as version 2.0 in both 4K and 8K editions.
2/3/1976
Bill Gates is one of the first programmers to raise the issue of software piracy. In "An Open Letter to Hobbyists," first published in Computer Notes, Gates accuses hobbyists of stealing software and thus preventing "...good software from being written." He prophetically concludes with the line, "...Nothing would please me more than being able to hire ten programmers and deluge the hobby market with good software."
3/27/1976
Bill Gates gives the opening address at the First Annual World Altair Computer Convention, held in Albuquerque.
7/1/1976
Microsoft refines and enhances BASIC to sell to other customers including DTC, General Electric, NCR, and Citibank.
11/1/1976
Paul Allen resigns from MITS to join Microsoft full time.
11/26/1976
The trade name "Microsoft" is registered with the Office of the Secretary of the State of New Mexico.
2/3/1977
An official partnership agreement between Paul Allen and Bill Gates is executed.
7/1/1977
FORTRAN-80, Microsoft’s second language product, is available.
11/18/1977
Microsoft terminates an exclusive license to MITS for Microsoft's BASIC product.
11/1/1978
Microsoft establishes its first international sales office in Japan, ASCII Microsoft.
12/31/1978
Microsoft's year-end sales exceed $1 million.
1/1/1979
Microsoft moves its offices to Bellevue, Washington from Albuquerque.
4/4/1979
Microsoft 8080 BASIC is the first microprocessor product to win the ICP Million Dollar Award. Traditionally dominated by software for mainframe computers, this recognition is indicative of the growth and acceptance of the PC industry.
4/2/1980
Microsoft introduces the Z-80 SoftCard, a circuit board that plugs into the Apple II computer and allows Apple II users to run CP/M applications with only minor modifications. Sales of the SoftCard will top 100,000.
6/11/1980
Steve Ballmer joins Microsoft with responsibility for Operations, including personnel, finance, and legal areas of the business.
8/25/1980
Microsoft announces Microsoft XENIX OS, a portable operating system for 16-bit microprocessors. All of Microsoft's existing system software (COBOL, PASCAL, BASIC, and DBMS) will be adapted to run under the XENIX system, and all existing software written for UNIX OS will be compatible as well.
4/9/1981
First semi-annual company meeting is held in the newly built Bellevue Athletic Club.
6/25/1981
Microsoft reorganizes into a privately held corporation with Bill Gates as president and chairman of the board and Paul Allen as executive vice president. Microsoft becomes Microsoft, Inc., an incorporated business in the state of Washington.
8/12/1981
IBM introduces its Personal Computer, which uses Microsoft's 16-bit operating system, Microsoft® MS-DOS® version 1.0, plus Microsoft BASIC, Microsoft COBOL, Microsoft Pascal, and other Microsoft products.
11/1/1981
Second semi-annual company meeting is held in the Seahawks Room of the Ramada Inn next door to the Northup Building.
3/24/1982
Microsoft U.K. Ltd. (United Kingdom) is incorporated.
6/28/1982
Microsoft announces a new corporate logo, new packaging, and a comprehensive set of retail dealer support materials.
7/16/1982
The Microsoft Local Area Network (MILAN) is now fully functional, linking all of Microsoft's in-house development computers, including a DEC 2060, two PDP-11/70s, a VAX 11/250, and many MC68000 machines running XENIX. This system will simplify e-mail delivery on-site.
2/18/1983
Paul Allen resigns as Microsoft's executive vice president, but remains on the Board of Directors.
3/9/1983
Microsoft introduces MS-DOS 2.0.
5/2/1983
Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Mouse, a low-cost, handheld pointing device for use with the IBM PC as well as any other MS-DOS-based personal computer.
9/29/1983
Microsoft introduces its full-featured word processing program, Microsoft Word for MS-DOS 1.00.
11/10/1983
Microsoft unveils Microsoft Windows, an extension of the MS-DOS operating system that provides a graphical operating environment. Windows features a window management capability that allows a user to view unrelated application programs simultaneously. It also provides the capability to transfer data from one application program to another.
1/24/1984
Microsoft takes a leading role in developing software for the Apple Macintosh computer. The company ships Microsoft BASIC and Microsoft Multiplan simultaneously with the introduction of the Macintosh.
3/29/1984
Microsoft creates a new Hardware and Peripherals dedicated to developing and marketing hardware products that complement Microsoft's software product line.
7/11/1984
Microsoft Press introduces its first two titles: Cary Lu's "The Apple Macintosh Book” and Peter Norton's "Exploring the IBM PCjr Home Computer."
8/14/1984
IBM chooses Microsoft XENIX and MS-DOS for its new generation personal computer, the IBM PC AT.
