In 1975 Bill Gates and Paul Allen created a company called Microsoft; in 1981 Microsoft became a corporation. Microsoft’s purpose has been to originate software for the personal computer in the workplace, educational institution, and household. Microsoft’s resourceful products and advertising have made it the world’s chief software provider. Some of its resources include operating systems for personal computers, server applications for client-server environments, trade and consumer productivity applications, interactive media programs, and Internet platform and development tools. Microsoft also markets online services, personal computer books, and input devices, and it investigates and acquires highly evolved technology software products. The company’s products are obtainable in more than thirty languages, purchased in more than fifty countries, and agreeable with most personal computers (PCs), including Intel microprocessor-based and Apple computers.

Twenty years later, Microsoft is a leader in the field of computer programming. Gates and Allen both had big plans for their fledgling company and came up with different ways of managing people and products in order to create possibly the most effective and versatile workforce of any corporation in existence. To study Microsoft's way of doing business is to look at the company from many angles, from a managerial and organizational standpoint to its process of developing products and services for its customers. To truly understand Microsoft's way of doing business is to view how the companies different project groups and divisions work together to create superb products that the consumers desire, there really is no one true secret to Microsoft's success.

As many people have noticed, recently there has been a huge focus in the media on Bill Gates, and his huge Microsoft Corporation. Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft’s monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business. Microsoft’s antitrust problems began for them in the early months of 1990, when the Federal Trade Commission began investigating them for possible violations of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts, which are designed to stop the formation of monopolies. The Sherman Anti-trust Act was passed in 1890. Then in 1914 the Clayton Act was passed to help with Anti-trust Cases. Anti-trust Lawsuits are few and far between, but recently cases against Microsoft are stacking up all around the world. In 1890 the Sherman Anti-trust Act was passed, but it was not until much later that it was enforced.

The spotlight is on Microsoft Corporation, and their apparent attempt to take over the Internet browser market. Concerns aroused recently because of the expected release of Windows 98, which uses Microsoft Internet Explorer in almost every application it runs. The US government has seemingly acknowledged Microsoft's monopoly of operating systems and let it go by because of lack of competition in the market. But now new issues are at stake, should Microsoft be allowed to expand its already almost monopoly into yet another field in the computer industry? It seems that everywhere Microsoft is, there looms a bit of concern for the consumers and their futures. Currently 90 percent of the world's personal computers run on Microsoft operating systems. The federal and state antitrust regulators are arguing that Microsoft has illegally used the popularity of its operating systems to eliminate its competition in the software industry. Microsoft Corporation however, disagrees, arguing that the changes being demanded by federal and state government will take months to perform and would cause the software to be useless. Microsoft clings strongly to their beliefs that Windows 98 cannot succeed without Internet Explorer. Although it may be true that Windows 98 is based around Internet Explorer, should the government allow Microsoft to sell its product and gain more market share?

While it is true that Microsoft has what would appear to be a monopoly in this industry, it would be absurd to have more than one or two operating systems because it would limit the supply of software for each system. Microsoft simply has a good product and an excellent marketing strategy. By using strategies like these Microsoft has become and remained a leader in the industry. Bill Gates has proved that he and Microsoft have what it takes to make it in today's business world, with good policies and good employees Microsoft is here to stay.

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