days. Soon after, the company heralded the dawn of the internet age with the launch of 2.0. reinvented itself in 1996 by responding to the fast-growing popularity of the internet and launching MSNBC, an internet news and information network with NBC. In 2001, Microsoft introduced new versions of its leading desktop software products, the Windows XP family of operating systems, and the Office XP productivity suite of business applications. Separately, each product offers significant new benefits; but the desktop combination of Windows XP and Office XP delivers the new standard in business for security, privacy, reliability and business launched its first personal computer. Based on productivity. It allows users to experience the integrity, which will deliver the full promise of Microsoft’s 16-bit disk operating system, MS- smarter way to work, with greater personal technology to help businesses in every field DOS 1.0 became the hardware standard for PCs, productivity, improved connectivity to people and realise their potential. with nine out of ten of the world’s 140 million information, and dependability. However, Microsoft’s most important computers using it. Since MS DOS with Arabic support, Microsoft achievements have been in making software to In 1983, it launched the Microsoft Mouse, has continued to deliver top quality Arabic power the PC. It made the operating system , the most widely used word- products to the local market and is the most for the first PC: now the ancient-sounding MS- processing software and , significant contributor in this area. In 2001, DOS. It introduced the first ever computer the operating system that lies at the root of the Microsoft delivered Arabic editions of both mouse and the most widely used word- company’s success. MS-Windows was an extension XP and Microsoft Windows, for processing programme, Microsoft Word. And of of MS-DOS, providing a graphical operating home and professional use. course, it gave the world a ubiquitous graphical environment, far more flexible and easy to use. On the home-user front, Microsoft launched it demonstrated technologies that advance the is the Windows .NET Server 2003 that takes interface that made it easy for everyone to use a Microsoft went public in 1986, issuing stock at Windows Millennium Edition with both English XML Web services foundation to meet the the best of Windows 2000 Server technology computer – Microsoft Windows. US$21 per share. At the same time, the company and Arabic versions available on the retail requirements of businesses connecting their and makes it easier to deploy, manage and use. With Windows, Microsoft truly put the moved to its new corporate campus surrounding shelf at the same time. In May 2001, Microsoft own disparate systems securely and reliably. Windows .NET Server 2003 includes all the ‘personal’ bit into the PC, making IT accessible to ‘Lake Bill’ in Washington. At this very early stage, launched Office XP, the latest office productivity The release candidate 1 (RC1) for Windows® functionality customers expect from a mission- billions of people around the world. it held its first international conference on CD- and collaborative software experience, again in .NET Server, includes native support for the critical Windows server operating system, such After the ‘Windows’ revolution during the PC Rom technology. English and Arabic simultaneously. Additionally in .NET Framework and will prove to be the most as security, reliability, availability, and scalability. In decade, Microsoft moved computing beyond A joint venture with IBM saw the launch of October 2001, Microsoft launched the English productive platform available for developing, addition, Microsoft has improved and extended the desktop and is now ready to harness the the Operating System/2 in 1987. In the same and Arabic versions of its new operating system, deploying and managing XML Web services. the Windows server operating systems. power of the next generation internet through year, it also introduced Windows 2.0 and the Windows XP, in the region simultaneous to its Windows .NET Server will be one of the first interactive and meaningful web services, first version of the hugely popular spreadsheet global release. products of the second phase of .NET. BRAND VALUES an initiative that is called the .NET strategy. package, Excel for Windows. By the following Small Business Server 2000 is the flexible Microsoft is today committed to help people and Microsoft’s recent launch of the .NET framework year, Microsoft became the world’s biggest PRODUCT network solution designed to help small businesses realise their full potential through its MARKET and Visual Studio.NET developing tools are the software vendor, overtaking Lotus Development Microsoft now has over 260 products and businesses, with up to 50 computers, get more state-of-the-art technology. As the IT landscape Microsoft is one of the best known brands in cornerstones of this strategy. Corporation. services, the principal brand in the stable still done in less time. The integrated Small Business is quickly changing, Microsoft is moving away the world today. It started its operations in the In 1990, Microsoft launched Windows 3.0 being Microsoft Windows. On the operating Server helps organisations to take advantage from PC-centric usage to embrace a wider Middle East a decade ago, when the excitement HISTORY accompanied by a US$10 million marketing system front, Windows XP has sold more than of the rapidly changing internet, to manage and variety of devices and networked solutions. To fit about personal computers and the internet Microsoft was formed in 1975 in Albuquerque, campaign. 