Summary
Microsoft 365, as we see it today, is the result of many years of exponential development. We’ve blown the dust off the history books and taken a nostalgic trip down memory lane to see just how far Office has come over the decades.
1990 to 1991: The Microsoft Office for Windows
Seven years after what was widely known as the Internet’s birthday, Microsoft launched The Microsoft Office for Windows, with Word, Excel, and PPT bundled together in a suite of programs costing $995. Who knew how much it would change the way we use computers from that point onward?
1997: Microsoft Purchases Hotmail
Hotmail was one of the world’s original mail servers not linked to an ISP and the predecessor to Outlook. It gave users access to their emails from any location with an Internet connection. Today, Outlook is used by millions of people and businesses worldwide—evolving from Hotmail’s browser emailing service to include desktop organizational tools and cross-Office integration.
2003: OneNote Is Added
Towards the end of 2002, Bill Gates announced the upcoming introduction ofMicrosoft’s note-taking software, OneNote. This meant people could take and organize notes in one place—typed notes if you were using a desktop or laptop, and handwritten notes, pictures, and diagrams if you were lucky enough to own a “Tablet PC.”
2007: The Ribbon Is Introduced
It’s hard to imagine that the ribbon (the area at the top of the window above where you work) never used to be a thing! Previously, all your font choices, alignment settings, and other essential options were always on show. However, Microsoft 365 apps offering so many different actions meant that they had to upgrade to include the ribbon. Today, the ribbon continues to grow in complexity, andusers can modify what it shows.
Fun fact: Version 13.0 of Office 2010 was skipped due to the fear of the number 13.
2013: Online Access and Subscription
2014: The Windows Insider Program
To align with the later re-branding from Office 365 to Microsoft 365, Office Insider became Microsoft Insider in 2023.
2014: OneDrive Expands
2015: Collaboration in Word and PowerPoint Is Introduced
By 2015, Microsoft had battled against Google’s suite of similar programs for nine years, and given Google Sheets, Slides, and Docs were predominantly online, more than one person could easily work on a file at any time. So, in an attempt to keep up with the competition, Microsoft made it possible for several people to access and edit aWordorPowerPointfile simultaneously. Despite this improvement, G-suite fans will still argue today that Microsoft has never really caught up with Google’s collaboration capacity.
2018: Safety and Security Upgrades
In the same security-conscious year, Microsoft launched email encryption on Outlook.com.
2020: Microsoft 365 Is Launched
In 2020, the company launched Microsoft 365, which,according to its website, was “designed to help people and businesses achieve more with innovative Office apps, intelligent cloud services, and world-class security.” This strategic re-branding aimed to emphasize Micosoft’s integrated cloud-based offering in favor of separate pieces of independent software, maybe a response to its main competitor, Google Suite. Microsoft 365 also boasted improved collaboration and device management tools.
