A Dream in the Garage
In a small garage in Albuquerque, two best friends had a big dream. Bill Gates and Paul Allen loved computers. They weren't the fancy computers we have today. These were big, clunky machines that filled whole rooms!
Fun Fact: Bill and Paul met at their school's computer club when they were just kids!
Young Bill would spend hours and hours playing with computers. His mom worried he might forget to eat lunch! Paul was just as excited about these amazing machines. Together, they would talk about how computers could change the world.
"Hey Bill," Paul said one day, looking at a magazine. "Look at this! They're making small computers now. But they need someone to make programs for them."
Bill's eyes lit up. "We could do that!" he said. "We know how to write computer code!"
Starting Microsoft
In 1975, Bill and Paul started their company. They called it "Microsoft." It was a mix of two words:• Microcomputer + Software = Microsoft!
At first, they worked in a tiny garage. It wasn't fancy at all. But they didn't mind because they were doing what they loved - making computer programs.
Their first big project was something called BASIC. It helped other people write computer programs more easily. People loved it!
"We had a dream about what computers could do," Bill said years later. "We wanted to put a computer on every desk in every home."
Growing Bigger
Soon, Microsoft grew too big for the garage. They moved to a real office. More people came to work with them. Everyone was excited about making computers easier to use.
Bill's mom had always told him to think big, and now he was! Microsoft was becoming more than just two friends in a garage. It was becoming a real company.
Important Moment: Bill left college to work on Microsoft full-time. That was a very brave decision!
Paul and Bill worked super hard. Sometimes they stayed up all night writing code. They knew they were part of something special. Computers were changing, and Microsoft was helping make those changes happen.
Each day brought new challenges, but also new ideas. The garage where it all started became a symbol of how big dreams can grow from small beginnings.
The two friends who once played with computers in their school club were now leading a company that would change the world. But this was just the beginning of their amazing journey. More exciting adventures were waiting just around the corner...The Big Break
It was 1980, and something incredible was about to happen. IBM, the biggest computer company in the world, came knocking on Microsoft's door!
Big News: IBM wanted to make small computers for homes and offices. They needed Microsoft's help!
"This is our chance!" Bill told Paul excitedly. "We can make the brain for all these new computers!"
But there was a problem. Microsoft didn't have what IBM needed - an operating system. That's like the boss program that tells a computer how to work.
The Smart Move
Bill and Paul had to think fast. They knew about a small company that had made something called DOS. It was just what IBM needed!
"How much do you want for your program?" Bill asked the company.
"$50,000," they said.
Bill bought it right away! But here's the clever part - he made a special deal with IBM. Microsoft could sell this program to other companies too!
"Sometimes you have to make big decisions quickly," Bill said later. "That was one of those times."
MS-DOS Takes Off
Microsoft made DOS better and called it MS-DOS. Soon, every IBM computer had MS-DOS inside it! But remember Bill's clever deal? When other companies started making computers like IBM's, they all wanted MS-DOS too!
Amazing Fact: MS-DOS helped Microsoft become a very big company. All because of one smart deal!
People had to learn special commands to use MS-DOS. It wasn't easy! You had to type things like:
• C: DIR (to see your files)
Even though it was hard to use, MS-DOS was everywhere. Microsoft was growing bigger and bigger. They moved to a new home in Washington state. More people came to work for them.
Looking Forward
Bill and Paul knew computers needed to be easier to use. "What if we could make it so people could just point and click?" Paul wondered. ️
They were already thinking about the next big thing. Something that would make computers friendly for everyone. But that's another exciting part of the story...
The little company that started in a garage was now a big success. But Microsoft's biggest adventures were still to come! They were about to change computers in a way that would make them part of everyone's daily life.Making Windows
Microsoft had a big dream - to make computers easy for everyone! In 1983, Bill Gates watched as more people wanted to use computers. But typing commands was too hard.
Big Idea: What if people could just point and click with a mouse instead of typing strange commands?
"We need to make computers friendly," Bill told his team. "Let's create windows that people can see on their screen!"
The First Try
Microsoft worked hard to make their first Windows program. But it wasn't very good. People didn't like it much.
"We can do better," Bill said. "Let's keep trying!"
Apple had already made a computer that was easy to use. They had pictures and windows on their screens. Microsoft knew they had to catch up!
Windows 3.0 - The Big Success!
In 1990, Microsoft got it right! They made Windows 3.0, and people loved it!
"Now anyone can use a computer," Paul Allen said happily. "Just point, click, and you're doing it!"
Windows 3.0 had:
• Pretty colors and pictures
• Games like Solitaire
• Easy ways to write letters
• Paint program for drawing
Windows 95 Changes Everything
But the biggest change came in 1995. Microsoft made Windows 95, and it was amazing!
Fun Fact: People lined up at stores at midnight to buy Windows 95! They were so excited!
Windows 95 was special because:
✨ It had a Start button to find everything easily
✨ You could play music and videos
✨ It could connect to something new called the Internet
Racing with Apple
Microsoft and Apple were like runners in a race. ♂️ Both wanted to make the best computers. This made both companies work harder to make better things for people.
