For five decades, Microsoft has been an icon of technology: innovative, ruthless in its pursuit of leadership and absorbing the blows in an ever-evolving landscape. With Windows, it became a household name, and literally redefined the office with its eponymous suite of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Its influence was so large that it defined technology for multiple generations and, to this day, it can be argued that a good number of individuals have only known one personal computer system.
The company founded by childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen has ridden the ups and downs of 50 years of rapidly evolving tech, with its PC operating system still used by more than 70 per cent of users worldwide, data from StatCounter shows.
Today, April 4, the company based in Redmond, Washington, celebrates its half century. And it all started with two techies and a magazine cover.
1975: Bill Gates, right, and Paul Allen after founding Microsoft on April 4. Photo: Microsoft
The original Microsoft logo, used between 1975 and 1980. Photo: Microsoft
An early Microsoft office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company was based there from 1976 to 1978, before relocating to Washington State. Photo: Microsoft
December 7, 1978: Microsoft’s founding employees gather for a portrait before the company's move from Albuquerque to Redmond, Washington. Front row, from left: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood and Paul Allen. Middle row: Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald and Gordon Letwin. Back row: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace and Jim Lane. (Not pictured: Miriam Lubow.) Photo: Microsoft
March 13, 1986: Microsoft goes public with an IPO of 3,095,000 shares of common stock, at an offer price of $21. Photo: Microsoft
February 28, 1988: Microsoft Canada employees outside the Toronto office. Photo: Microsoft
August 1989: Microsoft’s Redmond campus. Photo: Microsoft
June 19, 1989: The first version of Microsoft Office hits the market. Photo: Microsoft
Spring 1990: Windows 3.0 is released and includes the free game Solitaire for the first time. Photo: Microsoft
1992: A typical Microsoft office, pictured for a staff recruitment brochure. Photo: Microsoft
August 24, 1995: Bill Gates announces Windows 95 at a press event in Redmond. Photo: Microsoft
September 18, 1996: Microsoft employees Nathan Myhrvold and Mike Murray push Christine Betts and Moshe Dunie in the dryland yacht races at the Microsoft Giving Games. Photo: Micosoft
January 13, 2000: Steve Ballmer, right, becomes Microsoft’s second chief executive. He succeeds Bill Gates, who hired him in 1980 as the company’s business manager. Photo: Microsoft
October 24, 2001: Shoppers buy Microsoft's new operating system Windows XP at the CompUSA store in New York. Reuters
November 14, 2001: Bill Gates plays a game with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to launch the Xbox, in New York. Reuters
October 27, 2008: Chief software architect Ray Ozzie announces Windows Azure, Microsoft’s first foray into cloud computing, at the company’s Professional Developers Conference. Photo: Microsoft
October 26, 2012: Microsoft's first in-house designed PC, Surface, is released. Photo: Microsoft
February 2014: Bill Gates, left, with Steve Ballmer as he passes the baton to current chief executive Satya Nadella. Photo: Microsoft
October 5, 2017: Microsoft launches its TechSpark national civic programme aimed at fostering greater economic opportunity and job creation in rural and smaller metropolitan communities. Microsoft president Brad Smith is pictured in the second row, second left. Photo: Microsoft
May 16, 2018: The launch of the Xbox Adaptive Controller makes gaming accessible to players with disabilities. Photo: Microsoft
October 5, 2021: Windows 11 becomes available. Photo: Microsoft
February 7, 2023: Microsoft announces a new AI-powered version of the Bing search engine and Edge browser. Photo: Microsoft
September 21, 2023: Divya Kumar, general manager of search and AI marketing, speaks onstage in New York City as Microsoft announces Copilot, an AI-powered tool designed to be an everyday companion. Photo: Microsoft
September 10, 2024: Microsoft creates the first platform for reliable quantum computing, announcing it has the most reliable logical qubits on record. Photo: Microsoft
October 23, 2024: Mr Nadella showcases the power of artificial intelligence for Italy’s growth at the Microsoft AI Tour in Rome. Photo: Microsoft
'Popular' choice
Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, but its roots began to take hold in January that year, when Mr Allen showed Mr Gates the cover story of that month's Popular Mechanics. Making it on to the magazine's cover was considered a hint that a new product was to be launched.
That issue's cover featured the Altair 8800 from Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, which would become the first successful microcomputer.
The pair developed a Basic – Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code – interpreter for the device, which eventually became the Altair Basic, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Microsoft's first base.
The company moved to Bellevue, Washington, in 1979, before ultimately settling at its present headquarters in Redmond in 1985.
Microsoft took its name from microprocessors and software, and was sometimes written as the portmanteau Micro-Soft, according to the company. It also reportedly stood for “microcomputer software”.
Microsoft’s founding employees gather for a portrait before the company's move from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Redmond, Washington, in this December 7, 1978 photo. Front row, from left: Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood and Paul Allen. Middle row: Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald and Gordon Letwin. Back row: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace and Jim Lane. (Not pictured: Miriam Lubow.) Photo: Microsoft
Its turning point came in 1980, when Mr Gates and Mr Allen – both very skilled in computer programming – struck a deal to provide the operating system for IBM’s first personal computer.
That led to the development of one of the most iconic pieces of technology – Windows 1.0, which was released in 1985 and forever changed the way we compute.
