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Photos: When Microsoft ruled the world

Two women carry boxes of Microsoft Windows 95 through Beijing’s Forbidden City in 1996. The Chinese version of the operating system was officially launched in China in a ceremony in the Forbidden City, the former palace of China’s emperors.
Two women carry boxes of Microsoft Windows 95 through Beijing’s Forbidden City in 1996. The Chinese version of the operating system was officially launched in China in a ceremony in the Forbidden City, the former palace of China’s emperors.
Image: AP Photo/Greg Baker
By
Johnny Simon
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The 1990s were an explosive period for the personal computer. A chief reason: Microsoft. While it wasn’t a computer maker like IBM or Apple, its Windows operating system was the introduction to computers for millions of people.

Photos from that decade show the growing reach and dominance of Microsoft. The company debuted Windows across Asia to frenzy and fanfare, while founder and CEO Bill Gates was the nerdy global ambassador of the PC revolution. It also served as a time capsule of the era: Gates played golf with US president Bill Clinton and schmoozed with late night host Jay Leno, while throngs crowded into electronics stores to purchase physical discs of the newest version of Windows.

Change came quickly as one century ended and a new one began. The milestone anti-trust case against Microsoft in the late nineties and early 21st century and the growing dominance of Apple in the early aughts made the following two decades looks a lot different for Microsoft than before.

Bill Gates looks on as The Tonight Show’s Jay Leno co-hosts the official launch of Windows ’95 at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington in 1995.
Bill Gates looks on as The Tonight Show’s Jay Leno co-hosts the official launch of Windows ’95 at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington in 1995.
Image: Reuters/Jeff Vinnick
Microsoft’s CEO Bill Gates talks computers with six winners of “The Imagine Magic” contest at the Microsoft Redmond, Wash. headquarters in 1995.
Microsoft’s CEO Bill Gates talks computers with six winners of “The Imagine Magic” contest at the Microsoft Redmond, Wash. headquarters in 1995.
Image: AP Photo/Barry Sweet
Bill Gates
Bill Gates shakes hands with students from the Young Achievers Science and Math class of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood in 1996.
Image: AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Two women carry boxes of Microsoft Windows 95 through Beijing’s Forbidden City in 1996. The Chinese version of the operating system was officially launched there in a ceremony in the Forbidden City, the former palace of China’s emperors.
Two women carry boxes of Microsoft Windows 95 through Beijing’s Forbidden City in 1996. The Chinese version of the operating system was officially launched there in a ceremony in the Forbidden City, the former palace of China’s emperors.
Image: AP Photo/Greg Baker
Consumers rush to the shelves to buy the world’s first official consumer copy of Microsoft’s Windows 98 at a computer store in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia in 1998.
Consumers rush to the shelves to buy the world’s first official consumer copy of Microsoft’s Windows 98 at a computer store in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia in 1998.
Image: Reuters/Mark Baker
Confetti and balloons pop out from a festive ornamental ball cracked open by Windows 2000 seekers, cheered on by campaign girls, celebrating the Japanese launch of Microsoft’s Windows 2000 at a computer shop in Tokyo in 2000.
Confetti and balloons pop out from a festive ornamental ball cracked open by Windows 2000 seekers, cheered on by campaign girls, celebrating the Japanese launch of Microsoft’s Windows 2000 at a computer shop in Tokyo in 2000.
Image: Reuters/Eriko Sugita
Chinese computer users rush to buy Microsoft’s Chinese language version of Windows 98 at the midnight release of the product in Beijing in 1998.
Chinese computer users rush to buy Microsoft’s Chinese language version of Windows 98 at the midnight release of the product in Beijing in 1998.
Image: Reuters/Natalie Behring
A Microsoft employee explains a Vietnamese language version of Windows 95 during its launch in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1996.
A Microsoft employee explains a Vietnamese language version of Windows 95 during its launch in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1996.
Image: AP Photo/Lois Raimondo
Crowds of curious computer enthusiasts gather around a demonstration table in Hanoi where Microsoft employees demonstrate the Vietnamese version of Windows 95.
Crowds of curious computer enthusiasts gather around a demonstration table in Hanoi where Microsoft employees demonstrate the Vietnamese version of Windows 95.
Image: AP Photo/Lois Raimondo
A children’s choir perform during a Microsoft launch event for Windows 98 in Beijing in 1998.
A children’s choir perform during a Microsoft launch event for Windows 98 in Beijing in 1998.
Image: Reuters/Andrew Wong
Bill Gates signs a copy of Windows 98 for a fan at a CompUSA store in San Francisco in 1998.
Bill Gates signs a copy of Windows 98 for a fan at a CompUSA store in San Francisco in 1998.
Image: Reuters/Jeff Christensen
Retailer Gerry Harvey sells the world’s first official consumer copy of Microsoft’s Window’s 98 to Daniel Chan, autographed by Bill Gates, at his Auburn store in the western suburbs of Sydney.
Retailer Gerry Harvey sells the world’s first official consumer copy of Microsoft’s Window’s 98 to Daniel Chan, autographed by Bill Gates, at his Auburn store in the western suburbs of Sydney.
Image: Reuters/Mark Baker
Bill Gates replaces the pin after holding it for president Bill Clinton as the two men play a round of golf together at Farm Neck Golf Club on the first day of Clinton’s vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, in 1994.
Bill Gates replaces the pin after holding it for president Bill Clinton as the two men play a round of golf together at Farm Neck Golf Club on the first day of Clinton’s vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, in 1994.
Image: Reuters/Jim Bourg
Bill Gates watches as Microsoft’s Chris Capossela explains the features of a new trackball-less mouse during the keynote presentation at the COMDEX show in Chicago in 1999.
Bill Gates watches as Microsoft’s Chris Capossela explains the features of a new trackball-less mouse during the keynote presentation at the COMDEX show in Chicago in 1999.
Image: Reuters/Sue Ogrocki
A German customs officer displays two counterfeited items: Levi’s jeans and Microsoft Windows.
A German customs officer displays two counterfeited items: Levi’s jeans and Microsoft Windows.
Image: AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz