Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology company that develops, manufactures, and markets computer software, consumer electronics, and related services.

In software, it is best known for Windows and the MS Office suite. Its web browser, Internet Explorer, used to be the dominating player, though its current successor, Edge, enjoys moderate popularity.

In hardware, Microsoft's flagship products are Xbox game consoles and the Surface series of personal computers. It has also produced a long line of quality computer peripherals, chiefly keyboards and mice.

In recent years, Microsoft is a leading player in online services from Internet search (Bing), digital services market (MSN), mixed reality (HoloLens), and cloud computing (Azure).

Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft started by developing BASIC interpreters for tha Altair 8800. Its meteoric rise in the 1980s was thanks to the explosion in the popularity of the personal computer. For years, Microsoft has been the leader in market valuation. Its well-known services also include LinkedIn, MSDN, and GitHub.