Microsoft developed Windows and launched the Azure cloud-computing platform.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975. The company first became widely known for supplying software for personal computers, especially the MS-DOS operating system and later Microsoft Windows.
Windows became a major desktop platform, while Microsoft Office made applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint central to business and education. The company later broadened its business through Xbox, LinkedIn, enterprise software, and cloud computing.
Microsoft Azure is its cloud platform and competes with services from Amazon and Google. Azure was introduced commercially in 2010 and became a major growth engine. Microsoft’s market capitalization reflects investor expectations about all these businesses, not merely the value of Windows.