Microsoft and Small Business

The company was formed on April 4th 1975. It scored an early success with IBM, developing the MS-Dos system. However, it was the 1984 launch of the first version of Windows that put the company on the map. Soon afterwards, in 1986 Microsoft went public. Gates and Allen became instant billionaires, while many of the employees became millionaires.

Microsoft continued to update Windows throughout the nineties. The nineties also saw a rash of law suits brought against the company, culminating with a 1994 settlement with the Justice department. 2001 saw the release of the wildly popular X-box gaming console.

In 2007 Microsoft launched Windows Vista, which was roundly criticized by both experts and consumers. 2008 saw more legal troubles, as the European Union fined the company for not complying with the 2004 judgement. 2008 also saw the retirement of Gates as Chief Software Architect, although he remained on as an advisor. Microsoft capped it’s busy year by entering into the cloud computing market.

2009 saw the first Microsoft Store open, and the launch of Windows 7 to try and fix the issues with Vista. Microsoft will continue to offer quality products while trying to keep the prices low in today’s economy.

Through the years Microsoft has been a boon to small businesses around the world. Athough there were computers before Bill Gates, they were not accessible to small businesses and certainly not to the average family. Everything from inventory lists to budgeting and accounting to mailing lists had to be recorded and updated manually. The average small business of the 1970 that employed 25 people could be even more efficient today with five employees and one computer.