Microsoft created the Windows operating system and the Azure cloud platform.
Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. Its early success came from developing software for personal computers, especially the MS-DOS operating system and later Microsoft Windows. Windows became one of the dominant desktop operating systems worldwide.
Microsoft launched Azure, originally called Windows Azure, in 2010. Azure provides cloud infrastructure, computing, storage, databases, analytics, and other services to businesses and governments. Its growth transformed Microsoft from a company known mainly for desktop software into a major cloud and enterprise-services provider.
Microsoft also owns or operates products including Microsoft 365, Xbox, LinkedIn, and GitHub. A common confusion is treating Azure as a separate public company; it is a Microsoft business segment. Microsoft’s shares trade on Nasdaq under the ticker MSFT.