Everyone has secrets; some really sinful, and some just strange. Your young kids have their secrets from you, your best buddies have their secrets, and guess what, your favorite brands and companies also have some strange facts. Microsoft is among the most well known, revered, and richest companies in the world. Even though a lot has been said and written about the company, its iconic and philanthropist former CEO Bill Gates, its super successful products, its losing battle against modern operating systems, and of course, its work culture. However, there are some exciting, some strange, and some truly sensational facts about Microsoft that have not yet seen the broad daylight. Brace up for some facts you’d never known about Microsoft.
Micro-soft, or Microsoft – what’s in a name, afterall?
Some might find it interesting to note that Microsoft, indeed was Micro-soft, according to original course of events prior to the incorporation of the company. It was not until Bill Gates wrote a letter to Paul Allen, the co-founder of the company, in 1975, that the hyphen lost its position and the two words ‘microcomputers’ and ‘software’ really blended into each other. Considering that several companies name themselves purely based on their industry and service USP, such as financial service companies like National Debt Relief, ‘Micro—soft’ might not have had to compromise on the love showered over the company for decades after its incorporation. Gates referred to the company as Microsoft in the letter, and the event can well be deemed the originator of the legendary name that is destines to be remembered for the times to come. Microsoft was officially incorporated in November, 1976, without the hyphen dividing the name, in New Mexico. Even the Microsoft logo has seen its fair share of changes, beginning from what was known as a blibbet to the contemporary Pac-Man logo.
A stock that’s too huge for itself!
There’s no dearth of successful companies on the block. Also, there’s no dearth of companies whose share prices have zoomed unbelievably high. However, an indicator of ‘really massive success’ is stock splitting, just because the share price becomes too high! Microsoft has seen these joys for as many as 9 times. Mathematically speaking, 1 original Microsoft share is now worth 288 shares, that’s because a ‘2 for 1’ split has occurred 6 times, and a ‘3 for 1’ split has taken place 3 times for the company! At its initial public offering, Microsoft shares went at $21 apiece. Financially, this means that anybody who was adventurous enough to spend $21 on a crazy company share can trade it today for around $6,000.
A company that loves art – and doesn’t mind spending on it
Microsoft pays a lot of attention to the importance of having a vibrant workplace that promotes the virtues of abstract and creative thinking. Not that Microsoft is the only company to endorse the effectiveness of art in reducing workplace stress, but it indeed is among the very few that go the extra mile to bring artistic artefacts into campuses. Microsoft campuses flaunt more than 5,000 contemporary and classic artworks, encompassing paintings, ceramics, multimedia works, paper works, studio glass, and these are collected and purchased from local artists, upcoming artists and established names of the likes of Chuck Close and Cindy Sherman.
World’s smartest techies love pizzas – How do you answer the crazy question – what do Microsoft coders, configuration experts and consultants eat? Well, the only way to work out the answer is to check the sales register in the cafeterias operational across Microsoft’s US centres. The 30+ cafeterias serving exciting and varied food fare to more than 35k+ hungry tech wizards everyday give enough evidence that pizzas are the most consumed food item. No wonders, pizza vendors line up like anything to get an entry into a Microsoft cafeteria. There are more Microsoft fun food facts for you to chew over. For instance, more than 23 million gratis beverages are consumed at the Microsoft corporate campus every year. Also, Microsoft shuttles offer free candy to boarders. A bonus fact – Milk and OJ are the top drinks of choice for Microsoft employees.
The man behind the Windows 95 start-up sound – The world woke up and warmed up to GUI operating system experience with Windows 95, and the funny start up tone associated with the OS managed to become a legend in itself. It was none other than Brian Eno, the master-class musician who’s worked with the likes of U2 and David Bowie, who created this cute, catchy and funny tone. Brian himself talks about how creating this tone was like trying to carve a ‘tiny little jewel’. Over the past 15 years, the sound has stamped itself in the hearts, minds and ear drums of Windows users as ‘the Microsoft sound’.
