Portal:Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions.
Its most profitable products are Microsoft Office, which has come to dominate the commercial office suite market, and the Microsoft Windows operating system, which has achieved near ubiquity in the desktop computer market. The company has also diversified in recent years into the video game industry with the Xbox, its successor, the Xbox 360 and most recently the Xbox One as well as into the consumer electronics and digital services market with Bing, MSN and the Windows Phone OS.
According to recent polls, Microsoft is the most admired company in the world,[1] and products such as Windows are among the most beloved by consumers.[2]
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Halo: Combat Evolved is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. The first game of the Halo series, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is considered that platform's "killer application". Microsoft released versions of the game for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in 2003, and the surrounding storyline was adapted and elaborated into a series of novels. In Halo's twenty-sixth century setting, the player assumes the role of the Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced "SPARTAN" super-soldier. The player is accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence who occupies the Master Chief's neural interface. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped structure. Some game magazines have ranked Halo among the best and most important games of all time. Other reviewers criticized the game for repetitive levels and the lack of online multiplayer play in the Xbox release. The game's popularity has led to labels such as "Halo clone" and "Halo killer", applied respectively to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it. The game inspired and was used in the fan-created Red vs. Blue video series, which is credited as the "first big success" of machinima.
Steve Ballmer, the former chief executive officer of Microsoft from January 2000 to February 2014.
- September 30: Microsoft announces the Windows Insider program which allows users to test Windows 10 and provide feedback to Microsoft. Currently their are over 5 million Insiders.
- January 21: HoloLens, the world's first holographic headset is announced and Microsoft announces that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for customers with Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone 8.1 (excluding enterprise).
- April 29: Microsoft holds their annual developer conference in San Francisco. Some highlights of the event include the name of the Windows 10 browser is announced (Microsoft Edge), iOS and Android (operating system) apps will work with Windows 10 and Continuum, a new feature that allows you to use your phone as a full PC when paired with a mouse, keyboard and monitor.
- May 5: Microsoft launches the Surface 3
- July 29: Windows 10 is launched in 190 countries
- October 6: Microsoft announces the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and Band 2.
- October 15: Skype introduces a new feature that allows video calls without an account
- October 26: The flagship Microsoft Store opens in New York City
Bill Gates (correctly William Henry Gates III) (born October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington) is the co-founder, chairman, former chief software architect, and former CEO of Microsoft, the world's largest software company. According to Forbes magazine's list of The World Billionaires, he was ranked as the richest person in the world for thirteen consecutive years, and recent estimates put his net worth near $82 billion dollars. When family wealth is considered, his family ranks second behind the Walton family. Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution. Although he is widely respected by people who see his wealth as a product of intelligence and foresight, since amassing his fortune, Gates has pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, established in 2000.
- ... that Windows XP's default Bliss wallpaper was taken north of San Francisco in 1996?
- ... that Microsoft's revenues on Microsoft Office are in the range of $250 million USD a week?
- ... that Turing Award winner and long-time Microsoft Research technical fellow Jim Gray was lost at sea during a solo sailing trip?
- ... that Robert Fripp, founding member of King Crimson, helped create the system sounds for Windows Vista?
- ... that brand consultancy Millward Brown Optimor reported in 2006 that "Microsoft" is the most powerful brand name in the world?
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<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>Template:/box-header Software: Windows • Office • Servers • Dynamics • Visual Studio • Money • Encarta • Defender• more…
Technology: Active Directory • DirectX • .NET • Internet Explorer • Microsoft Edge • Windows Media • PlaysForSure • more…
Web properties: Windows Live • Office Live • MSNBC • ninemsn • MSN • Hotmail • Messenger • Spaces • Groups • Live ID • Popfly
Gaming: Microsoft Game Studios • Zone • XNA • Xbox / 360 / One • Xbox Live (Arcade, Marketplace) • Games for Windows • Games for Windows - Live
Hardware: Zune • Keyboard • Natural Keyboard • Mouse • Webcam • MSN TV • SideWinder • Ultra-Mobile PC • Fingerprint • Audio System • Pocket PC • Smartphone • Microsoft Surface • Microsoft HoloLens
Education and recognition: MCPs • MSDN • MSDNAA • MSCA • Microsoft Press • Microsoft MVP • Studies related to Microsoft
Board of directors: Nadella • Cash • Dublon • Gates • Gilmartin • Marquardt • Noski • Panke • Shirley Template:/box-footer
Template:/box-header This portal is about all things Microsoft, from its history to its products to its criticism.
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WikiProject Microsoft is a group of editors who are willing to improve Wikipedia's coverage of Microsoft Corporation, its technologies, web properties & its people. This WikiProject is brand new and is welcoming editors to help out. Template:/box-footer
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