The Microsoft Corporation is the world's largest software company, with 2005 global annual sales of 40 billion US dollars and more than 55,000 employees in 85 countries and regions. Their headquarters is located in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computer devices. One of its most popular products is the Microsoft Windows Operating System (OS). They also have footholds in other markets, such as MSNBC cable television network and the Microsoft Encarta, and also markets home entertainment products such as the Xbox.

"Microsoft" is short for microcomputer software. It was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. By 1985, the company was selling the Windows OS and MS-DOS and collaborated with IBM.

By 1992, they had released an IPO in the stock market and discontinued a development to focus directly on Windows. By 1995, Windows was the most widely used graphical operating system in the world with an introduction of Windows 95. By 1998, Microsoft released an update to the consumer version of Windows, Windows 98, which included Internet Explorer 4.0 and other features specifically for Win98.

On April 3, 2000 a ruling was made that Microsoft had to be split into two companies, as they were told that they abused their monopoly power. In result, a settlement was sought-out instead of splitting the company up. In the same year, they created Windows 2000 and Windows ME (Millenium Edition). In 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP that brought together the consumer and business lines together.