Microsoft Corporation is a multinational technology company that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells computer software, consumer electronics, and related services. Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft is one of the world’s largest and most influential technology companies.

Here are some key areas of Microsoft’s business and the products and services they offer:

1. Operating Systems: Microsoft is best known for its Windows operating system, which is used on the majority of personal computers worldwide. Windows 10 is the latest version as of my knowledge cutoff.
2. Productivity Software: Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity applications that includes popular programs such as Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), PowerPoint (presentation), and Outlook (email and calendar). These applications are widely used in both personal and professional settings.
3. Cloud Computing: Microsoft Azure is the company’s cloud computing platform, offering a wide range of services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers. Azure provides infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS) offerings.
4. Enterprise Software: Microsoft offers various enterprise software solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics, a suite of customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications.
5. Gaming: Microsoft is the creator of the Xbox gaming console series, including the latest generation Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The company also operates Xbox Live, an online gaming service, and Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service that offers access to a library of games.
6. Hardware: Microsoft produces a range of hardware devices, including the Surface line of tablets and laptops, the Surface Hub interactive whiteboard, and accessories such as keyboards and mice.
7. Search Engine: Microsoft’s search engine is called Bing, which competes with other search engines like Google and Yahoo.
8. Developer Tools: Microsoft offers a suite of development tools, including Visual Studio, a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for building applications across various platforms.
9. Artificial Intelligence: Microsoft invests heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) research and development. They provide AI-powered tools and services through platforms like Azure AI and integrate AI capabilities into their various products and services.
10. Internet of Things (IoT): Microsoft offers IoT solutions through its Azure IoT platform, enabling businesses to connect, monitor, and manage IoT devices and collect and analyze data from them.

These are just some of the main areas and products of Microsoft’s vast portfolio. The company continues to innovate and expand into new technologies and services to meet the evolving needs of its customers.