32 Facts About Microsoft

1. In November 2018, Microsoft agreed to supply 100,000 HoloLens headsets to the United States military in order to "incease lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy.

2. On July 10, 2018, Microsoft revealed the Surface Go platform to the public.

3. In May 2018, Microsoft partnered with 17 American intelligence agencies to develop products that track American citizens.

4. In November 2016, Microsoft joined the Linux Foundation as a Platinum member during Microsoft's Connec; developer event in New York.

5. On October 26, 2012, Microsoft launched Windows 8 and the Microsoft Surface.

6. Throughout the 1990s, Microsoft faced a string of Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department investigations.

7. In the meantime, Microsoft continues to dominate the computer software market.

8. In 1988, Microsoft introduced its own GUI, called Windows, so that the DOS-based IBM machines could make use of the "user-friendly" features attracting customers to the Apple Macintosh.

9. On January 1, 1979, Microsoft moved its offices to Bellevue, Washington, becoming the first microcomputer software company in the Northwest.

10. Through the 1990s, Microsoft continued this strategy of adding software to Windows.

11. With the expansion of the Internet, Microsoft introduced a browser, Internet Explorer, which came packaged with Windows.

12. In 1988, Apple sued Microsoft, claiming it had borrowed the "look and feel" of its operating system for Windows.

13. Bill Gates currently sells 20 million Microsoft shares a quarter.

14. In 1997, Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple to help revitalize the then failing company.

15. In 2010, Microsoft banned a user from Xbox Live for putting Fort Gay as his address.

16. On November 12, 2015, Microsoft opened a second flagship store, located in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall.

17. In August 2018, Microsoft implemented a policy for all companies providing subcontractors to require 12 weeks of paid parental leave to each employee.

18. In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled Channel 9, that provides a wiki and an Internet forum.

19. On October 23, 2017, Microsoft said it would drop the lawsuit as a result of a policy change by the Department of Justice.

20. In May 2016, Microsoft announced another 1,850 job cuts mostly in mobile phone division.

21. In July 2015, Microsoft announced another 7,800 job cuts in the next several months.

22. In October 2014, Microsoft revealed that it was almost done with the elimination of 18,000 employees which was its largest ever layoff sweep.

23. In September 2014, Microsoft laid off 2,100 people, including 747 people in the Seattle-Redmond area, where the company is headquartered.

24. In July 2014, Microsoft announced plans to lay off 18,000 employees.

25. In 2012, Microsoft hired a political pollster named Mark Penn, whom the New York Times called "famous for bulldozing" his political opponents as Executive Vice-President, Advertising and Strategy.

26. As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign, Microsoft highlighted the.

27. On 10 October, 2018, Microsoft joined the Open Invention Network community despite holding more than 60,000 patents.

28. On June 4, 2018 Microsoft officially announced the acquisition of GitHub for $7.5 billion, a deal that is expected to close by the end of the year.

29. On June 8, 2017, Microsoft acquired Hexadite, an Israeli security firm, for $100 million.

30. On September 15, 2014, Microsoft acquired the video game development company Mojang, best known for Minecraft, for $2.5 billion.

31. As of 2015, Microsoft is market-dominant in the IBM PC-compatible operating system market and the office software suite market, although it has lost the majority of the overall operating system market to Android.

32. The word "Microsoft" is a portmanteau of "microcomputer" and "software".