50 years ago, on Friday, April 4th 1975, two guys from Seattle launched a software company in a  strip mall in Albuquerque NM..

That business would soon relocate to Redmond, Washington… and those Lakeside kids, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, did all right. The Windows operating system would go on to dominate the personal computer industry. 

Today, Microsoft is one of the most profitable companies in the world. And its presence laid the groundwork for the Puget Sound region as a hub for engineering and technical talent.

The path to where we are now had some bumps: Antitrust problems, and product flops. But after 5 decades the company endures, and thrives – as one of the biggest players in the emerging AI space. 

Holding onto that status, and figuring out the next big thing in the tech world, isn’t easy.

In light of the big 50-milestone, KUOW labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg recently sat down with Microsoft’s vice chair and president Brad Smith to discuss the past, and the future, of the company.

Guest:
Monica Nickelsburg, KUOW labor and economy reporter and co-host of the Booming podcast

Related Links:
Booming - KUOW
Tax the rich? Not so fast, say Microsoft, other Washington state businesses - KUOW
Microsoft turns 50: A look back at everything from the Altair to the Zune - NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

50 years ago, on Friday, April 4th 1975, two guys from Seattle launched a software company in a&nbsp; strip mall in Albuquerque NM..
That business would soon relocate to Redmond, Washington&hellip; and those Lakeside kids, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, did all right. The Windows operating system would go on to dominate the personal computer industry.&nbsp;
Today, Microsoft is one of the most profitable companies in the world. And its presence laid the groundwork for the Puget Sound region as a hub for engineering and technical talent.
The path to where we are now had some bumps: Antitrust problems, and product flops.&nbsp;But after 5 decades the company endures, and thrives &ndash; as one of the biggest players in the emerging AI space.&nbsp;
Holding onto that status, and figuring out the next big thing in the tech world, isn&rsquo;t easy.
In light of the big 50-milestone, KUOW labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg recently sat down with Microsoft&rsquo;s vice chair and president Brad Smith to discuss the past, and the future, of the company. Guest:
<ul>
<li>Monica Nickelsburg, KUOW labor and economy reporter and co-host of the Booming podcast</li>
</ul>
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/booming">Booming - KUOW</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/tax-the-rich-not-so-fast-say-microsoft-other-washington-state-businesses">Tax the rich? Not so fast, say Microsoft, other Washington state businesses - KUOW</a><a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/monica-nickelsburg"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/04/nx-s1-5328683/microsoft-50-year-anniversary-computing-revolution">Microsoft turns 50: A look back at everything from the Altair to the Zune - NPR</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

In light of the big 50-milestone, KUOW labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg recently sat down with Microsoft’s vice chair and president Brad Smith to discuss the past, and the future, of the company.

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