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[[Wikipedia:Microsoft|'''''Microsoft Corporation''''']] was founded in 1975 by ''Bill Gates'' and ''Paul Allen'' in ''Redmond'', ''Washington''. Microsoft is one of the "Big Five" tech giants, originally known for developing the computer operating systems ''MS-DOS'' and its successor, ''[[Windows]]''. Contracted in 1980 by IBM to provide an operating system for its personal computers, they purchased 86-DOS from ''Seattle Computer Products,'' and in 1981 MS-DOS was released with the IBM PC. They are also famous for developing the ''Microsoft'' ''Office Suite'' (''Word'', ''Excel, PowerPoint'', etc.), as well as for their role in the video gaming industry with the ''Xbox'' brand, under the Microsoft ''Gaming'' division. Additionally, they developed the ''Surface'' computing devices and the cloud platform ''Azure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zachary |first=Gregg Pascal |last2=Hall |first2=Mark |last3=Montevirgen |first3=Karl |title=Microsoft-Corporation |url=https://www.britannica.com/money/Microsoft-Corporation |website=britannica.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Michael |date=August 12, 2021 |title=The Rise of DOS: How Microsoft Got the IBM PC OS Contract |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-rise-of-dos-how-microsoft-got-the-ibm-pc-os-contract |website=PCmag}}</ref>
[[Wikipedia:Microsoft|'''''Microsoft Corporation''''']] was founded in 1975 by ''Bill Gates'' and ''Paul Allen'' in Albuquerque, New Mexico,. Microsoft is one of the "Big Five" tech giants, originally known for developing the computer operating systems ''MS-DOS'' and its successor, ''[[Windows]]''. They are also known for developing the ''Microsoft'' ''Office Suite; Access,'' ''Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and'' ''Word''. Additionally, they developed the Xbox under ''the Microsoft'' ''Gaming'' division and the ''Surface'' line of laptop devices and the cloud platform ''Azure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zachary |first=Gregg Pascal |last2=Hall |first2=Mark |last3=Montevirgen |first3=Karl |title=Microsoft-Corporation |url=https://www.britannica.com/money/Microsoft-Corporation |website=britannica.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Michael |date=August 12, 2021 |title=The Rise of DOS: How Microsoft Got the IBM PC OS Contract |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/the-rise-of-dos-how-microsoft-got-the-ibm-pc-os-contract |website=PCmag}}</ref>


Microsoft also owns numerous other tech-related businesses, primarily through business acquisitions. They also commonly invest heavily in artificial intelligence enterprises, most notably, ''OpenAI'' (best known for creating ''ChatGPT'').
Through business acquisitions they own numerous other tech-related businesses. They invest heavily in artificial intelligence enterprises, ''OpenAI'' (best known for creating ''ChatGPT'').


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==


===Monopolization===
===Monopolization===
Exclusive licensing agreements with IBM and other PC manufacturers ensured that MS-DOS became the dominant OS.


Priced MS-DOS significantly lower than competitors, making it the default choice for PC makers.
* Exclusive licensing agreements with IBM and other PC manufacturers ensured that MS-DOS became the dominant OS.
* Priced MS-DOS significantly lower than competitors, making it the default choice for PC makers.
* Launched ''Windows 1.0'' in 1985, as a graphical extension of ''MS-DOS''. They had over 90% of the PC market by the 1990's.
* Integrated ''Internet Explorer'' (IE) with ''Windows'', making it difficult for users to choose alternatives like ''Netscape Navigator''. This led to the U.S. vs. Microsoft antitrust case (1998), where the company was found guilty of illegally maintaining a monopoly.<ref name=":5" />
* Allegedly used "embrace, extend, extinguish" tactics; adopting open standards, extending them with proprietary features, and then pushing competitors out.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2002 |title=Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices And Consumer Harm In The Software Industry: An Analysis Of The Inadequacies Of The Microsoft-Department Of Justice Proposed Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-processes-anticompetitive-practices-and-consumer-harm-software-industry-analysis |website=justice.gov}}</ref>
* Charging higher fees for running ''Windows Server'' on rival clouds (e.g., ''AWS'', ''Google Cloud'') versus ''Azure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Ryan |date=December 3, 2024 |title=Microsoft faces £1 billion lawsuit in UK for allegedly overcharging rival cloud firms’ customers |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/03/microsoft-overcharging-rival-cloud-firms-customers-uk-lawsuit-says.html |website=CNBC}}</ref>


Launched ''Windows 1.0'' in 1985, as a graphical extension of ''MS-DOS''. Windows had captured over 90% of the PC market by the 1990's.
=== Consumer harm ===


Integrated ''Internet Explorer'' (IE) with ''Windows'', making it difficult for users to choose alternatives like ''Netscape Navigator''. This led to the U.S. vs. Microsoft antitrust case (1998), where the company was found guilty of illegally maintaining a monopoly.<ref name=":5" />
* Slowed browser innovation for 14 years by blocking out competitors like ''Netscape''.<ref name=":6" />
 
* Studies estimated that their monopoly led to consumers being overcharged by as much as 30 billion dollars in the 1990s.<ref name=":6" />
Allegedly used "embrace, extend, extinguish" tactics; adopting open standards, extending them with proprietary features, and then pushing competitors out.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2002 |title=Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices And Consumer Harm In The Software Industry: An Analysis Of The Inadequacies Of The Microsoft-Department Of Justice Proposed Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/competitive-processes-anticompetitive-practices-and-consumer-harm-software-industry-analysis |website=justice.gov}}</ref>
 
Charging higher fees for running ''Windows Server'' on rival clouds (e.g., ''AWS'', ''Google Cloud'') versus ''Azure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Ryan |date=December 3, 2024 |title=Microsoft faces £1 billion lawsuit in UK for allegedly overcharging rival cloud firms’ customers |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/03/microsoft-overcharging-rival-cloud-firms-customers-uk-lawsuit-says.html |website=CNBC}}</ref>


==Controversies==
==Controversies==
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