9/24/1984
Francis J. Gaudette joins Microsoft as vice president of Finance and Administration.
8/12/1985
Microsoft celebrates its 10th anniversary with sales figures of $140 million for the fiscal year of 1985.
9/3/1985
Microsoft selects the Republic of Ireland as the site of its first production facility outside the U.S. for software products to be sold in the European market.
11/20/1985
Microsoft ships the retail version of Microsoft Windows, an operating system that extends the features of the MS-DOS.
2/26/1986
Microsoft moves to its new Corporate Campus, Buildings 1 through 4, in Redmond.
3/13/1986
Microsoft stock goes public at $21 per share, rising to $28 per share by the end of the first trading day. The initial public offering raises $61 million.
8/29/1986
Microsoft ships the retail release of Windows/286 1.03.
3/24/1987
In order to serve customers more effectively, Microsoft combines its End-User and OEM support services into a single Product Support Services group.
4/2/1987
Microsoft and IBM announce OS/2. This is the first product to be announced as a result of the Joint Development Agreement between Microsoft and IBM in August 1985.
7/30/1987
Microsoft acquires Forethought, the developer of PowerPoint, a leading desktop presentation application.
9/8/1987
Microsoft ships its first CD-ROM application, Microsoft Bookshelf, a collection of 10 of the most popular and useful reference works on a single CD-ROM disk.
10/6/1987
Microsoft releases Excel for Windows.
1/13/1988
Microsoft and Ashton-Tate announce Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database server software product for Local Area Networks (LANs) based on a relational database management system licensed from Sybase.
4/8/1988
Manufacturing and Distribution move to the new Canyon Park industrial complex, a 245,000-square foot facility in Bothell, WA.
6/14/1988
Microsoft hires Mike Maples, previously with IBM, as vice president of the Applications Software Division.
10/31/1988
Microsoft and IBM release the jointly developed OS/2 1.1 with Presentation Manager.
6/5/1989
Microsoft forms the Multimedia Division, dedicated to the development and marketing of multimedia systems software and consumer products.
8/1/1989
Microsoft announces Office, the first general business software for Macintosh systems available on CD-ROM.
11/13/1989
Microsoft and IBM broaden the scope of their development agreement by agreeing to jointly develop a consistent, full range of systems software offerings for the 1990s. These software offerings will include enhancements to MS-DOS, Microsoft OS/2, and Microsoft LAN products and are compatible with the Intel 386 and 486 microprocessors.
12/27/1989
Microsoft announces that Jon Shirley will retire as president and chief operating officer on June 30, 1990. Shirley, who has been president since August of 1983, will continue to play a role in the management of the company as a member of the Board of Directors and as a consultant for strategic projects.
4/2/1990
Microsoft appoints Michael R. Hallman as president and chief operating officer, to succeed upon Jon Shirley’s retirement.
4/9/1990
Russian MS-DOS 4.01 is the first Microsoft product localized for the Soviet market.
5/22/1990
Microsoft announces the availability of Microsoft Windows 3.0 at the City Center Theater in New York.
7/25/1990
Kicking off its 15th-anniversary celebration, Microsoft becomes the first personal computer software company to exceed $1 billion in sales in a single year, with revenues of $1.18 billion.
8/30/1990
Microsoft forms Consulting Services Group, aimed at helping large corporate customers better use Microsoft products to build complex information systems.
9/17/1990
Microsoft launches the Microsoft Windows Computing Marketing Program, the largest single marketing campaign in the company's history to date.
11/12/1990
Bill Gates unveils his vision of the future of computing in his keynote address, "Information at Your Fingertips," at Fall/COMDEX '90.
1/1/1991
Microsoft becomes one of the first software companies to create its own computer science research organization. As part of an industry that is continually reinventing itself, Microsoft sees the need to support long-term computer science research - that is not bound by product cycles - to form new foundations and technology breakthroughs for future generations to build upon.
1/9/1991
Microsoft announces Microsoft Excel 3.0 for Windows, Macintosh, and OS/2.
3/11/1991
Microsoft announces the BallPoint Mouse, designed especially for use with laptop computers.
3/18/1991
Microsoft purchases a 26-percent share of Dorling Kindersley, Ltd., a London-based book publisher and international packager. As part of the agreement, the Microsoft Multimedia Publishing Group gains the rights to license content from Dorling Kindersley for use in future multimedia software titles.
5/20/1991
Microsoft announces Microsoft Visual BASIC for Windows at Windows World '91 in Atlanta.
6/11/1991
Microsoft announces the immediate availability of Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0.
11/14/1991
Microsoft announces the Multimedia Edition of Works for Windows 2.0, Microsoft’s first business application to incorporate multimedia.
