The History of Microsoft (1993)

February 25, 1993

Microsoft announces that it has gained ownership of the Windows trademark through its extensive use of the mark and industry-wide recognition of its successful Windows product. Under U.S. law, trademark registration is optional and merely facilitates trademark enforcement.

March 22, 1993

Microsoft Encarta, the first multimedia encyclopedia designed for a computer, is available.

March 30, 1993

Microsoft announces the availability of the MS-DOS 6.0 Upgrade.

April 6, 1993

Microsoft BallPoint Mouse Launched Into Space: A new breed of mouse will be aboard the NASA space shuttle Discovery, scheduled to launch today.

April 14, 1993

Microsoft reports that the number of licensed users of Microsoft Windows now totals more than 25 million, making it the most popular graphical operating system in the world.

April 23, 1993

Frank Gaudette, Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer, passes away after an eight-month battle against cancer. He was 57.

April 27, 1993

Microsoft Mouse 2.0, with a sophisticated new ergonometric design, is available.

May 7, 1993

Former President George Bush and his 10-person staff upgrade their computers Mail 3.2 and Windows Remote Mail, thanks to the Dallas account team. The upgrade to mail products completes a transition for Bush and his staff to Windows and Windows-based applications.

May 24, 1993

Microsoft announces Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1 at Windows World 1993 in Atlanta, Georgia.

June 2, 1993

Plug and Play ISA Specification Version 1.0 Released: The distribution of Plug and Play ISA Specification 1.0 is announced at an implementation workshop hosted by Intel and Microsoft today.

June 9, 1993

Microsoft unveils Microsoft At Work, a new software architecture which focuses on making the full functionality of digital devices easier to use, and on creating digital connections between all office machines (like faxes and printers) to allow information to flow freely among all device types throughout the workplace.

August 24, 1993

Excel 4.0 Becomes the World's Top-Selling Spreadsheet: Worldwide shipments of Excel surpass those of any other vendor for Windows, Apple Macintosh and MS-DOS combined. Excel has shipped more than 5 million new units worldwide.

September 14, 1993

Microsoft ships SQL Server for Windows NT. The shipment of SQL Server and related tools, interfaces and connectivity components for Windows NT underscores Microsoft's commitment to deliver a complete family of information management products for client-server computing.

October 4, 1993

Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Home brand, a broad range of consumer software products targeted at home computer users.

October 21, 1993

Release of a key specification for Plug and Play architecture is announced. ISA and driver interface specifications have already been released in final form, and the Plug and Play BIOS specification is currently available for final public comment.

1993 Revenue/Headcount

The 1993 fiscal year-end sales total $3,752,701,000.

The 1993 fiscal Year employee headcount totals 14,430 people.