Mr Gates and Mr Allen have been credited with pioneering the personal computing revolution. Mr Gates stepped down as Microsoft chairman in 2014 and has since served in an advisory capacity. He was the world's wealthiest person 18 times from 1995 to 2017, according to Forbes, with the dot-com bubble at the turn of the century playing a huge role. Today, he remains focused on his philanthropic endeavours.
Mr Allen, who stepped down from day-to-day duties in 1983 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, ultimately left the company in 2000. He went on to own a number of professional sports teams in the US. He died in 2018, when he was ranked the 44th wealthiest individual globally.
Windows to the future
Microsoft is, undoubtedly, best known for Windows, the most popular PC-operating system.
The first five releases of Windows, from 1.0 to 3.1, were based on MS-DOS, before it was split into two successors starting in 1993 – Windows NT, meant for professionals and including Windows 2000, and the more recognisable Windows 9x series, comprised of 95, 98 and Me. They were reunited with the 2001 release of Windows XP.
The current version is Windows 11. Its successor, expected to be Windows 12 (reportedly codenamed New Valley), is rumoured for release this year.
However, Windows, at certain points, became the bane of the company. Millennials and those older can remember Windows 95, which shifted how we interacted with PCs. Then came Windows Me – Millennium Edition – in 2000, which was panned for stability issues, thus earning the not-so-flattering moniker “Mistake Edition”.
Thankfully, Windows XP quickly patched things up. Windows Vista, released in 2006, was also criticised for its sluggishness, but it wasn't as lambasted as Windows Me, which has been ranked among the worst operating systems of all time.
In addition, Microsoft has been embroiled in a number of regulatory mishaps, most notably the 1998 antitrust case brought against it for allegedly monopolising the internet.
“It is clear that every challenge we have faced has served as a valuable lesson and a stepping stone towards sustainable growth … we understand the critical importance of earning and maintaining trust,” Naim Yazbeck, general manager of Microsoft UAE, told The National.
Despite the ups and downs, Microsoft maintained its status as one of the most valuable companies in the world and, in 2019, became the third US company to hit the trillion-dollar mark, after Amazon and Apple. As of Thursday, the company has a market capitalisation of $2.78 trillion, trailing only Apple.
As Mr Gates once said: “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
Microsoft is also one of only two US companies with an AAA credit rating from S&P and an Aaa rating from Moody's, the other being the conglomerate Johnson & Johnson.
The what-ifs
Two Microsoft “what-if” episodes stand out. The first is its failure to keep in step with the smartphone race.
Microsoft was first involved with mobiles in 2000 when it debuted Windows Mobile on the Pocket PC. The company followed it up with the Windows Phone in 2010, and was the force behind the Nokia Lumia – later the Microsoft Lumia – which was a success in its own right.
But, strong competition came from Apple, which launched the iPhone in 2007, and Google, which rolled out Android in 2008.
Microsoft's chief executive in 2007, Steve Ballmer, mocked the iPhone, saying no one would buy it because it was expensive and was locked to Cingular Wireless at that time, and it would not appeal to business people because it had no keyboard.
He was clearly proved wrong: in the fourth quarter of 2011, revenue from iPhone beat Microsoft's total revenue. Microsoft ultimately waved the white flag and discontinued Windows Phone in 2013, unable to compete with the folks at Cupertino and Mountain View.
The second instance involves two botched attempts at gaming. After Microsoft witnessed the success of the Sony PlayStation in the 1990s, Mr Gates spoke to the Japanese tech giant's executives in 1998 to pitch a partnership and integrate Windows into the consoles. Reportedly, Microsoft saw PlayStation as a threat to its PCs.
Sony said no. Mr Gates, never one to back down, changed tactics and that led to the development of the original Xbox in 1998.
Fast-forward to 2021, and it was revealed by Bloomberg that Microsoft made a serious pitch to buy Nintendo, the maker of the Switch, in 1999. Nintendo's answer? They just “laughed their a**** off” at the proposal, according to Kevin Bachus, a former director at the Xbox team.
The instances are arguably on a par with another big what-if in gaming history – the unreleased Nintendo Play Station for which Sony and Nintendo joined forces.
The next 50 – and beyond
Without a doubt, artificial intelligence is a key driver of Microsoft's future. The company is heavily involved in generative AI with Copilot while investing big in OpenAI, in an increasingly crowded space with the likes of Google.
The company has also sought to broaden its partnerships through key investments: for instance, nearly a year ago today, it put $1.5 billion into Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence and cloud company G42, signifying its growing presence in emerging technology hubs such as the UAE.
In February, Microsoft also unveiled the Majorana 1 chip, made from a new state of matter, which it calls topoconductor. The chip is the result of one of the company's longest running research projects and it believes it will be a game-changer for quantum computing.
AI and quantum computing are part of the trends Microsoft chairman and chief executive Satya Nadella recently identified as focus areas for the company. This list also includes their economic impact and transformative effects, while adhering to legal and ethical standards.
Mr Nadella, who replaced Mr Ballmer in 2014, had told The National that AI's potential benefits will depend on the level of commitment and investment they are willing to put in, from government initiatives to widespread adoption.
The company believes that, through the next 50 years, the possibilities for technological advancement are “both exhilarating and boundless”, according to Mr Yazbeck.
Of course, there will always be challengers – something that is “inevitable and always welcome”, he added.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood. Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues. Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
How to apply for a drone permit
Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request
What are the regulations?
Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