3/1/1992
Microsoft kicks off its first-ever television advertising campaign. The TV ads are designed to build on the success of Windows and Windows-based applications.
3/1/1992
Michael Hallman steps down as the president of Microsoft and as a member of the Board of Directors.
3/1/1992
A three-person Office of the President is created, with three centers of strategic focus: Worldwide Product Group, headed by Mike Maples; Worldwide Sales and Support Group, headed by Steve Ballmer; and Worldwide Operations Group, headed by Frank Gaudette.
3/24/1992
Microsoft and Fox Software, announce that they intend to merge.
4/6/1992
Microsoft ships Microsoft Windows 3.1 with more than 1,000 enhancements. The new version creates unprecedented user demand, with over more than 1 million advance orders placed worldwide.
4/27/1992
The Board of Directors approves a 3-for-2 stock split. Shareholders will receive one additional share for every two Microsoft shares held on the record date of June 3, 1992. Cash will be paid in lieu of the issuance of any fractional shares.
6/23/1992
Bill Gates accepts the National Medal of Technology for Technological Achievement from President Bush.
10/27/1992
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 is available worldwide.
11/16/1992
At Fall/COMDEX 1992, Microsoft announces the availability of Access Database for Windows.
1/1/1993
Microsoft announces the 10th anniversary of Microsoft Word, which first shipped for MS-DOS in 1983, on the Macintosh platform in 1984, and on the Windows platform in 1989. Based on information from Dataquest, there are more than 10 million Word users worldwide.
1/27/1993
Microsoft Select, a product-support program, is introduced to make it easier for large organizations to acquire and maintain Microsoft products.
3/22/1993
Microsoft Encarta, the first multimedia encyclopedia designed for a computer, is available.
3/30/1993
Microsoft introduces Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Upgrade.
3/30/1993
Microsoft announces five new multimedia titles at the Intermedia Conference in San Jose. Demonstrated for the first time are: Microsoft Dinosaurs, Multimedia Mozart: The Dissonant Quartet, Multimedia Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring, Microsoft Musical Instruments for the Macintosh, and Microsoft Bookshelf, 1993 Edition.
4/14/1993
Microsoft reports that the number of licensed users of Microsoft Windows now totals more than 25 million, making it the most popular graphical operating system in the world.
4/27/1993
Microsoft Mouse 2.0, with a sophisticated new ergonometric design, is available.
5/24/1993
Microsoft launches Windows NT at Windows World in Atlanta.
6/1/1993
Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the U.S. District Court of Northern California ruled today in Microsoft's favor in the Apple vs. Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard copyright suit.
7/6/1993
Microsoft becomes an official member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Ally program to promote energy-efficient computer systems.
10/4/1993
Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Home brand, a broad range of consumer software products targeted at home computer users.
11/8/1993
Microsoft ships Windows for Workgroups 3.11.
12/6/1993
Microsoft is named the "1993 Most Innovative Company Operating in the U.S." by FORTUNE magazine as part of its Fifth Annual Study of America's Best Cities for Business.
12/7/1993
Microsoft announces its first software products designed especially for children: Creative Writer and Fine Artist.
1/31/1994
Microsoft Plus, a support program designed to increase users’ satisfaction with Microsoft and its products, is announced.
4/18/1994
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11 has become the world's best selling retail operating system, edging Windows 3.1 into the No. 2 spot.
6/3/1994
Microsoft ships Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 to OEM’s.
6/10/1994
Microsoft Complete Baseball, a multimedia reference CD-ROM that is the first with an online feature, is available.
6/28/1994
Microsoft acquires SoftImage, Inc., the leading developer of high performance 2-D and 3-D computer animation and visualization software.
9/8/1994
Microsoft announces that Windows 95 is the official name for the next version of Windows, code-named “Chicago.”
11/8/1994
Bob Herbold joins Microsoft as the new executive vice president and the chief operating officer.
11/14/1994
Microsoft debuts its new international advertising campaign, “Where Do You Want To Go Today,” at actor Robert DeNiro’s trendy SoHo restaurant in New York.
12/2/1994
Wal-Mart markets Microsoft products on "power-aisles" in its stores during the Holiday season. The stores are featuring a special fixture - dubbed the Microsoft tower - containing 46 software programs and the Microsoft Mouse.
3/22/1995
Microsoft and DreamWorks SKG announce that they have signed a joint-venture agreement to form a new software company designed to produce interactive and multimedia entertainment properties.
5/20/1995
Microsoft and Intuit Inc. announce that they have agreed to terminate their planned merger rather than appeal and pursue months of litigation with the Justice Department at the trial and appellate court levels.
