It was knowledge sharing That Through This was to Develop Microsoft Windows. A That system was used to drive a mouse to graphic interface, displaying text and images on the screen. Greatly This differed from the text and MS-DOS keyboard driven system Showed Where all text formatting on the screen as code and whos not what would be printed. Bill Gates Recognized Quickly This Kind of the threat pose Might software for MS-DOS and Microsoft overall. For the unsophisticated user-which was most of it the buying public-the graphic imagery of the VisiCorp software would be so much Easier to use. Gates in an advertising campaign Announced That a new Microsoft operating system was to be developed About That would use a graphic interface. It was to be called "Windows," and would be Compatible with all PC software products developed on the MS-DOS system. The announcement was a bluff, in Microsoft HAD That no such program under development. But as a marketing tactic as it was sheer genius Nearly 30 percent of the computer market was using the MS-DOS system and would wait for Windows software rather than change to a new system. Without people willing to change formats, software developers Were unwilling to write programs for the VisiCorp system and it lost momentum by early 1985.
In November 1985, Bill Gates and Microsoft Launched Windows; Nearly two years after His announcement. Visually the Windows system Looked very similar to the Apple Macintosh system Computer Corporation HAD Introduced Nearly two years earlier. Given Apple Microsoft HAD Earlier Their full access to technology while it was working on making Microsoft products supported for Apple computers. Advised Gates HAD Their Apple to license software but They ignored the advice, Being more interested in selling computers. Once again, Gates Took full advantage of the situation and created a software format That was strikingly similar to the Macintosh. Threatened to sue Apple and Microsoft retaliated, saying it would delay shipment of Its Microsoft-compatible software for Macintosh users. In the end, Microsoft prevailed in the courts Because while It could prove That Were there similarities in how the two software systems operated, single function each was distinctly different.
In 1986, Bill Gates Microsoft public Took With an initial public offering (IPO) of $ 21 per share. Gates held 45 percent of the company's 24.7 million shares and Became an instant millionaire at age 31. Gates's stake at that time was $ 234 million of Microsoft's $ 520 million. Over time, the company's stock Increased in value and split Numerous times. In 1987, Bill Gates became a billionaire When the stock raised to $ 90.75 a share. Since Then, Gates has-been at the top, or at Least near the top, of Forbes' annual list of the top 400 wealthiest people in America. In 1999, with stock prices at an all time high and the stock splitting eight-fold since ITS IPO, Gates's wealth briefly topped $ 101 billion.
Yet, Bill Gates never felt totally secure about the status of His company. Always Having to look over his shoulder to see Where the competition was, I have developed a white hot drive and competitive spirit. Gates expected everyone in the company To have the same drive and dedication. One story goes That one of Gates's assistants HAD Come to work early to find someone sleeping under a desk. She Considered calling the police or security When she discovered it was Gates.
Bill Gates's intelligence allowed him to be Able to see all sides of the industry-software product development and corporate strategy. When analyzing any corporate move, I would Develop a profile of all the possible cases and run through them, asking questions about anything That Could possibly happen. His confrontational management style Became legend as I would challenge employees and Their Ideas to keep the creative process going. An unprepared presenter would hear, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever Heard!" from Gates. But This was as much a test of the rigor of the employee as it was Gates's passion for His company. Constantly I was testing the people around him to see if They were really convinced of Their ideas.
Outside the company, Bill Gates was gaining a reputation as a ruthless competitor. Several tech companies led by IBM Began to Develop Their Own operating system called OS / 2 to replace MS-DOS. Rather than give into the pressure, Gates pushed ahead With the Windows software, Improving STI STI operation and expanding use. In 1989, Microsoft Introduced bundled Microsoft Office Which office productivity applications: such as Microsoft Word and Excel into one system That was Compatible with all Microsoft products. The applications Were not as Easily Compatible with OS / 2. Microsoft's new version of Windows sold 100,000 copies in just two weeks and OS / 2 soon faded away. This left Microsoft with a virtual monopoly on operating systems for PCs. Soon Began the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Microsoft for unfair marketing practices.
Microsoft faced a string of Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department investigations THROUGHOUT the 1990s. Some related Allegations That Microsoft made deals with computer unfair WHO manufactures the Windows operating system installed on Their computers. Other charges Involved computer manufactures forcing Microsoft to sell Microsoft's Internet Explorer as a condition for selling the Windows operating system With Their computers.
At one point, Microsoft faced a possible break up of Its two divisions-operating systems and software development. Microsoft Defend itself, harking back to Bill Gates's software piracy With Earlier battles, and proclaiming That Such restrictions Were A threat to innovation. Eventually, Microsoft was reliable to find a settlement With the federal government to avoid a breakup. Through it all, Gates found some inventive ways to deflect the pressure with light-hearted commercials and public appearances at computer trade shows posing as Star Trek's Mr. Spock. Gates continued to run the company and the weather federal investigations Through the 1990s.
