It’s hard to imagine a world minus the impact that Microsoft has made. While Apple certainly made ripples in bringing computing to the masses, it was the efforts of Microsoft that really saw the vision through to fruition. Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of Microsoft since it was founded on April 4th, 1975. To remember the past and share his vision of the future, Bill Gates sent an email to all Microsoft Employees. The email was as follows:
Tomorrow is a special day: Microsoft’s 40th anniversary.
Early on, Paul Allen and I set the goal of a computer on every desk and in every home. It was a bold idea and a lot of people thought we were out of our minds to imagine it was possible. It is amazing to think about how far computing has come since then, and we can all be proud of the role Microsoft played in that revolution.
Today though, I am thinking much more about Microsoft’s future than its past. I believe computing will evolve faster in the next 10 years than it ever has before. We already live in a multi-platform world, and computing will become even more pervasive. We are nearing the point where computers and robots will be able to see, move, and interact naturally, unlocking many new applications and empowering people even more.
Under Satya’s leadership, Microsoft is better positioned than ever to lead these advances. We have the resources to drive and solve tough problems. We are engaged in every facet of modern computing and have the deepest commitment to research in the industry. In my role as technical advisor to Satya, I get to join product reviews and am impressed by the vision and talent I see. The result is evident in products like Cortana, Skype Translator, and HoloLens — and those are just a few of the many innovations that are on the way.
In the coming years, Microsoft has the opportunity to reach even more people and organizations around the world. Technology is still out of reach for many people, because it is complex or expensive, or they simply do not have access. So I hope you will think about what you can do to make the power of technology accessible to everyone, to connect people to each other, and make personal computing available everywhere even as the very notion of what a PC delivers makes its way into all devices.
We have accomplished a lot together during our first 40 years and empowered countless businesses and people to realize their full potential. But what matters most now is what we do next. Thank you for helping make Microsoft a fantastic company now and for decades to come.
While remembering the resistance and doubt that Bill Gates and the company faced with their original vision is astounding, it’s even more intriguing to ponder on the future impact the company will make. Technology is advancing at an exponential rate. As technology improves, our ability to use technology in order to advance technology becomes even greater. These exponential advancements hold a world of promise in our future.
Gates mentioned a few upcoming technologies that he believes will make an impact on the world, “Cortana, Skype Translator, and HoloLens” Additionally, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and the internet of things are a few more technologies that make me excited for the future. Regardless of what the future holds, Microsoft has proven that they are a company dedicated to using technology to make the world a better place. That is something that we can all tip our hats to. Thank you Mr. Gates and anyone else that has contributed in enabling computing and technology to change our lives.
How has Microsoft impacted your life? Let us know in the comments below