Microsoft
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© AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara
Microsoft
Redmond, Wash.
Founded in 1975
Year of IPO: 1986
Year it reached $1 billion in revenue: 1990
Market value at $1 billion in revenue: $42.5 billion*
Short history:
Microsoft was formed soon after the introduction of the MicroInstrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) Altair, the first"personal computer," a build-it-yourself kit for hobbyists. Bill Gatesand Paul Allen seized the opportunity to transform this early PC into abreakthrough -- the Altair needed software, a programming language thatcould make it perform useful computing tasks. That's when it all began.
Allen,employed by Honeywell, and his friend, Gates, a sophomore at Harvard,immediately set out to adapt the first personal computer language forthe Altair, called BASIC. They worked in marathon 24-hour sessions tocomplete a working product, which was then licensed to MITS. Soonthereafter, Allen accepted a position with MITS as director of SoftwareDevelopment, and Gates followed him later that year to form an informalpartnership called Micro-Soft, complete with hyphen.
Over theyears, the PC has transformed from a hobbyist's toy to an indispensabletool that continues to change the world. It has revolutionized how wedeal with information, how we communicate, and how we work, learn andplay.
Following is an overview of significant events that shaped the company in 1975.
The Year in Summary
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Revenues: $16,005 |
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Employees: 3 (Allen, Gates and Ric Weiland) |
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MITS promotes Altair BASIC, the computer language developed by Gates and Allen for the Altair computer. Hobbyists are ecstatic, despite the fact that, even with BASIC, there is little you can actually do with the Altair. |
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