INSIDE OUT: PEOPLE. PRODUCTS. IDEAS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD

It began as a two-man startup in 1975. Now it's a 430 billion market-cap company operating in 70 countries with $19 billion in net revenue. In this comprehensive self-portrait, based on hundreds of interviews with the people who are Microsoft-including Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Paul Allen-readers will learn the truth about such topics as: the Microsoft-Apple relationship, the Department of Justice accusations, management philosophy, revolutionary company culture, and what the future holds for this extraordinary company. Presented in an edgy, interactive format, INSIDE OUT is a fascinating, educational, often humorous, and always eye-opening look at the venture whose success is unrivaled in business history.

At first glance, this book seems simply a promotional gimmick, and one wonders about its $45 price tag. In fact, Inside Out is meant to commemorate Microsoft's twenty-fifth anniversary. Filled with photographs and expressions of pride and team spirit, it is part school yearbook and part scrapbook. At the same time, though, the candor and enthusiasm of the nearly 1,000 employees who provided their reminiscences and shared their visions of the future for this collection shed light on Microsoft's corporate culture in a way no outside reporter or researcher ever could. There are new, original essays by Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Steve Ballmer. The stories highlighting the company's growth are informative and fascinating. The behind-the-scenes looks at what software developers do all day are instructive. We also get a glimpse into Microsoft's philanthropic efforts and its mission to improve computer literacy. Throughout, there are fun-filled facts, trivia, quotes, and quizzes. Self-serving as it may be, Inside Out is an absorbing look at what is undeniably one of the world's biggest and most important companies. David Rouse
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