We already brought you part one of our list of 40 things you didn’t know about Microsoft, and now we’re back with part two! Check out 10 more fascinating facts about the giant tech company that you definitely (probably) didn’t know. You might be surprised by what you learn!
Number Thirty: The Company Files Thousands of Patents Every Year. Every single year, Microsoft files an average of 3,000 patents. They currently own more than 10,000 patents.
Number Twenty-Nine: Microsoft Was Originally Meant to Interpret BASIC. The idea behind Microsoft was originally to manufacture and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800 computer. Microsoft’s very first customer was Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems.
Number Twenty-Eight: There’s a Shortcut to Include the Date in Word. Rather than checking your calendar or typing out the date in Word, just type “Alt-Shift-D,” and Word will insert the date automatically!
Number Twenty-Seven: There’s a Creepy 9/11 Trick. One of the planes that hit the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, had a code of Q33. If you type “Q33” while using the Wingdings font, you’ll see a disturbing sequence of symbols.
Number Twenty-Six: Before it Was Windows, it Was Interface Manager. The very first version of Windows was almost released as “Interface Manager” until some smart person in marketing decided that “Windows” was catchier.
Number Twenty-Five: Windows XP Was Almost “Oxygen.” It’s true! Though it ended up being named Windows XP, the software was almost called “Oxygen,” as in Windows O2.
Number Twenty-Four: Their Research Division Is Filled With Nerds. And we mean that in the best way possible! More than 850 Ph.D. recipients work in Microsoft’s research division.
Number Twenty-Three: They Didn’t Have Their Own Website Until 1993. Microsoft didn’t actually get its own website until 1993, which it acquired as a result of taking over a Compuserve forum that had been designed for resources related to support.
Number Twenty-Two: Bill Gates’ Favorite Band Is U2. Gates is a long-standing fan of the Irish rock band and has seen them live on numerous occasions.
Number Twenty-One: The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog. Here’s a trick – type “=rand.old()” into Word, and hit Enter. You’ll get “The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog” printed out 18 times. The sentence contains every letter of the alphabet. Stay tuned for part three of our list of 40 things you didn’t know about Microsoft, coming soon!