6/16/1995
The U.S. Court of Appeals reinstates a 1994 antitrust settlement between Microsoft and the Justice Department that was rejected by U.S. District Judge Stanley Sporkin in February 1995.
8/24/1995
Microsoft Windows 95 is available worldwide.
8/29/1995
Microsoft estimates that more than 1 million copies of Windows 95 were obtained by customers at retail stores during the first four days of the release.
9/18/1995
Microsoft announces Project for Windows 95.
9/18/1995
SideWinder 3D Pro, a digital-optical joystick, is announced.
9/20/1995
The Chinese State Bureau of Technology Supervision and the Chinese Ministry of Electronics Industry sign an agreement with Microsoft to standardize the Chinese version of the Microsoft® Windows® 95 operating system as the software development standard for The People's Republic of China. The agreement is aimed at speeding the development of Chinese Windows 95 by expanding the scope of cooperation and strengthening the foundation of software development in the PRC.
10/2/1995
Microsoft offers more that 30 titles of its family of Home software products for under $50 each, estimated street price, beginning October 1, 1995.
10/17/1995
Microsoft estimates that 7 million units of Windows 95 have been purchased worldwide, either as an upgrade or on a new PC, since the product’s August 24, 1995, release.
11/20/1995
MSN™, The Microsoft Network online service has enrolled more than 525,000 members in its first three months of service. With the majority of members using MSN's full Internet access, this makes MSN one of the largest Internet service providers. Microsoft also announces it will not temporarily suspend member enrollment, as was previously considered.
11/20/1995
Bill Gates authors his first book; “The Road Ahead” looks at how new technologies will guide the way we work, play, and live in the future.
11/27/1995
Microsoft releases the final version of Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95.
12/7/1995
Bill Gates outlines the company’s wide-ranging commitment to supporting and enhancing the Internet by integrating the PC platform with the public network. As part of the briefing, over 20 products and technologies were demonstrated.
12/14/1995
Microsoft and NBC enter into a 50/50 partnership to create two new businesses: a 24-hour news and information channel and an interactive online news service distributed to the Microsoft Network.
1/16/1996
Microsoft acquires Vermeer Technologies Inc. Vermeer's flagship software application, FrontPage, is a tool for easily creating and managing rich Web documents without programming. FrontPage will become a key component of Microsoft's strategy to provide a full range of tools for both Internet and intranet publishing.
2/6/1996
Microsoft names Mattel USA President and chief operating officer, Jill E. Barad, to its board of directors. Barad is the first woman named to the Microsoft Board of Directors since Portia Isaacson served in 1986 and 1987.
2/15/1996
The Interactive Media Division is created, consisting of MSN™, the Microsoft Network online service; games and kids' titles; and the information businesses formerly residing in the now-dissolved Consumer Division. The new division will focus on creating and marketing worldwide interactive entertainment and information products across a variety of media, including the Internet.
2/20/1996
The Platforms Group will be aligned to more closely coordinate the Microsoft Windows family strategy and to concentrate on developing complementary products and technologies for the Internet.
2/27/1996
Microsoft segments its support offerings into two distinct categories; Microsoft AnswerPoint provides support for end users, developers and organizations, and Microsoft Service Advantage is a comprehensive portfolio of direct and partner-supplied enterprise customer services.
3/12/1996
Microsoft ActiveX Technologies, a set of tools to enable the creation of active content for the Internet and the PC, are announced.
4/16/1996
Microsoft® SQL Server™ client-server database management system version 6.5 has released to manufacturing.
5/17/1996
More than 30 million people worldwide use Microsoft Excel, making it the most popular spreadsheet program of all time.
6/5/1996
MSNBC, the 24-hour news, talk, and information network from NBC News and Microsoft, debuts.
6/24/1996
Slate™, an interactive magazine of politics, culture, and public policy edited by Michael Kinsley, goes live on the Internet.
7/22/1996
Microsoft promotes Jeff Raikes to group vice president, Sales and Marketing. In his new position, Raikes becomes a member of Bill Gates’s Office of the President.
7/31/1996
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 is released to manufacturing. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 combines the ease of use of the Windows 95 operating system with the reliability and security of Windows NT.
10/29/1996
Patty Stonesifer resigns her position as senior vice president of the Interactive Media Division. Stonesifer is credited with building Microsoft’s position as the world’s leading consumer and interactive media company. After eight years at Microsoft, she leaves to pursue personal interests and a new career as a management consultant.
11/7/1996
Microsoft Flight Simulator for Windows 95 releases, marking the first time in its 14-year history that the product is available on the Windows platform.
11/12/1996
Microsoft's Board of Directors approved a 2-for-1 stock split. Shareholders will receive one additional share for every share held on the record date of November 22, 1996.
