This page lists some of the “innovations” Microsoft made in history.
Although this no joke it is in the “Humor” section because they must either smoking crack or just kidding with calling them “their innovations”. This is, of course, not a complete list at all! Here we go:
Close Combat: Popular game purchased from Atomic Games.
Flight Simulator: Purchased from the Bruce Artwick Organisation.
Age of Empires: Collabaration with Ensemble studios (Gopal R S).
FrontPage: Microsoft’s HTML editor was purchased from Vermeer Technologies in 1996.
FoxPro: This database application came along with Microsoft’s purchase of Fox Software in 1986.
Internet Explorer: Desperate to play catch-up in the fast-moving Internet world Microsoft licensed code from Spyglass Inc one ofthe two licensees of the original Mosaic code base in 1995 and called it MSIE Microsoft then proceeded to distribute MSIE for free denying Spyglass substantial royalties for their key contribution to the product.
MS-DOS: The original Microsoft cash cow this CPM clone then called Q-DOS was purchased from the Seattle Computer Company in 1981 Microsoft then proceeded to thwart Seattle Computer’s license rights to the product The tiny company sued Microsoft and prevailed in court.
Object Linking Environment OLE: Microsoft settled a suit with Wang Labs over patent infringement code portions of OLE which is also the heart of Microsoft’s ActiveX.
PowerPoint: This presentation software package was renamed and re branded after Microsoft’s purchase of Forethought Inc in 1987.
SQL Server: This important database product is based on code purchased from Sybase in 1988.
Visual Basic: Ruby the foundation for Microsoft’s highly important Visual Basic product was purchased from Cooper Software in 1991.
Visual C: Microsoft purchased the Lattice C code compiler which became Visual C Microsoft’s software development environment.
Visual SourceSafe: Purchased from OneTree Software Shortly after OneTree’s SourceSafe was released Microsoft preannounced a similar application called Microsoft Delta which failed to sell Microsoft then purchased OneTree and renamed SourceSafe as Microsoft Visual SourceSafe.
Windows: Technologies used in Windows multitasking came to Microsoft with their purchase of Dynamical Systems in 1986 Portions of the interface were licensed from Apple Computer also in 1986.
XENIX: Microsoft’s version of Unix was actually written under contract by the Santa Cruz Operation (SCO).
The Intellimouse, which Goldtouch is now suing for patent violations over. Seems Goldtouch had a meeting with M$ and tried to sell them their ergonomic mouse technology. M$ didn’t buy, but 6 months later released a mouse which looked remarkably simular…