Happy 15th Birthday to MSN – The Microsoft Network
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Can you believe it’s 15 years since MSN first rolled into our lives, alongside Yahoo!, eBay and Toy Story?
Microsoft launched the Microsoft Network (MSN) on August 24th 1995 to coincide with the launch of its MS-DOS replacement, Windows 95.
Originally a simple online service and ISP for Windows 95 users, MSN developed though the addition of interactive online content and various other services such as Hotmail and Messenger.
Now the MSN portal is ranked by Alexa as the 9th most visited site on the Internet, and is apparently disproportionately popular with women under the age of 25 and over 45 who do not have children.
Where were you the year MSN was born? To mark the momentous occasion here are a few other key events from 1995 to jog your memory…
January 29
The San Francisco 49ers defeat the San Diego Chargers to win the Super Bowl XXIX, becoming the first National Football League team to win 5 times.
February 21
Steve Fossett becomes the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
March 1
Yahoo! is founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in Santa Clara, California.
March 2
Nick Leeson is arrested for his role in the collapse of Barings Bank.
April 19
168 people are killed in the Oklahoma City Bombing. Timothy McVeigh is later convicted of the crime.
May 17
Shawn Nelson steals a tank and ploughs through the streets of San Diego before becoming stuck on the highway and being shot dead by police.
July 1
Iraq admits for the first time the existence of its offensive biological weapons program.
September 3
eBay is founded by Pierre Omidyar in San Jose, California, and millions of drunk people begin to bid too much in late night spending sprees. The first item sold though is a broken laser pointer, which went for $14.83.
October 3
OJ Simpson is found ‘not guilty’ of murdering both his former wife and waiter Ronald Goldman.
November 22
Toy Story is released, becoming the first film ever to be completely computer-animated.
December 31
The last ever Calvin and Hobbes comic strip is published. We loved any of the ones featuring cardboard boxes or snowmen.