12/3/1996
The Executive Committee replaces the Office of the President as the most senior management team at the company. Senior vice president Jim Allchin and senior vice president Brad Silverberg will join Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, Bob Herbold, Pete Higgins, Paul Maritz, Nathan Myhrvold, and Jeff Raikes on the new Executive Committee.
1/16/1997
Microsoft announces the immediate availability of Office 97, the new version of the world's best-selling productivity suite, which integrates the ease of intelligent applications with the power of the Web.
4/3/1997
The Seattle Sidewalk™ city guide is now available free on the World Wide Web and as a featured offering on MSN™, The Microsoft Network. Other Sidewalk city guides are scheduled to launch in 10-15 key cities by the end of the year.
4/6/1997
Microsoft signs an agreement to acquire WebTV Networks for approximately $425,000,000 in stock and cash. WebTV Networks offers a complete system that provides consumers access to the Internet via television.
5/8/1997
Microsoft is hosting The Microsoft® CEO Summit in Seattle on May 8-9, 1997. The summit is a forum for Chief Executive Officers from more than 100 corporations around the world to engage in discussions about technology.
6/9/1997
Microsoft will make an investment of $1 billion in Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator and a diversified telecommunications company. The $1 billion cash investment will enhance Comcast's deployment of high-speed data and video services via its cable delivery network.
6/23/1997
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda French Gates, today announce the formation of the Gates Library Foundation. Microsoft has pledged to match the Gates' cash grant with software of equal value.
8/6/1997
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates lay out a broad product and technology development agreement between Apple and Microsoft. The agreement includes the production of future versions of Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, and other Microsoft tools for the MacIntosh; the bundling of Internet Explorer with the Mac OS; a broad patent cross-licensing agreement for leading-edge Mac technologies; and a $150 million investment in Apple by Microsoft.
10/13/1997
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0 is released to critical acclaim and enormous customer demand. Internet Explorer 4.0 combines the premier Internet browser, communication and collaboration tools, innovative Active Channel "push" content and true Web integration to offer users an unparalleled Internet client solution.
10/21/1997
The Justice Department filed a motion in Federal District Court, alleging that Microsoft had violated a 1994 consent decree dealing with certain aspects of licensing the Windows operating system to computer manufacturers. Specifically, the Justice Department asked the court to stop Microsoft from tying the use of its Windows 95 operating system to the use of its Internet browser, a tool to navigate the Internet.
11/25/1997
Pollsters Hart and Teeter found that Microsoft is the most admired company in one of the most admired industries in America. When the public was asked to volunteer, without being prompted, the names of one or two companies they respect and admire, Microsoft was named 25 percent. IBM and General Motors were next, at 16 percent, followed by AT&T and WalMart at 15 percent.
1/26/1998
Microsoft Corporation's Board of Directors has approved a 2 for 1 split of its common shares. Shareholders will receive one additional common share held on the record date of February 6, 1998. As of December 31, 1997, Microsoft had approximately 1.2 billion common shares outstanding. This is the seventh time the common stock has split since the company went public on March 13, 1986.
2/5/1998
Microsoft realigns its product groups to respond to changing consumer and market needs. The reorganization focuses the product groups on investing in Windows with the goal of delivering simplicity and scalability, allowing businesses to maximize their competitive advantage through their digital nervous system, and promoting the Web lifestyle.
6/25/1998
Windows 98 is available in more than 40 countries worldwide and from more than 12,000 retail outlets in North America. In addition, more than 200 PC manufacturers - including the top 25 manufacturers - are scheduled to ship Windows 98-based consumer machines today or within 30 days.
7/21/1998
Bill Gates appoints Steve Ballmer president of Microsoft. His new position will help broaden the leadership of the company and better position it to take advantage of future growth opportunities. Ballmer's new responsibilities include boosting the business discipline and performance of all of Microsoft's existing and emerging businesses as well as continuing to improve customer satisfaction. With Gates, Ballmer also is focused on reinventing the Microsoft working environment so that the company is even more responsive to changing customer needs, new technologies and market dynamics.
10/16/1998
The antitrust trial against Microsoft begins in Washington D.C., with opening statements by the Justice Department's lead attorney David Boies and Stephen Houch, lead counsel for the 20 states who also sued Microsoft in May 1998.
10/27/1998
The next major release of the Microsoft Windows NT operating system line of products - the most significant update to Windows NT ever - will be named Windows 2000. Windows NT will be the basis for all Microsoft PC operating systems from consumer products to the highest-performance servers.
11/16/1998
Microsoft SQL Server version 7.0 is launched at Comdex and receives PC Week's "Best of Show" and "Best Productivity Software" awards.
