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Bill Gates and Paul Allen create a version of the BASIC language to run on microcomputers
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Microsoft founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen
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With the idea of branching out into different computer languages, Microsoft ships its second language, Fortran.
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Microsoft 8080 BASIC wins ICP Million Dollar Award.
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IBM awards Microsoft the contract to provide an operating system for the IBM PC. This operating system later becomes known as MS-DOS.
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Microsoft released Microsoft Word. The word processor is the first to use WYSIWYG features.
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Microsoft launches the first version of Windows.
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Microsoft announces OS/2, an operating system developed jointly with IBM. OS/2 is officially released in December of 1987.
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Microsoft releases Windows 3.0. This is the first version of Windows that gains popularity among IBM PC users and eventually becomes a standard install by manufacturers.
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Microsoft announces Visual Basic, a development platform with a visual interface.
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Windows NT is launched. Originally developed as OS/2 version 3.0, Microsoft slowly split from IBM and the joint development of OS/2 after Windows 3.0's popularity.
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Microsoft releases Windows 95, the replacement to MS-DOS. The Microsoft Network (MSN) is also officially launched on this date.
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Microsoft invests 150 million into Apple after Apple's stock had fallen by more than 50%.
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Microsoft XP is released. This operating system signals the end of the Windows 95 line of operating systems and brings the NT line into the mainstream.
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Microsoft launches the Xbox.
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Microsoft announces Windows Mobile, an operating system for smartphones and PDAs.