1. It is impossible to create a folder named “Con” or “con” on Microsoft operating systems. If you attempt to create a folder with the name of C-o-n you will get an error message saying that the drive name is invalid. What is even more unusual is the sound it makes when such a creation is attempted. It is an error sound to be sure, but not one that I have ever heard while working with any Microsoft program. Why would any name be invalid, and why does it not have the same message as when an existing file with the same name already exists?

2. When “=rand(200,99)” without quotations is entered into Microsoft Word something I would call equivalent to an electronic sneeze occurs. If that line is entered and then the Enter key is hit, the document is instantly filled with over four hundred thousand words. Upon first glance is appears to be a full explanation of every feature of the program. It begins by talking about Tab and goes on and on with who knows how much data. Another interesting phenomenon is that when you scroll down the page, the setting has changed so that you never scroll past a page break.

3. Bill Gates, the founder and cornerstone of Microsoft officially left the company this year. It was Bill Gates who, alongside Paul Allen started the company from the ground up. It was many of Bill Gates ideas that pushed Microsoft to be the top software company in the world. Over the last year or two he has slowly slid himself out of the company, apparently leaving it to fend for itself. This leads one to wonder if Microsoft has a future without its brain so to speak. Let us all hope for their sake that some of his genius has worn off on the employees of the company.

4. Google challenges their supremacy by offering free software on the web as of last year. Now that Google has entered the scene with their free software, it will be increasingly difficult for Microsoft to keep its hold on its place in the heats and more importantly, the computers of their loyal customers. Now that Google offers such things for free, the fairly expensive products offered by Microsoft may slowly become a thing of the past. It seems odd that Bill Gates would choose now of all times to take his leave of the company. It seems they may need his expertise in the upcoming years.

5. Microsoft Windows is currently installed on over ninety percent of all computers worldwide. This is close to a billion computers. This is a true testament to the framework set for the company by its founders. Furthermore, Microsoft office makes up a duplicate ninety percent of all office based software currently used on those same computers. Because of this, Microsoft has been ordered to pay an antitrust fine of four hundred and ninety seven million euros. The fine was ordered in 2004 and paid in 2007. Apparently not all people find it inspiring that Microsoft has done so well.

6. Everyone knows that Microsoft has created the Xbox game system which has people screaming its praise all over the internet. It is no doubt that the Xbox is one of the best if not the best game system available today. It is little known however that the old Encarta program that was sold on CD for computer has been reincarnated online by Microsoft. Beyond that is the more popular Microsoft mouse. In competition with the ever popular iPod, the Microsoft Zune is an alternate source for MP3 on the go. Microsoft is managing to protect itself by the age old art of diversification.

7. MSNBC is a child, so to speak, of Microsoft. Up until recently they were equal owners in the television network. However Microsoft recently decided that it was in its best interest to quit the partnership and instead keep its fifty-fifty hold over the MSNBC website which is still running strong. It seems that Microsoft has decided that its interest is better served in the internet, which none will argue is more familiar territory for Microsoft. MSNBC TV is still moving forward without the aid of Microsoft.

8. Microsoft has been trading stocks since this writer was born in 1986. Whoever decided to buy stock in such a new company would today be very happy at the decision. Microsoft has the third highest stock market capitalization in the United States at a total of two hundred and seventy billion dollars. This puts them easily above and beyond competitors Google, IBM and Apple. It is amazing the margin between companies with such similar products. Google is making a comeback with their aforementioned free software, but Apple advocators may want to think twice before bragging about their own superiority.

9. Microsoft Corporation opened its first research lab in Redmond, Washington back in 1991.because of this it was one of the first computer companies to create its own computer science research organization. That comes as little surprise that it was the first computer company to do something like this, but is did come as a surprise that the research division is so new. How was it able to create such a huge enterprise without its own research complex before 1991?

10. The name of the company was at first Micro-Soft and was first conceived in a letter written by Bill Gates and sent to his partner Paul Allen. After it was first mentioned it was deemed to be better as one word and was shortened to what we all know today. The first mention of the name was in 1975 and stuck until it was officially trademarked a year later. It seemed that Bill and Paul liked the single word instead of the hyphenated Micro-Soft. Either way the company would have lost little of its appeal with a shorter name. After all a rose by any other name…

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