Myspcacelayouts

Microsoft Corporation
TypePublic (NASDAQ: MSFT)
FoundedAlbuquerque, New Mexico (April 4, 1975 (1975-04-04))
Founder(s)Bill Gates
Paul Allen
HeadquartersRedmond, Washington, United States
Area servedWorldwide
Key peopleBill Gates (Chairman)
Steve Ballmer (CEO)
Ray Ozzie (CSA)
Craig Mundie (CRSO)
IndustryComputer software
Publishing
Research and development
Computer hardware
Video games
ProductsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Servers
Developer Tools
Microsoft Expression
Business Solutions
Games & Xbox 360
Windows Live
Windows Mobile
Zune
Market capUS$ 169.72 billion (February 13, 2009)
Revenue▲ US$ 60.420 billion (2008)
Operating income▲ US$ 22.492 billion (2008)
Net income▲ US$ 17.681 billion (2008)
Total assets▲ US$ 72. 793 billion (2008)
Total equity▲ US$ 36.286 billion (2008)
Employees89,809 in 105 countries (2008)
Websitemicrosoft. Myspcacelayouts com

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKEX: 4338) is an American-based multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its best selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.

Originally founded to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, Microsoft rose to dominate the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Windows line of operating systems. Myspcacelayouts Its products have all achieved near-ubiquity in the desktop computer market. One commentator notes that Microsoft's original mission was "a computer on every desk and in every home, running Microsoft software. " Microsoft possesses footholds in other markets, with assets such as the MSNBC cable television network, the MSN Internet portal, and the Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia. The company also markets both computer hardware products such as the Microsoft mouse as well as home entertainment products such as the Xbox, Xbox 360, Zune and MSN TV. The company's initial public stock offering (IPO) was in 1986; the ensuing rise of the company's stock price has made four billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.

Throughout its history the company has been the target of criticism, including monopolistic business practices and anti-competitive business practices including refusal to deal and tying. The U.S. Justice Department and the European Commission, among others, have ruled against Microsoft for various antitrust violations.

Known for what is generally described as a developer-centric business culture, Microsoft has historically given customer support over Usenet newsgroups and the World Wide Web, and awards Microsoft MVP status to volunteers who are deemed helpful in assisting the company's customers.