Microsoft: 40 years of existence between success and failure – Linformatique.org

Microsoft has just celebrated its 40 years of existence, an opportunity to review its successes and some failures.

This is in Albuquerque, April 4, 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, a name obtained by contraction of microcomputer and software. Moreover, from the name of the company was Micro-Soft, before the dash unsightly might eventually disappear.

So last Saturday that the Redmond company now celebrated 40 year history. During this period, the company has experienced a lot of success with MS-DOS and Windows. For the latter, Microsoft has even got the wrath of Apple developed a trial to be filed, as against Digital Research. But without success, as the trial was finally lost in 1994.

Later, Microsoft has diversified considerably, by proposing the Office suite but Encarta Encyclopedia, the manager of Money accounting or even the famous Flight Simulator flight simulator. Mice and keyboards passers by players and consoles, the Redmond company has also proposed equipment.

While many Microsoft products have met some nice success, this is not the case for all of them. These failures are the main Zune, the Kin Phones, Windows Me, Windows Vista, Internet Explorer 6, plus Windows RT and Windows 8.

After missing the turn of mobility, Microsoft is doing everything possible to to boost this niche. Thus, a new strategy is emerging that seeks to offer its products also on competing platforms such as iOS and Android.

By acquiring Nokia Lumia and offering its tablet Surface, Microsoft also wants to give the means of its ambitions.

Finally, with Windows 10, which is expected to arrive this summer, Microsoft wants to write a new page in its history, trying to forget mistakes of the past, including one thinks Windows 8 and Internet Explorer.

It only remains to say happy birthday, Microsoft!