100,000 copies were sold in six weeks 46 million copies since its release till July 2002, develop customer relationships and to enhance in with this, Microsoft has a new vision for the revolution were reaching a peak. New Mexico, by co-founders and and company revenues reached US$1.18 billion. making it the fastest-selling version of Windows productivity. future: ‘Empower people through great software The International Data Corporation (IDC) . Together they developed the first In 1991, four million copies of Windows 3.0 were ever. XP has sold 230% more copies than Exchange 2000 Server seamlessly integrates – any time, any place and on any device.’ This recently described the Middle East as one of the computer language programme written for a shipped to 24 countries in twelve languages Windows 95 and 160% more than Windows 98 with the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating new vision is a re-invention of its business, an world’s fastest growing IT markets, with a growth personal computer, BASIC, on an Altair 8800. and by 1993 the world had 25 million users of over the same time period after their debut. The system. Exchange allows businesses of all sizes to overarching statement that will direct its strategy. rate of approximately 20% per annum, in spite The Microsoft trade name was registered in Microsoft Windows. Microsoft Windows family of operating systems increase overall productivity while The brand has always been about how of the global tech-meltdown and economic 1976, when Gates was only twenty years old, still ‘Where do you want to go today?’ launched spans the complete range of computing needs, lowering costs and creating new software makes life easier, encompassed in slowdown. The Middle Eastern economy is studying at Harvard and running the business part- the US$100 million marketing campaign in 1994. from handheld devices to network servers. business opportunities. Together the famous tagline ‘Where do you want to go evolving at a tremendous pace and a substantial time. Meanwhile, BASIC became the language of The launch of Microsoft Windows 95 in August Microsoft’s .NET technology is with Microsoft Outlook 2000, today?’ The central values of the Microsoft brand amount of investment has gone into building a choice for the burgeoning computer industry. 1995 was the most successful launch to date, at least six months ahead of its Exchange provides an easily are innovation, diversity, partners, people and robust IT foundation in the region. Microsoft hit a milestone in 1981 when IBM with over one million units sold in the first four competitors according to Ovum, managed messaging and entrepreneurship. Most importantly, it is a brand Microsoft opened its Middle East headquarters in the leading analyst and consulting collaboration infrastructure. which passionately believes about the exciting Dubai with five employees. Today, it comprises five company. It is more complete, Mobile Information Server future of technology. geographical territories: South Gulf (UAE, Oman, more ready and more widely 2002 extends the reach of Yemen & Pakistan), North Gulf (Kuwait, Qatar deployed than any of its web Microsoft .NET–based enterprise www.microsoft.com & Bahrain), East Mediterranean (Lebanon, Jordan, services framework competitors. applications, data, and intranet Cyprus & Malta), Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In 1998, Microsoft .NET is a set content into the realm of the Microsoft expanded its Middle East sales offices to of software technologies mobile user. Mobile Information Abu Dhabi, followed by similar operations in Kuwait for connecting the world of Server 2002 brings the power Things you didn’t know about and Lebanon in 1999, Pakistan in 2000 and Jordan information, people, systems, of the corporate intranet to Microsoft and Oman later in 2001. and devices. It enables an the latest generation of mobile Microsoft’s Middle East subsidiary is one of the unprecedented level of software devices allowing users to There are over 255 million users of Windows in top five fastest growing subsidiaries worldwide, integration through the use of securely gain access to e-mail the world an indication of the evolving IT industry in the XML Web services: small, discrete, messages, contacts, calendars, region. Based at the Dubai Internet City (DIC) building block applications that tasks, or intranet line-of-business Bill Gates is also a successful author. His latest Microsoft Middle East continues to research, test connect to each other, as well as applications wherever they are. book ‘Business @ the Speed of Thought’ has and localise Arabic software to cater to specific to other, larger applications-via the been published in 25 languages and is available needs of Arabic customers. internet. