From
revolution to evolution, Microsoft continues
a tradition of innovation
In 1975, you
couldn't buy a personal computer - unless
you wanted to build it yourself. Collaborating
with colleagues meant poring over photo or
carbon copies of documents. And keeping in
touch? Most of us were limited to letters
or the telephone.
Yet, in 1975,
Bill Gates and Microsoft co-founder, Paul
Allen, saw the potential to turn a hobbyist's
toy into something more. They sold the first
software language program, called BASIC, for
the Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
(MITS) Altair 8800, the first "personal
computer." BASIC, and the many software
programs that followed from Microsoft developers
and partners, helped spark a technology revolution
that has transformed how we do business, how
we live, and how we learn.
At Microsoft,
we create software - the instructions that
help electronic devices like computers, cars
and digital cameras work. Millions of people
around the world use our technology every
day, from multinational corporations that
do business in many currencies and languages
to small companies that count on just-in-time
inventory systems to keep orders flowing.
Educators and students use our software for
lesson plans, homework and collaborating on
projects. In the home, families manage their
personal finances, share photographs and communicate
online.
From
revolution to evolution
Innovative software
from Microsoft and our partners continues
to transform how we work and how we play:
•
Mobile
computing options such as the Microsoft
Windows system-based Tablet PC and Pocket
PC 2002 Phone Edition let you work wherever
you are, with many of the same powerful
Microsoft Office programs that make
creating and sharing documents, presentations,
and data with others easy to do. At
the Centre for Information Work, Microsoft
and partners like Sony, Intel and Acer
are building prototypes that may help
us be more productive in the future.
•
New technologies
such as Microsoft.NET Web Services help
companies share data efficiently with
internal applications or with suppliers
via the Internet, making it easier to
manage IT costs while making new business
capabilities possible.
•
Our enterprise-ready
servers are built with a scalable and
reliable architecture that can grow
as your company's needs evolve. Plus,
our worldwide network of partners builds
innovative solutions that solve real
business problems.
•
Technology
for your home - TV programs, music,
digital video, photos and DVDs - can
now be stored in one easy-to-access
location with the Windows XP Media Centre
Edition.
•
Our communities
bring people together, from developers
working in real time on code to online
bridge players on MSN. Online gamers
experience state-of-the-art graphics
and an active community of players on
Xbox.
The
digital decade
The next 10
years - what Bill Gates calls "the digital
decade" - hold even more promise.
We believe that
computers powered by Microsoft .NET technology
will make Internet-based computing and communications
easier, more personalized, and more productive
for individuals and businesses. We envision
smart software continuing to help integrate
technology into the everyday fabric of our
lives, keeping us connected to the people,
activities, and information that are meaningful
to us. And we know that we'll continue to
be motivated and inspired by how innovative
software helps change lives.
At Microsoft,
it's our belief that the true measure of our
success is not in the power of our software,
but in the power it unleashes in us all.
