Celebrating Half a Century of Innovation and Collaboration
As Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is a wonderful moment to reflect on the pivotal role that the Microsoft Community has played in its success every year along the way. From the early days of software development to the current era of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI), community has been a cornerstone of our success and innovation. For me personally, it has sustained and educated me while providing me with a place to meet so many people that today are my friends. From my early days in the SQL communities to the Women of Microsoft 365, today community members have been a welcoming and pivotal force in my career. We are celebrating our history with voices from alumni changemakers and more while continuing to bring people together because change needs makers.
Change makers, 1978: Microsoft’s founding employees gather to take a portrait before the company moved from Albuquerque to Redmond, WA. Front row (left to right): Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood, and Paul Allen. Middle row: Bob O’Rear, Bob Greenberg, Marc McDonald, and Gordon Letwin. Back row: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace, and Jim Lane. Not pictured is Miriam Lubow. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A Legacy of Innovation
Microsoft's story began in 1975 when Bill Gates and Paul Allen set out to revolutionize the way we interact with computers. From the introduction of the MS-DOS operating system (review Bill Gates’ 50th Celebration post – including downloading original Microsoft source code) to the ubiquitous Windows platform, the Microsoft Community has been instrumental in driving the company's growth and innovation. Developers, users, and partners have contributed to an ecosystem that fosters creativity and problem-solving.
1975: Microsoft Co-Founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen
Early Days: Building a Foundation
In the initial years, the Microsoft Community was composed of a small but dedicated group of software enthusiasts who believed in Gates and Allen's vision. These pioneers participated in early beta testing, provided feedback, and helped shape the direction of Microsoft's products. Their contributions laid the groundwork for the company's future successes. Take a scroll thru 50 years of highlights: “About Microsoft: Explore a timeline of Microsoft’s journey.” Today large communities of people like Windows Insiders and more help us make better, more inclusive software.
Expansion and Growth
The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) was officially launched in September 1992 [1]. MSDN was created to manage Microsoft's relationship with developers and testers, providing them with resources, documentation, and support for developing software on Microsoft's platforms. This firmly embedded the idea of co-creating with our community in Microsoft's DNA long before this was broadly en vogue in the emerging tech industry. Microsoft founders and many others were instrumental in shaping the company's approach to software development and community engagement. MSDN evolved over the years, incorporating forums, blogs, and social bookmarking to foster an open dialogue with developers. In 2020, MSDN was fully integrated into Microsoft Docs, which later became part of Microsoft Learn in 2022.
In July of 2016 the Microsoft Technical Community was born providing a home online for people from all product areas and roles to gather to share information, get their questions answered and participate in events alongside Microsoft employees. The Tech Community alongside answers.microsoft.com and other community homes like Azure Data, Power Platform, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Fabric have strived to bridge the gap between the aspirational state of our services and their real-world implementation while supporting people as they bet their careers on Microsoft technology.
The Power of Collaboration
One of the hallmarks of the Microsoft Community is its collaborative spirit. Over the decades, this community has grown to include not just developers and IT professionals, but also educators, students, hobbyists, and business leaders. The diversity of this extensive community has enriched Microsoft's ecosystem, bringing varied perspectives and expertise to the table.
Devoting Time and Expertise
Microsoft MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals) exemplify the dedication and expertise within the global technical community. These individuals go above and beyond, sharing their knowledge through blogs, tutorials, and speaking engagements. They serve as bridges between Microsoft and its users, fostering a deeper understanding of the technology and its applications. Today over 4000 people have been awarded the MVP designation across a variety of award areas and in each case, they exemplify the dedication, fun and spirit that being a part of the community is all about. You can always find them on social media using the #MVPBuzz hashtag.
Professional Community Managers inside Microsoft merge together a passion for people, technology and business outcomes. Many of these individuals who are in product engineering, marketing and customer success are products of community led events and the larger ecosystem. They strive to keep content flowing, gather feedback and plan events around the world to engage, educate and inspire the community at large.
MVPs come together as a community to learn and connect at this year’s MVP Summit 2025 event
Events and Networking
We have a long history of community at flagship events like Microsoft Ignite. What people may not know is that community led events have always thrived. Led by a long list of unpaid volunteers (like me) who loved the technology, the learning opportunity and the ability to further our careers these events have inspired generations of people to make Microsoft the cornerstone of their careers.
