Despite of being tough fight and competition from Google and Apple, Microsoft still stands as first choice of many people. With its undisputed dominance over computer Industry many are passionate about Microsoft still. With such a vast presence, many times its has been talked about company, its people, Bill Gates and road map. For those who are still sticking to know more here are few amazing Fun facts which you would love to learn.
1. It was “Micro-Soft”
Initially when Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, freezed the name, it was Micro-Soft. Basically it was Bill Gates who wrote to Allen with suggested name. Since the name was a short combination from “Micro Computing” and “Software”, both took it as the best choice as company name.
Microsoft’s initial logo used to carry designed “o” which was influenced from the name of a burger which used to serve in Microsoft Cafeteria.
2. The First Microsoft Tune
I am sure none of the computer user who plays with Windows, can forget the startup sound of windows 95. This sound was composed by pioneering musician Brian Eno as “The Microsoft Sound”. The influential musician who worked with U2 and David Bowie told to San Francisco Cronical that making such a short tune was funny and amazing.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUbjTapNImM&feature=player_embedded
3. Microsoft’s Fav Food – Pizza
May be its sound similar, but Microsoft offers free drinks at all its offices just like Google. Google may have achieved an extra mile by offerings free lunch and dinner but Microsoft offer 2 free drinks as Milk & OJ. As far as food goes Microsoft have biggest cafeteria area across all its campus globally and the most preferred food in Microsoft food court is Pizza.
4. Microsoft uses Code names “Always”
Ever since company launched its first operating system, Microsoft always address all its project by some codenames. There is a long list of these coded names available at Wikipedia. Past code names include “Longhorn,” “Lone Star,” and “Vienna.” While you might be tempted to add “Mojave,” to that list, it’s actually part of a Microsoft ad campaign. The “Mojave Experiment” was a marketing exercise that battled Vista’s poor PR by presenting the software to new users as a fresh product.
5. The Average “Pay Packet”
Most of the employees in Microsoft near to age of 38 Male, call them self as “Softie”, have an average salary of $108,000 as developer. Currently company has 88,180 employees across the globe, out of which 50,000 are U.S. based. The ratio between Male & Female is also important fact and male dominate the company with 76% of over all man head strength.
6. Anniversary with M&M
Like many other big companies Microsoft also follow its own set of tradition and culture. It seems it’s customary for Softies to celebrate their yearly employment anniversaries with candy, and more specifically, M&Ms. Such anniversary, a Microsoft employee is expected to provide one pound of M&Ms for every year they’ve worked. That means if Bill Gates observed the tradition, he should have turned up with 33 pounds of M&Ms on June 27, 2008.
7. Microsoft’s Stock has split Nine Times
Every company split its stock in multiple shares when it get valued very high and it becomes difficult to have trading with such high valued share cost. Since Microsoft has split its stock nine time with a ratio of 2 for 1 and 3 for 1, one original Microsoft share would now be equal to 288 shares today. Interestingly the price of Microsoft’s stock at its initial public offering was $21 a share, at the time of writing a share is now around the $23 mark. One original MSFT share would now be worth over $6,000.
8. A Huge Art gallery
Microsoft owns a huge Art gallery at all his campus. Microsoft is known as huge corporate collector of Art work including posters, art work, paintings, potraits, studio glass and multi media work. A large proportion of the works are on display at more than 150 of Microsoft’s many campuses, as the company subscribes to the belief that art in the workplace reduces stress, increases productivity and encourages discussions and expression of opinions.
9. Strange Interview Session
Microsoft never follow the tradition Interview process and questions. It been a point of discussion and appreciation that Microsoft grills the people at the time of interview with non IT related questions like “Why the Manhole is always round ?”. Microsoft logic behind such type of session is they want people who can sustain in company in any format and have better logical views compare to theoretical understanding.
Rather than asking a straight question like Where you see yourself after five years, company would ask you to solve a logic puzzle or think through a problem like “Design a coffee maker that will be used by astronauts.”
10. Over 10,00 Patents
Microsoft holds over 10,000 patents which makes it as one of the Top 5 maximum patent holding company. Every year Microsoft files aprox 3000 patents every year. Although a large majority of the patents relate to obscure elements of software, the 5,000th and 10,000th were consumer-friendly, easily-understandable ideas. The 5,000th was for tech in Xbox 360 games that lets people “watch” a video game remotely, while the 10,000th was for the Microsoft Surface, linking real-life objects with data and images.
There is a typing mistake in point #10 Google has 10,000 patents (not 10,00)
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