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS in 60 countries. Building upon the first phase of .NET In 2002, Microsoft spent over US$5.3 ACHIEVEMENTS included the delivery of Visual Studio .NET, a billion, constituting over 50% of global profits, Bill Gates started programming computers at the In a little over 26 years, Microsoft has risen to comprehensive suite of developer tools launched on customer-centric research and development age of thirteen. become one of the most influential companies earlier this year, as well as the broad support worldwide. The Arabic versions of new products are also in the world. When he founded the company, Bill for Extensible Markup Language (XML) and After the ‘Windows’ revolution in the PC launched during global launches. Gates articulated a vision that ”there would be a Web services across Microsoft’s line of .NET decade, Microsoft has now moved computing PC on every desk and in every home”. A dream Enterprise Servers. beyond the desktop and is ready to harness the 606356 cans of soda are consumed at Microsoft that gets closer to being reality every day. Tackling the problem of making it easier to power of the next generation internet through campus each month For Microsoft, the digital future is more connect different businesses and computer interactive and meaningful web services, an Staff send an average of 1.4 million emails every day. important than ever and globally, as well as systems in a networked world, Microsoft is initiative called .NET strategy. The recently launched regionally, the company is moving at a breakneck advancing XML-based Web services working .NET framework and Visual Studio.NET developing The top three leisure travel destinations of speed to meet it. with the industry to provide a comprehensive tools are the cornerstones of this strategy. Microsoft employees are Disneyland, Hawaii & Trustworthy Computing is Microsoft’s vision foundation for distributed computing. Specifically, The other major launch slated next year San Francisco

58 SUPERBRANDS days. Soon after, the company heralded the dawn of the internet age with the launch of Internet Explorer 2.0. Microsoft reinvented itself in 1996 by responding to the fast-growing popularity of the internet and launching MSNBC, an internet news and information network with NBC. In 2001, Microsoft introduced new versions of its leading desktop software products, the Windows XP family of operating systems, and the Office XP productivity suite of business applications. Separately, each product offers significant new benefits; but the desktop combination of Windows XP and Office XP delivers the new standard in business for security, privacy, reliability and business launched its first personal computer. Based on productivity. It allows users to experience the integrity, which will deliver the full promise of Microsoft’s 16-bit disk operating system, MS- smarter way to work, with greater personal technology to help businesses in every field DOS 1.0 became the hardware standard for PCs, productivity, improved connectivity to people and realise their potential. with nine out of ten of the world’s 140 million information, and dependability. However, Microsoft’s most important computers using it. Since MS DOS with Arabic support, Microsoft achievements have been in making software to In 1983, it launched the Microsoft Mouse, has continued to deliver top quality Arabic power the PC. It made the operating system Microsoft Word, the most widely used word- products to the local market and is the most for the first PC: now the ancient-sounding MS- processing software and Microsoft Windows, significant contributor in this area. In 2001, DOS. It introduced the first ever computer the operating system that lies at the root of the Microsoft delivered Arabic editions of both mouse and the most widely used word- company’s success. MS-Windows was an extension Microsoft Office XP and Microsoft Windows, for processing programme, Microsoft Word. And of of MS-DOS, providing a graphical operating home and professional use. course, it gave the world a ubiquitous graphical environment, far more flexible and easy to use. On the home-user front, Microsoft launched it demonstrated technologies that advance the is the Windows .NET Server 2003 that takes interface that made it easy for everyone to use a Microsoft went public in 1986, issuing stock at Windows Millennium Edition with both English XML Web services foundation to meet the the best of Windows 2000 Server technology computer – Microsoft Windows. US$21 per share. At the same time, the company and