1/8/1999
Microsoft Encarta Africana, the first comprehensive encyclopedia of black history and culture, launches.
2/24/1999
Microsoft's first online store, located at http://shop.microsoft.com/, debuts.
3/18/1999
Internet Explorer 5.0 is introduced by Bill Gates at a launch event on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA. By the following week, more than 1 million downloads of the new version have taken place.
3/24/1999
Bill Gates releases his latest book: Business @ the Speed of Thought, published by Warner Books. At the heart of the new book is a single idea: For businesses to think and move quickly enough to succeed in the fast-paced digital economy, they must enable the flow of digital information.
3/29/1999
Microsoft President Steve Ballmer and Chairman and CEO Bill Gates outline a shift in the company's organizational structure to establish business divisions based on the requirements of core customers.
6/7/1999
Steve Ballmer officially launches Microsoft Office 2000, a key element of the company's vision of "Knowledge Workers Without Limits."
9/13/1999
Laying the foundation for a new era of Web development, Microsoft announces Windows(R) Distributed interNet Architecture (Windows DNA) 2000, a comprehensive, integrated platform for building and operating state-of-the-art distributed Web applications as well as the next wave of Internet-based Web services.
12/15/1999
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating systems were released to manufacturing. General availability of Windows 2000 will be on February 17, 2000 with a worldwide launch.
1/7/2000
Jeff Raikes announced the completion of the acquisition of Visio and officially welcomed Visio Sales to Microsoft. He provided background information on Visio and the value the acquisition provides to Microsoft and its customers in providing a broader range of visualization and diagramming software. He included 2 Q&A documents to be shared with partners and customers.
1/13/2000
Bill Gates creates a new role for himself -- Chairman and Chief Software Architect -- so that he can dedicate all of his time to helping drive the next generation Windows Internet platform and services. Steve Ballmer becomes president and CEO, and will take over management of the company. Ballmer will become a member of the Microsoft Board of Directors effective Jan. 27.
2/17/2000
Bill Gates officially announced today the worldwide availability of Windows(R) 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server, addressing a worldwide audience that spanned more than 100 cities. Gates also announced a new world record Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC) benchmark number of 227,079 tpmCs for Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Microsoft SQL Server(TM) 2000. Gates and event host, actor Patrick Stewart ("Star Trek Next Generation"), introduced Windows 2000 using a 40-foot laptop and live demonstrations. Carlos Santana and his band also joined Gates onstage.
3/8/2000
Intellimouse Optical (ambidextrous) is released. Millions of lefties can confidently toss out their computer mouse balls as Microsoft introduces the IntelliMouse® Optical, an ambidextrous five-button optical pointing device.
3/27/2000
Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of Internet Explorer 5 Macintosh Edition, which features an elegant new look and includes the option to change the browser's color to match current Macintosh computers and complement Apple Computer Inc.'s future Mac OS X Aqua interface. Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5 Macintosh Edition features an all-new rendering engine, named Tasman, which provides a 50 percent increase in performance and greater reliability. Free downloads are available at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/ (connect-time fees may apply).
4/3/2000
Microsoft Corp. today announced the retail availability of Microsoft(R) Project 2000 and the companion, Web-based Microsoft Project Central, a major upgrade to the world's best-selling, most popular project-management software with over 5 million users. Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project Central are available together for an estimated retail price of $499 (U.S.) for first time users, and current users of Microsoft Project can upgrade for an estimated retail price of $199 (U.S.).
4/12/2000
The initial release of Windows 2000 MultiLanguage version with support for 11 user interface languages is available now. The Windows 2000 MultiLanguage version helps multinational corporations lower their TCO and increase efficiency. First, it enables them to roll out one operating system worldwide, instead of having to deploy a localized version of the system in each country in which they operate. For example, a United States-based corporation with subsidiary offices in Tokyo, Athens and Rome can now deploy the Windows 2000 MultiLanguage version in each office.
5/31/2000
MSN CarPoint shared today it has surpassed its millionth registration of a Personal Auto Page, which allows drivers to build customized reference centers for their cars. Drivers who register for a Personal Auto Page at CarPoint can save money on oil changes and tires, monitor the value of their cars, and get detailed information on all their service and maintenance needs. Users provide basic information about their vehicle including the make, model, mileage and date of last service checkup. CarPoint maintains their personal vehicle information and provides recall notices and timely e-mail service reminders to help make it easier for them to own and maintain their cars.
6/22/2000
Signaling a new era of personal empowerment and business opportunity for consumers, businesses and software developers, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the vision and road map for its next generation of software and services, the Microsoft® .NET platform. Capitalizing on the explosion of Internet-based computing and communications, Microsoft .NET (pronounced "dot-net") will provide easier, more personalized and more productive Internet experiences by harnessing constellations of smart devices and Web sites with advanced software through Internet protocols and formats.
