Key Dates 1975: Microsoft is founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen; they sell BASIC, the first

PC computer language program to Microsoft's first customer Jan. 1, 1979: Microsoft moves from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Bellevue, Washington 1981: IBM uses Microsoft's 16-bit operating system for its first personal computer 1983: Paul Allen resigns as executive vice-president but remains on the board; Jon Shirley is made president of Microsoft; Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Mouse and Word for MS-DOS 1.00 1985: Microsoft and IBM establish a joint development agreement February 26, 1986: Microsoft moves to corporate campus in Redmond, Washington 1986: Microsoft stock goes public at $21 per share 1987: The company's first CD-ROM application, Microsoft Bookshelf, is released 1990: Jon Shirley retires as president and CEO; Michael R. Hallman is promoted in Shirley's place; the company becomes the first PC software firm to surpass $1 billion sales in a single year 1992: Bill Gates is awarded the National Medal of Technology for Technological Achievement 1993: The company introduces Windows NT 1995: Bill Gates publishes his first book, The Road Ahead 1996: The company acquires Vermeer Technologies and its software application, FrontPage 1997: The Justice Department alleges that Microsoft violated a 1994 consent concerning licensing the Windows operating system to computer manufacturers June 25, 1998: Microsoft launches Windows 98 1998: The U.S. Department of Justice files two anti-trust cases against Microsoft, alleging the company had violated the Sherman Act 2000: The company acquires Visio Corporation, its largest acquisition to date May 31, 2001: Microsoft launches Office XP Oct. 25, 2001: Microsoft launches Windows XP Nov. 15, 2001: Microsoft launches Xbox 2003: Microsoft launches Windows Server 2003 Oct. 21, 2003: Microsoft launches Microsoft Office System April 24, 2003: Microsoft launches Windows Server 2003 Oct. 21, 2003: Microsoft launches Microsoft Office System Nov. 22, 2005: Microsoft launches Xbox 360 Jan. 30, 2007: Microsoft launches Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System to consumers worldwide Feb. 27, 2008: Microsoft launches Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 June 27, 2008: Gates steps down from full-time role in company, remains board chairman Oct. 22, 2009: Microsoft launches Windows 7 June 15, 2010: Microsoft launches Microsoft Office 2010 Oct. 13, 2011: Microsoft closes its acquisition of Skype