Arabic versions available on the retail requirements of businesses connecting their and makes it easier to deploy, manage and use. With Windows, Microsoft truly put the moved to its new corporate campus surrounding shelf at the same time. In May 2001, Microsoft own disparate systems securely and reliably. Windows .NET Server 2003 includes all the ‘personal’ bit into the PC, making IT accessible to ‘Lake Bill’ in Washington. At this very early stage, launched Office XP, the latest office productivity The release candidate 1 (RC1) for Windows® functionality customers expect from a mission- billions of people around the world. it held its first international conference on CD- and collaborative software experience, again in .NET Server, includes native support for the critical Windows server operating system, such After the ‘Windows’ revolution during the PC Rom technology. English and Arabic simultaneously. Additionally in .NET Framework and will prove to be the most as security, reliability, availability, and scalability. In decade, Microsoft moved computing beyond A joint venture with IBM saw the launch of October 2001, Microsoft launched the English productive platform available for developing, addition, Microsoft has improved and extended the desktop and is now ready to harness the the Operating System/2 in 1987. In the same and Arabic versions of its new operating system, deploying and managing XML Web services. the Windows server operating systems. power of the next generation internet through year, it also introduced Windows 2.0 and the Windows XP, in the region simultaneous to its Windows .NET Server will be one of the first interactive and meaningful web services, first version of the hugely popular spreadsheet global release. products of the second phase of .NET. BRAND VALUES an initiative that is called the .NET strategy. package, Excel for Windows. By the following Small Business Server 2000 is the flexible Microsoft is today committed to help people and Microsoft’s recent launch of the .NET framework year, Microsoft became the world’s biggest PRODUCT network solution designed to help small businesses realise their full potential through its MARKET and Visual Studio.NET developing tools are the software vendor, overtaking Lotus Development Microsoft now has over 260 products and businesses, with up to 50 computers, get more state-of-the-art technology. As the IT landscape Microsoft is one of the best known brands in cornerstones of this strategy. Corporation. services, the principal brand in the stable still done in less time. The integrated Small Business is quickly changing, Microsoft is moving away the world today. It started its operations in the In 1990, Microsoft launched Windows 3.0 being Microsoft Windows. On the operating Server helps organisations to take advantage from PC-centric usage to embrace a wider Middle East a decade ago, when the excitement HISTORY accompanied by a US$10 million marketing system front, Windows XP has sold more than of the rapidly changing internet, to manage and variety of devices and networked solutions. To fit about personal computers and the internet Microsoft was formed in 1975 in Albuquerque, campaign. 100,000 copies were sold in six weeks 46 million copies since its release till July 2002, develop customer relationships and to enhance in with this, Microsoft has a new vision for the revolution were reaching a peak. New Mexico, by co-founders Bill Gates and and company revenues reached US$1.18 billion. making it the fastest-selling version of Windows productivity. future: ‘Empower people through great software The International Data Corporation (IDC) Paul Allen. Together they developed the first In 1991, four million copies of Windows 3.0 were ever. XP has sold 230% more copies than Exchange 2000 Server seamlessly integrates – any time, any place and on any device.’ This recently described the Middle East as one of the computer language programme written for a shipped to 24 countries in twelve languages Windows 95 and 160% more than Windows 98 with the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating new vision is a re-invention of its business, an world’s fastest growing IT markets, with a growth personal computer, BASIC, on an Altair 8800. and by 1993 the world had 25 million users of over the same time period after their debut. The system. Exchange allows businesses of all sizes to overarching statement that will direct its strategy. rate of approximately 20% per annum, in spite The Microsoft trade name was registered in Microsoft Windows. Microsoft Windows family of operating systems increase overall productivity while The brand has always been about how of the global tech-meltdown and economic 1976, when Gates was only twenty years old, still ‘Where do you want to go today?’ launched spans the complete range of computing needs, lowering costs and creating new software makes life easier, encompassed in slowdown. The Middle Eastern economy is studying at Harvard and running the business part- the US$100 million marketing campaign in 1994. from handheld devices to network servers. business opportunities. Together the famous tagline ‘Where do you want to go evolving at a tremendous pace and a substantial time. Meanwhile, BASIC became the language of The launch of Microsoft Windows 95 in August Microsoft’s .NET technology is with Microsoft Outlook 2000, today?’ The central values of the Microsoft brand amount of investment has gone into building a choice for the burgeoning computer industry. 1995 was the most successful launch to date, at least six months ahead of its Exchange provides an easily are innovation, diversity, partners, people and robust IT foundation in the region. Microsoft hit a milestone in 1981 when IBM with over one million units sold in the first four competitors according to Ovum, managed messaging and entrepreneurship. Most importantly, it is a brand Microsoft opened its Middle East headquarters in the leading analyst and consulting collaboration infrastructure. which passionately believes about the exciting Dubai with five employees. Today, it comprises five company. It is more complete, Mobile Information Server future of technology. geographical territories: South Gulf (UAE, Oman, more ready and more widely 2002 extends the reach of Yemen & Pakistan), North Gulf (Kuwait, Qatar deployed than any of its web Microsoft .NET–based enterprise www.microsoft.com & Bahrain), East Mediterranean (Lebanon, Jordan, services framework competitors. applications, data, and intranet Cyprus & Malta), Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In 1998, Microsoft .NET is a set content into the realm of the Microsoft expanded its Middle East sales offices to of software technologies mobile user. Mobile Information Abu Dhabi, followed by similar operations in Kuwait for connecting the world of Server 2002 brings the power Things you didn’t know about and Lebanon in 1999, Pakistan in 2000 and Jordan information, people, systems, of the corporate intranet to Microsoft and Oman later in 2001. and devices. It enables an the latest generation of mobile Microsoft’s Middle East subsidiary is one of the unprecedented level of software devices allowing users to There are over 255 million users of Windows in top five fastest growing subsidiaries worldwide, integration through the use of securely gain access to e-mail the world an indication of the evolving IT industry in the XML Web services: small, discrete, messages, contacts, calendars, region. Based at the Dubai Internet City (DIC) building block applications that tasks, or intranet line-of-business Bill Gates is also a successful author. His latest Microsoft Middle East continues to research, test connect to each other, as well as applications wherever they are. book ‘Business @ the Speed of Thought’ has and localise Arabic software to cater to specific to other, larger applications-via the been published in 25 languages and is available needs of Arabic customers. internet. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS in 60 countries. Building upon the first phase of .NET In 2002, Microsoft spent over US$5.3 ACHIEVEMENTS included the delivery of Visual Studio .NET, a billion, constituting over 50% of global profits, Bill Gates started programming computers at the In a little over 26 years, Microsoft has risen to comprehensive suite of developer tools launched on customer-centric research and development age of thirteen. become one of the most influential companies earlier this year, as well as the broad support worldwide. The Arabic versions of new products are also in the world. When he founded the company, Bill for Extensible Markup Language (XML) and After the ‘Windows’ revolution in the PC launched during global launches. Gates articulated a vision that ”there would be a Web services across Microsoft’s line of .NET decade, Microsoft has now moved computing PC on every desk and in every home”. A dream Enterprise Servers. beyond the desktop and is ready to harness the 606356 cans of soda are consumed at Microsoft that gets closer to being reality every day. Tackling the problem of making it easier to power of the next generation internet through campus each month For Microsoft, the digital future is more connect different businesses and computer interactive and meaningful web services, an Staff send an average of 1.4 million emails every day. important than ever and globally, as well as systems in a networked world, Microsoft is initiative called .NET strategy. The recently launched regionally, the company is moving at a breakneck advancing XML-based Web services working .NET framework and Visual Studio.NET developing The top three leisure travel destinations of speed to meet it. with the industry to provide a comprehensive tools are the cornerstones of this strategy. Microsoft employees are Disneyland, Hawaii & Trustworthy Computing is Microsoft’s vision foundation for distributed computing. Specifically, The other major launch slated next year San Francisco

58 SUPERBRANDS