9/5/2000
Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp. chairman and chief software architect, and Steve Ballmer, Microsoft president and CEO, today charged Microsoft employees with making the next 25 years even more innovative and exciting than the last 25. At an all-company Safeco Field event commemorating the company's 25th anniversary, Gates and Ballmer discussed both Microsoft and industry milestones over the last 25 years and charted Microsoft's vision and goals for "Everyone is amazed at how far the industry has come. But in thinking about what will be possible within the next 25 years, we've really just begun," Gates said.
9/7/2000
Exchange 2000 Server, Conference Server and Enterprise Server released. Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server enables knowledge workers to collaborate with anyone, anywhere by providing data, video and voice conferencing across intranets and the Internet. It also provides integrated scheduling and management services to help maximize network bandwidth and availability.
9/14/2000
Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of Microsoft® Windows® Millennium Edition (Windows Me), the new operating system for home PC users. Windows Me delivers exciting technology advancements in the areas of PC health, digital media, home networking and the online experience. It is available for retail as a full version as well as an upgrade for users of Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition. PC manufacturers are also offering the Windows Me operating system preinstalled on new consumer PCs. Windows Me is available today in 14 languages and will be delivered in a total of 28 languages within 90 days -- the fastest worldwide availability to date. The estimated retail price for Windows Me is $209 (U.S.) for the full version and $109 (U.S.) for a version upgrade from Windows 95. Between now and Jan. 15, 2001, users of Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition can acquire the Windows Me Promotional Step-Up for $59.95, after which the $109 price prevails.
9/20/2000
A Commemorative 25th Anniversary book: "Inside Out, Microsoft-In Our Own Words” published by Warner Books, is distributed to all Microsoft employees as a memento and is made publicly available as a limited edition on Sept. 20, 2000. This photo-journalistic book was written collectively by over 1,000 Microsoft employees for Microsoft employees.
10/25/2000
Today Microsoft unveiled a brand-new MSN(R), giving consumers a new home on the Web. The updated MSN includes the new MSN Explorer, which provides a way for consumers to get on the Internet and makes using the Web simple and personal. Also announced were updates to virtually all the MSN services and new industry relationships that will continue to bring the best of the Web to consumers. MSN has become an easier way for consumers to get online, and it provides a unique Web experience that gives them more from their time online. With more than 210 million unique users per month, MSN is now the preferred choice for consumers.
11/8/2000
Texas Instruments Incorporated and Microsoft Corp. today unveiled an integrated wireless solution designed to support next-generation (2.5G) GSM/GPRS-enabled wireless handsets and advanced mobile computing devices. Based on Microsoft's smart phone platform code-named "Stinger" and TI's DSP-based GSM chipset technology, this solution will deliver a wealth of broadband-enabled wireless applications to consumers such as secure e-commerce, mobile Internet access and corporate e-mail, with greater performance and longer battery life.
1/4/2001
Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), kicks off the 2001 International CES with an address that sets the stage for advances in the consumer electronics industry in the coming years.
1/4/2001
Bill Gates and Microsoft Corp. demonstrate continued leadership in the consumer electronics space by offering 2001 International CES attendees a glimpse into new and advanced consumer electronics products, services and trends for the year ahead. Gates will kick off the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show with a keynote address that will highlight Microsoft's latest and most exciting consumer offerings. Microsoft continues its theme of simplifying and enhancing consumers' daily lives at the Microsoft booth, an actual home space that will show consumers how technology can be efficiently and easily integrated into and throughout the living environment.
2/6/2001
Microsoft announced product names today for the upcoming new Microsoft(R) Windows(R) desktop operating system and Microsoft Office desktop applications suite. Windows (formerly code-named "Whistler") will become Windows XP, and Office (formerly code-named "Office 10") will become Office XP. The XP name is short for "experience," symbolizing the rich and extended user experiences Windows and Office can offer by embracing Web services that span a broad range of devices.
2/6/2001
Please join Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) chairman and chief software architect, and Jim Allchin, group vice president of the platforms product group, on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. for the unveiling of the new Microsoft(R) Windows(R) desktop operating system, Windows XP.
2/12/2001
Microsoft today announced the release to manufacturing of Microsoft(R) Application Center 2000, the deployment and management tool for applications built on the Windows(R) 2000 operating system that significantly eases software scaling. A key member of the Microsoft .NET Enterprise Server family, Application Center 2000 provides a suite of tools designed to enable management, monitoring and load balancing of Web applications, and significantly simplifies the deployment of new applications over clusters of servers.
