Microsoft

Microsoft is the developer and publisher of the Microsoft Windows operating system, one of the primary platforms upon which Macromedia's applications were released. Microsoft's current CEO is Satya Nadella, who succeeded Steve Ballmer in 2014.

History
Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop a BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800.

Macromedia and Microsoft
In September 2001, Macromedia collaborated with Microsoft to include Flash Player with all versions of Windows XP as well as Windows CE. By February 2002, Macromedia and Microsoft announced an agreement to provide support for Flash-based content on the Microsoft TV platform.

When Macromedia was acquired by rival developer Adobe Systems in December 2005, Bruce Chizen, the CEO of Adobe at the time, stated that it was "all about growth." However, the deal was also a defensive maneuver against Microsoft's influence, with Chizen saying, "They have a $40 billion monopoly with unlimited resources, I'll never not worry about them."