The story of the MSX platform, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, is one of the games industries remarkable journeys that has left a powerful imprint on the world of technology and entertainment. Born in June 1983, the MSX, an acronym for "Machines with Software eXchangeability", emerged as a pioneering force that not only connected continents but also people through the magic of computing.

The birth of the MSX was a momentous event, an ambitious undertaking that materialized through the visionary partnership of Microsoft and ASCII Corporation. Their shared vision was clear: to create a standardized computing platform that would foster compatibility and ease of software development across a myriad of hardware manufacturers. What began as an idea soon evolved into a global phenomenon, revolutionizing the way people interacted with computers and forever altering the course of gaming history.

Microsoft's Board of Directors (BoD) just got one more empty seat, but this time it is a big leave to the company. The co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, is stepping down from the company's BoD to focus more on philanthropy. In addition to Microsoft, Mr. Gates also decided to pull from Berkshire Hathaway, so he can focus his efforts on making a better world. In his own words: "I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve - Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway - to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change. The leadership at the Berkshire companies and Microsoft has never been stronger, so the time is right to take this step."

Something changed forever in a little school in Seattle in the early 1970s. Paul Allen met Bill Gates there, and from that moment on the duo would work together to start Microsoft in 1975. Well, it wasn't Microsoft at that time, it was "Micro-Soft". Eight years later Allen would have to leave Microsoft after receiving a Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis. He kept his shares at Microsoft -Gates tried to buy out them at $5 per share-, a decision that allowed him to become a billionaire, an investor and a philanthropist.

He invested in several companies and became a celebrated sports team owner. He purchased Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC, but he was also devoted to philanthropy, giving contributions worth more than $2 billion to several projects and organizations. He won all those battles and even beat cancer both in 1982 and in 2009. On October 1, 2018, Allen wrote on Twitter "Recently, I learned the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma I battled in 2009 has returned. I've begun treatment & my doctors are optimistic that I will see a good result. Appreciate the support I've received & count on it as I fight this challenge.". He finally didn't make it and died yesterday, October 15, 2018. RIP.

Microsoft Corp. today commemorated its 30th Employee Giving Campaign and announced that U.S. employees raised $1 billion in cash since 1983 for approximately 31,000 U.S.-based nonprofits and community organizations. CEO Steve Ballmer announced the milestone during a special town hall event at the Microsoft Redmond campus, which included Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Washington State Gov. Chris Gregoire.

"Today, I'm thrilled to announce that since our Employee Giving Campaign started in 1983, Microsoft employees have donated a total of $1 billion to more than 31,000 nonprofits," Ballmer said. "I'm incredibly proud of our employees, and this is truly a time to celebrate, not just because we've raised a record amount of funds, but also because together with our nonprofit partners, we have impacted and improved the lives of hundreds of millions of people."

Microsoft Corp. today announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per share, reflecting a 3 cent or 15 percent increase over the previous quarter's dividend. The dividend is payable December 13, 2012 to shareholders of record on November 15, 2012. The ex-dividend date will be November 13, 2012.

The company also announced that Raymond V. Gilmartin, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Merck & Co., Inc., has decided that after 11 years of service, he will retire from and not seek re-election to Microsoft's board of directors at the company's 2012 annual meeting of shareholders.

Google's recent announcement of the Chrome OS, a web-oriented operating system that aims to use practicality and speed as its USPs, created more than just a few waves in the IT world. The firm later added that Chrome was going to be a free software, and has the support of some of the biggest names in the industry. At the receiving end of a potential competitor both in the operating system and cloud computing businesses, undoubtedly is Microsoft.

In an interview with CNet's Ina Fried, Bill Gates took the liberty of commenting on this development and implied that the waves Chrome OS created, are but in a teacup. "There's many, many forms of Linux operating systems out there and packaged in different ways and booted in different ways," Gates said, "In some ways I am surprised people are acting like there's something new. I mean, you've got Android running on Netbooks. It's got a browser in it," he added.

The founder and head of Microsoft, the world's largest software company Bill Gates steps down on Friday. One of the richest men in the world, Gates will now work full time for his charitable organization The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The 52-year-old will continue to be chairman though, but will only retain a nominal role in the software empire. He is still is the biggest shareholder of the company and his 8.7 per cent stake in Microsoft is worth about 23 billion dollars.

Gates authored the personal computer revolution three decades ago when he founded Microsoft along with his friend Paul Allen.

Microsoft released a commemorative video paying tribute to Bill's service to the company, titled "Bill Gates: Looking back, Moving Ahead". It can be watched on the company's website here.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said on Friday that Windows 7, the next major version of Windows, could come within the next year, far ahead of the development schedule indicated by the software maker. In response to a question about Windows Vista, Gates, speaking before the Inter-American Development Bank, said: "Sometime in the next year or so we will have a new version." Referring to Blackcomb or Windows 7, the code names for the next full release of Windows client software, Gates said: "I'm super-enthused about what it will do in lots of ways." Previously it was generally believed that Windows 7 OS would ship sometime in year 2010. The current version of Windows, known as Vista, shipped in January 2007. Microsoft's Windows XP is still widely available though, with no plans to be stopped until Windows 7 is released, Microsoft also announced yesterday.

Microsoft's chairman Bill Gates is set to make an "important announcement" regarding the Xbox 360 at next week's CES show in Las Vegas, reports The Seattle Times. The paper doesn't say exactly what Gates' revelation will regard at the electronic show, but it does go on to speculate that it might be the reveal of yet another Xbox 360 SKU with built-in HD-DVD playback. "In particular, Microsoft could work with Toshiba to develop a digital video recorder with a hard-drive, high-definition HD-DVD drive and Xbox gaming capabilities." says Seattle Times columnist Brier Dudley. "Microsoft could also make a splash by announcing plans to give the Xbox 360 an internal HD-DVD drive, putting it on par with Sony's PlayStation 3 that has a built-in Blu-ray drive." he also added. Built-in HD-DVD playback is the logical next step for the 360, but let's wait until next week and see what happens then.

A Mexican online financial Web site estimates that tycoon Carlos Slim has a net worth of $67 billion, which would place his fortune above that of the Microsoft chairman, according to various media reports. Slim is known for a wide swath of holdings including banking interests, CompUSA and telecommunications firms.

The Mexican site, Sentido Comun, noted Slim's rising wealth in April, saying that they believed he had passed both then No. 2 Warren Buffet and Gates, Britain's The Guardian said in its report. But with a recent rise in shares of mobile phone carrier America Movil, Sentido Comun founder Eduardo Garcia said, there is no doubt that Slim has surpassed Gates.