2/13/2001
Today the Microsoft Windows XP operating system made its public debut at the Experience Music Project in Seattle. Bill Gates, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) chairman and chief software architect, and Jim Allchin, group vice president of Windows and the platforms product group, introduced the world to Windows XP (previously code-named "Whistler"), the new Windows for home and work. The event featured a sneak peek at the brand new visual design for Windows and on-stage demonstrations of exciting new personal computing experiences enabled by Windows XP, as well as videotaped statements by industry leaders pledging unprecedented support for the product.
2/14/2001
Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer today named longtime industry veteran Rick Belluzzo as president and chief operating officer, and announced that Chief Operating Officer Bob Herbold, 58, has decided to retire. Herbold will continue to serve in a part-time capacity representing the company in industry, government and customer activities.
5/31/2001
Today at the Office XP product launch, Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp.'s chairman and chief software architect, explained how Office XP delivers the next generation of productivity advancements by enabling people to easily unlock hidden knowledge. Gates showcased Office XP innovations such as smart tags, SharePoint™ Team Services and XML integration that will enable people to capture, locate and harness hidden knowledge and greatly boost productivity. Gates was joined on stage by Amazon.com Inc. founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and Ford Motor Co. CIO Marv Adams. He demonstrated how their companies, along with United Parcel Service of America Inc. (UPS), and LexisNexis are already taking advantage of Office XP to enable their employees and customers to revolutionize how they access and use information. Office XP is broadly available in retail stores today in 15 countries, and will be shown to hundreds of thousands of people attending more than 100 Office XP launch events around the world.
6/28/2001
In response to the U.S. Court of Appeals decision today, Microsoft Corp. issued the following initial response. "Microsoft is pleased that the U.S. Court of Appeals has overturned most of the lower court's findings against the company, drastically narrowing the case and removing the breakup cloud from the company."
8/8/2001
Tonight, more than 300 people representing a broad cross-section of the technology industry will mark the 20th anniversary of the IBM PC at a dinner hosted by Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates and Intel Corporation Chairman Andy Grove. The event, celebrating an indispensable asset in homes and businesses worldwide, will be held at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, Calif. Grove and Gates will also participate in a panel discussion led by Brent Schlender, editor at large of Fortune magazine. The discussion will cover the legacy of the IBM PC as well as the PC's ability to evolve and adapt, its role in people's lives, and its ongoing impact on culture, community and the worldwide economy.
8/21/2001
Microsoft Corp. today commemorated its 10th year of helping consumers manage their money and make smarter financial decisions. The company celebrates several significant advancements this year, which demonstrate its continued commitment to meeting the personal finance needs of all consumers, including three milestones announced today: CNBC now on MSN Money Web service, shipping of Microsoft Money 2002, and the international expansion of the MSN Money online service.
10/25/2001
Today Microsoft Corp. announced the worldwide availability of Windows® XP with a celebration in the business capital of the world: New York City. Customers are now able to acquire the new Microsoft® Windows XP operating system on new personal computers and in retail stores throughout the world. Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates presented the keynote address at the most important product launch in Microsoft's history, accompanied by leaders from the PC industry, more than 50 Microsoft partners, a special welcome by New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and an appearance by television's Regis Philbin at the event in Times Square's Marriott Marquis Theatre.
11/2/2001
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that it has reached a settlement with the United States government in its three-year antitrust case. The settlement, which must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case, would impose restrictions and regulations for a five-year period on how the company develops and licenses software, works with independent software vendors, and communicates about the inner workings of its software with partners and competitors.
11/15/2001
Today the Microsoft® Xbox™ video game system rocks the continent with its arrival on store shelves at thousands of retailers across North America. With the best graphics and audio power of any gaming system, and a launch portfolio of games that has been heralded as more impressive than any in the history of the industry, Xbox kicks open the door to the most explosive, engrossing and intense games experiences on the planet.
1/15/2002
Bill Gates issues a companywide memo emphasizing that Microsoft must lead the industry to a new level of Trustworthiness in computing.
2/13/2002
In the most significant product launch of the new Microsoft® .NET era, Microsoft Corp. Chief Software Architect Bill Gates today launched Visual Studio® .NET and the .NET Framework, the application development tool and platform for .NET applications, at the VSLive! 2002 Conference in San Francisco. In a keynote address and worldwide webcast, Gates kicked off launch events around the world and hailed the two products as key to the development experience that will drive the phenomenon of XML Web services. Visual Studio .NET and the .NET Framework are the cornerstones of .NET and represent a major milestone in bringing Microsoft’s vision of XML Web services to reality.
3/18/2002
Microsoft and those states not agreeing to the settlement reached by the U.S. Department of Justice began a trial on remedies March 18, 2002 in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.