Who Is Microsoft? (2020)
Who is Microsoft in 2020? Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest software developers in the world. The company shares worldwide renown and is historically one of the most significant operating system developers in the marketplace. Microsoft is mostly known for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft Windows evolved from the MS-DOS operating system. MS-DOS was a command-line operating system that put Microsoft Corporation on the map. Microsoft Windows was essentially a GUI add-on for the MS-DOS back-end. Eventually, Microsoft Windows dropped the MS-DOS dependency and included a PowerShell environment of its own.
The State Of Microsoft In 2020
Microsoft has shared a mixed response from consumers and IT professionals. Many consumers who use the Microsoft Windows operating system regularly express their frustration with the endless updates and patches. They are frequently criticized for security vulnerabilities and stability issues. These vulnerabilities and security issues are to be expected. When an operating system holds a majority of the consumer market share, it makes the operating system a far more likely target by malicious software developers.
Although Microsoft has released a number of operating systems, many of them were well received. It was not uncommon for Microsoft to release operating systems that experimented with cutting edge features. These features were frequently buggy and received extreme criticism from end-users. Many IT professionals, including myself, understood that these experimental operating systems were often used to create a more stable and reliable version of Windows down the line.
Microsoft Released A Number Of “Well Received” Operating Systems, Including:
- MS-DOS
- Microsoft Windows 3.11
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows NT / XP
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Release A Number Of “Lemon” Operating Systems, Including:
- Microsoft Windows ME (Millennium Edition)
- Microsoft Windows Vista
- Microsoft Windows 8
Other Criticisms Of Microsoft In 2020
Although Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system is generally well-received, the company is not without criticisms. Many argue that Microsoft spends too much time catering to businesses and very little time on consumers. This is a legitimate complaint because many consumers have moved away from utilizing personal computers in lieu of tablets or smartphones. There is a consistent diminishing of market share and profitability for consumer operating systems.
The Windows 8 operating system sent computer users fleeing from traditional operating system personal computers. This is because the user interface on the Windows 8 operating system was designed for a touch screen. Those who used a mouse and keyboard were hit with tremendous issues in regards to productivity and workflow. Thankfully, Microsoft quickly released the Windows 10 operating system, which combined the traditional desktop environment with the touch screen UI of Windows 8. This allowed for a more flexible operating system environment as users switched from desktop to mobile.
Strong Points Of Microsoft In 2020
Windows 10 is stable, clean and flexible. The latest iteration of the operating system from Microsoft creates an environment that is adaptable to desktop and mobile devices. Incredibly unique computer configurations have resulted from this flexibility. Lenovo released a hybrid tablet and laptop environment on its Lenovo Yoga series. This hybrid allows for the instant transition from laptop to touch-screen tablet.
Microsoft’s Surface Book is another subset of products with excellent long term potential. These laptops let the user detach the monitor and utilize it as a tablet. The laptop base gives the user a physical keyboard to work with and also greatly enhances graphical capabilities with a dedicated graphics card. No other manufacturer or operating system developer offers an operating system with this amount of flexibility between operating environments.
Conclusion: Who Is Microsoft? (2020)
Microsoft is a dynamic and versatile company. They’ve made great strides in the past year toward improving product usability, security, and flexibility. Although these changes are not without their drawbacks, the company is heading in an extremely healthy direction. Their greatest triumph in 2019 was implementing the Windows operating system to support a unique environment in which desktops, tablets, smartphones, and even their new Xbox can work seamlessly.
This unified experience continues to make Microsoft an excellent choice for business users. As the operating system continues to become more stable, even more consumers and business users are likely to continue using it. With the popularity of smartphones and tablets, it is unlikely the Windows operating system could take another significant user interface (UI) overhaul without losing a majority of its user base, so the hope is Microsoft continues down the current development path.