In the late 1990’s and 2000’s the “Big Day” events brought customers and technology professionals together to talk about the latest tech, provide networking opportunities and deliver inspiration to countless attendees. Programs like Tech Spark brought more people together, all striving to understand how to create business value from technology. SQL and developer “meet ups” and User Groups flourished, locally fostering career growth and more.
Next, SharePoint Saturdays took the world by storm, occurring in cities around the globe they brought people together on a Saturday so that people could learn while not having to take time off their regular jobs. The spirit of camaraderie was always strong with these volunteer led events and social media platforms like Twitter allowed the fun to be viewed by many via hashtags for each city (e.g. #SPSLA or #SPSEvents). Jeff Teper, President, Collaborative Apps & Platforms (& the ‘Father’ of SharePoint) has said he was never happier than to wake up on a Saturday to excitedly check Twitter to see where on the planet an event was happening.
Twitter, Jeff Teper, SharePoint Saturday event tweet
Today, we have events across our community properties including our home for community led events at CommunityDays.org. The spirit of volunteerism remains strong across developers, builders and IT professionals as we create moments that matter for all our members.
Jeff Teper tweet announcing CommunityDays.orgThe Microsoft Community is not really about technology; it is primarily about people. Microsoft creates spaces where all voices can be heard and celebrated. We know that diversity is a key driver of innovation. By encouraging diverse perspectives, Microsoft ensures that its products and services meet the needs of a global audience. You can see this sentiment and the excitement people share by following the #CommunityLuv hashtag on social media. These voices come together at User Group meetings around the globe, and this was where I got my start at a user group in the Los Angeles area in the early 2000’s. User Group meetings provide regular opportunities for local people to gather, talk tech and learn from each other.
Participating in the local Los Angeles community by organizing the user group there and later the first SharePoint Saturday and west coast branch of Women in SharePoint allowed me to build my skills, practice my presentations and most importantly meet people who to this day I can reach out to for insight and advice. The Microsoft community welcomed me and believed in me in ways I can't quantify except that without that support I would not be sitting here today as leader inside Microsoft writing this article.
The pandemic moved many of these events online, permanently changing the landscape of community engagement. Now many user groups, community skilling events and monthly community calls are hybrid having an online component. While virtual engagement will always have its challenges it allows greater participation and inclusion for people who can not easily travel to a physical event.
Through our Global Community Initiative we continue to foster more events around the world and train new community organizers. If you are hosting an event, or want to, sign up for our calls to learn from others and use our templates so you don’t have to start from scratch! The community has also extended to a robust presence on LinkedIn with official groups like our Microsoft Community page as well as community led groups like the Women of Microsoft 365 and Women in Tech. Participating on LinkedIn is a fantastic way to expand your professional recognition online.
2024, Microsoft Johannesburg group photoLooking Ahead: The Next 50 Years
As Microsoft looks to the future, the role of the community becomes even more critical. Emerging technologies present new challenges and opportunities. The Microsoft Community will continue to be at the forefront of exploring these frontiers, driving innovation and ensuring that technology serves humanity. Whether you know it or not, have been to an event online or in person, you are a member of our community.
The future also lies in empowering the next generation of tech enthusiasts. Microsoft is committed to fostering young talent through educational programs, coding camps, and internships. By investing in youth and people new to the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft ensures that its community continues to thrive and evolve. We actively encourage new speakers and topics at all our community events. Get involved and get valuable presentation practice by finding an event at our CommunityDays.org site. People get inspired by seeing the work of community members in events like our recent SharePoint Hackathon.
The Microsoft Community has been, and will continue to be, a driving force behind the company's success. As Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are grateful for the collaborative efforts, diverse perspectives, and unwavering dedication of its community. Moving forward, this community will remain an integral part in Microsoft's mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
Let us celebrate not just the technology but the people who make it possible. In our community we know that change needs makers and we are infinitely better together. That is our #PeopleFirst strategy in action. Thank you to everyone in the community who has made my own Microsoft journey so special! Happy 50th anniversary, Microsoft!
Community Manager