How Microsoft Build the Biggest Software Company

Microsoft

December 5, 2008

One can hardly think of computers or InfoTech without thinking of Microsoft. Today, homes and offices across the globe have unwrapped their doors to Microsoft Windows, as it has become an essential part of our work on computers. And it all initiated with one man’s faith that ‘computer would be a valuable tool in every home and at every office desktop.

This was the insight of the world’s superior entrepreneurs Bill Gates to extend software for personal computers. His dream for personal computing has been the success mantra for Microsoft.
Microsoft Corporation is a multinational company that manufactures, develops, licenses and supports a wide range of software products. The best selling products of Microsoft are the Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows operating system.

In the mid 1980s, Microsoft grew to dominate Home computer operating system with MS-DOS. Its products have attained a universal presence in the market of desktop computers. Microsoft exhibits footholds in other market with products like MSN Internet portal, MSNBC cable and the Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia. The company also produces computer hardware’s such as home entertainment products like Xbox, Zune, Xbox 360 and MSN TV.

Throughout the history, Microsoft has given customer assistance over World Wide Web and Usenet newsgroups along with Microsoft MVP position to volunteers who are considered helpful in serving company’s customers.

MS-DOS operating system was the first to fetch real success for the company. In 1989, Microsoft launched its flagship suite called Microsoft Office. It was a package of distinguished productive applications like Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. In 1990, Microsoft introduced Windows 3.0, which boasted of new and improved features. Within two weeks, it was able to sell about 10,000 copies. At this time, Windows generated more revenues than OS/2, and Microsoft decided to shift more resources towards Windows than OS/2. During the transmutation from MS-DOS to Windows, the popularity of Microsoft Office helped the company to gain ground on software competitors like Lotus and WordPerfect.

In 1993, company introduced a business operating system Windows NT 3.1 with Windows 3.1 interface. Next the company launched Windows 95 that featured an entirely new interface. The company was able to sell more than a hundred thousand copies in the first four days after release.
On 26th May 1995, Microsoft began to diversify its product range into World Wide Web and computer networking.

In the same year, company also launched a major online service called MSN. The year 1998 was radical in the history of Microsoft as the company released an updated version of Windows 95 called Windows 98. It integrated a number of support devices and Internet focused features.
In 2001, the company launched Windows XP, which was the first version to incorporate the features of both home and business product line. By end of the same year, Microsoft released Xbox and entered the billion-dollar market predominated by Nintendo and Sony.

To be more particular in tracking performance and delegating responsibility of every unit, Microsoft restructured into seven business groups, each operating as a self-regulating financial entity. Later in 2005, Microsoft rationalized seven core business groups to three main divisions that are Microsoft Platform Products, Microsoft Business Division and Microsoft Entertainment & Device Division.
Microsoft offers a large range of product and services for developers and IT professionals. Some of the products and services offered by Microsoft are listed below:

• Office Online

Microsoft Office includes Word, PowerPoint, excel, Outlook, Access, Groove, FrontPage etc. it also integrates older version of Office 2000 and Office2003.

• Window Products

The Window products & technologies provided by Microsoft includes differentiated versions like Window 98, Window 2000, Window XP, Window XP 64- bit, Window ME, Window Vista etc.

• Business solutions

Microsoft Business Center provides complete business solutions comprising of all the products & services projected to simply business needs.

• Windows Server

Window Server by Microsoft involves serves operating system such as Window excahnge sever,Window 2000 Server and Window 2003 server.

• Developer Tools

The developr tools incorporates tools that are meant the application of developers such as MSDN or Microsoft Developer Network.

• Home software

Microsoft also provides numerous software programs for home users to safeguard them from any disorder and to preserve their privacy.

• MSN

The Microsoft Network includes MSN services for news, sports,weather report etc. It also offers services likeWindow Live,Hotmail etc.

• Windows Mobile

Window Mobile includes all the applications and software required for PC’S and Windows hand-held devices.

• Games and XBox

Microsoft Game Studio develops a large range of video games for the users of PC, XBox and XBox360. along with the Xbox product line, the company also markets computer hardware products like keyboards, mice, gamepads, joysticks and other game controlers.

• Volume Licensing

It provides resources and information for new and persisting volume licensing customers.

Due to the huge market share in business and home opertaing systems, Microsoft plays a vital role in the economics of software. Besides office suites and operating systems, Microsoft has footholds in other markets with assets like MSN Internet Portal, MSNBD Cable TV network and the Multimedia Encyclopedia-Microsoft Encarta.

Microsoft envisages a world where highly functional and pleasing experiences widen from PC to Web and to the devices utilized by people every day. Across the company, Software-plus-Services is emerging as a model approach and even those who claim to proffer Web offerings are setting toward hybrid scenario that includes both software and services.

Microsoft has a vivacious business on the computing desktop and is making substantial investments in online services and devices as well. With this strategy, no technology provider is better positioned to present visionary Software-plus-Services.

Microsoft has umpteen numbers of ways to monazite the outcomes through the informed model of software licensing, leveraging Microsoft’s advertising platform, promising services by subscriptions or the rising form of micro-payments recognized as Microsoft Points. Microsoft holds the world’s biggest and the most distinct partner ecosystem that is committed to its use in the strategy.