"Competition makes us better," Bill would say. He wanted Microsoft to keep improving Windows.
A New World
With Windows, computers became part of everyday life. Kids used them for homework. Parents used them for work. Everyone could play games!
Big Change: Thanks to Windows, millions of people started using computers for the first time! ️
Microsoft was changing the world. But they weren't done yet! They wanted to make more amazing things that would help people work, play, and learn.
The company that started with MS-DOS was now bringing colorful windows to screens everywhere. And there were still more exciting adventures ahead...Growing Around the World
Microsoft was getting bigger and bigger! In the 1990s, computers were in homes and offices everywhere. But Bill Gates had an even bigger idea.
Big Dream: "Let's help people do more with their computers!" Bill told his team.
Making Microsoft Office
People needed tools to write letters, make pictures with numbers, and give fun talks. So Microsoft made something special called Office!
Office had cool programs like:
• Word for writing pretty letters
• Excel for doing math with pictures
• PowerPoint for making colorful shows
• Outlook for sending messages to friends
"Now everyone can be creative!" smiled Bill. And he was right! Kids could do homework, and grown-ups could work better.
Friends All Over the World
Microsoft started making friends in other countries! They opened new offices in:
✨ Japan, where people loved technology
✨ England, where many businesses needed computers
✨ Germany, where schools wanted to teach with computers
"We want to help people everywhere!" Bill told his workers. "Let's make our programs speak different languages!"
Making New Friends
Microsoft started buying other companies too! It was like making new friends who had cool toys to share.
Fun Fact: Microsoft bought a company that made a fun program called Minecraft many years later!
They bought companies that could help them:
Make better email
Create fun games
Build better computer parts
Getting Really Big
Microsoft was now huge! They had:
• Thousands of workers
• Offices in many countries
• Millions of happy customers
Amazing Fact: Microsoft helped billions of people use computers!
Helping Others
As Microsoft grew bigger, they wanted to help more people. They gave computers to schools and helped teach kids about technology.
"When we help others, we all grow together," Bill would say. He wanted everyone to have a chance to learn and create.
Looking Forward
Microsoft was now one of the biggest technology companies in the world! But they weren't finished growing. They kept thinking of new ways to make computers better and help more people.
The little company that started in a garage was now everywhere. And they were ready for new adventures and bigger challenges ahead...Big Changes and New Leaders
Microsoft was super big now! But being big meant facing some tough challenges. Let's see how Microsoft grew up even more!
The Big Problem
Some people thought Microsoft was too powerful. They said Microsoft wasn't playing fair with other companies.
Important Event: The government said, "Microsoft needs to share better with others!"
Bill Gates had to go to many meetings to explain how Microsoft worked. It was like when a teacher makes sure everyone plays nice at recess!
New Friends in Charge
After many years of being the boss, Bill Gates wanted to try something new. He said, "I want to help poor people around the world!"
So his friend Steve Ballmer became the new boss. Steve was funny and loud, and he loved Microsoft a lot!
"We're going to keep making cool stuff!" Steve told everyone with a big smile.
Meeting Satya
Later, a nice man named Satya Nadella became the new boss. Satya had some fresh ideas!
He said: "Let's put our programs in the clouds!" He didn't mean real clouds - he meant special computers that help people work together from anywhere!
Cool Change: Now you can use Microsoft programs on phones and tablets too!
New Ways to Work
The internet was changing everything! Microsoft had to change too. They started making:
• Programs that work on the internet
• Ways for people to talk to friends on computers
• Special places to save pictures and work in the clouds
Learning to Share
Satya taught Microsoft something important: being friendly with other companies is good!
Now Microsoft:
Works with other companies
Shares their good ideas
Helps make technology better for everyone
Happy News: People started liking Microsoft even more!
Getting Better Every Day
Microsoft learned that change can be good! They kept trying new things and making their programs better.
The company was different now, but in a good way. They were ready to try new things and make even more cool stuff for people to use!
And guess what? More exciting things were coming. Microsoft was getting ready to make computers do things that seemed like magic...Making Tomorrow Better
Wow! Microsoft is doing amazing things today! Let's see what cool stuff they're working on now!
Magic in the Clouds
Remember when Satya talked about putting things in computer clouds? Well, now Microsoft has something super cool called Azure! ☁️
Fun Fact: Azure helps millions of people work together, even if they're far away!
Smart Computer Friends
Microsoft is teaching computers to be really smart! They can:
• Help people write stories
• Answer questions
• Draw pictures
• Solve big problems
Fun and Games
Xbox is Microsoft's special game machine! Kids and grown-ups love playing games on it.
"We want everyone to have fun playing games together!" says Phil Spencer, the Xbox boss.
Helping the World
Remember Bill Gates? He's still helping people! The Gates Foundation does lots of good things:
Helps sick people get better
Makes sure kids can go to school
Helps farmers grow more food
Special News: Microsoft gives money to help make the world better!
Making New Friends
Microsoft bought some new companies to make even...
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