Welcome back. For those new here, I am covering Microsoft’s journey from the start. We’re at the point when problems are going to start to kick in. Let’s dive in.
By now, Microsoft was a big name. Naturally, expectations were sky-high, especially with the Windows 95 launch. But it’s Microsoft, and they pull it off spectacularly. However, success brings competition; no one gives an entire pie to one person – they all want a piece of it. Here, it was Netscape with its revolutionary web browser, Netscape Navigator. At its peak, it held about 80% of the market. Bill Gates wasn’t a big fan, so he did what he always did: do the same, but better.
Microsoft launched the Internet Explorer along with Windows 95 in 1995, bundling it. By integrating it right into windows, ease of use gave it an instant advantage, beating Netscape in the internet market. This move was genius, but it brought controversy.
That controversy exploded into the antitrust case. Regulators accused Microsoft of abusing its monopoly to crush rivals. Suddenly, Gates wasn’t just managing developers and products—he was fighting government lawyers. The legal battle was long, tense, and damaging to Microsoft’s reputation. For the first time, Gates had to think not just about winning markets, but also about proving Microsoft’s practices could withstand scrutiny.
At the same time, one hurdle isn’t going to stop a man like Gates. He was relentless, and ready to make the next big leap. He went into the gaming industry with the Xbox, an industry dominated by champions like Sony and Nintendo. Of course, he relied on integrating it with Windows to make it more attractive than the competitors. Everything revolved around Windows. It was the heart of Microsoft’s growth.
Gates could only do so much though. What about others’ contribution? Let’s talk about it tomorrow.
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