We’ve already covered Apple’s comeback in this blog, so why not Microsoft? Let’s dive in.
Microsoft started as Bill Gates’ obsession with the personal computer. He wasn’t just coding for the sake of coding; he had a vision: “A computer on every desk and in every home” he called it. That’s what separated Microsoft from other companies. When most software developers at the time focused on companies or corporate use, Gates saw the personal computer as an essential tool in households in the future.
As with other startups, Bill Gates was himself involved in much of the programming in the early days. He and Paul Allen were the ones that wrote the code for the early versions of Microsoft BASIC and even tested it themselves. Basically, they did every part of the process. It should be noted that BIll gates was super strict and obsessed over quality and detail. He also worked like that too. Known for 16-18 hour work days, he was constantly spending every waking moment to scale Microsoft.
He thought differently. He understood where the market was going towards, and he decided to license software instead of selling hardware, a move that strengthened the foundation of Microsoft’s dominance. For example, in the IBM PC deal in 1980, he licensed MS-DOS instead of selling it permanently. This way, Microsoft still held a lot of control of the MS-DOS, and could license it to other companies, sell it, etc.
But all this wasn’t the biggest driver behind Microsoft’s growth. The biggest launch was yet to come.
RELATED POSTS
View all
