Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) to Open the NASDAQ Stock Market to Celebrate Microsoft's 20th Year as a Publicly Traded Company

Ceremony to Mark Microsoft's Historic and Most Significant Product Launch


ADVISORY, Nov. 29, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) --



 What:
 Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) along with Chris 
 Liddell, CFO of Microsoft and executives from partners and customers
 including Advanced Micron Devices, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lenovo,
 Scripps Research Institute and Viacom Media will preside over the 
 opening bell to celebrate the business availability to volume license 
 customers of three major releases from Microsoft Corp.; Windows Vista
 (tm), Microsoft Office system, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

 These products are designed to enable businesses to thrive in a world of 
 instant communication, expanding information and constant change by 
 amplifying the impact people can have in the workplace. The new products 
 provide a platform that will transform the way people turn information 
 into opportunity and growth.

 Microsoft is NASDAQ's largest issuer currently trading on The NASDAQ 
 Global Select Market. 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of Microsoft since 
 its listing day on March 13, 1986.

 Where:
 NASDAQ MarketSite - 4 Times Square - 43rd & Broadway - Broadcast Studio

 When:
 Thursday, November 30th, 2006 from 9:20 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. EDT.

Feed Information:

The ceremony will be made available to press via satellite or via closed caption on the NASDAQ Tower on the corner of 43rd and Broadway in Times Square.

Networks are encouraged to take the NASDAQ Opening Bell ceremony feed live via satellite. There will be no interview opportunities before or after the Opening Bell, however, networks are encouraged to use the live broadcast for programming.

In celebration of this launch, NASDAQ's video Wall and Tower will light up in an orange color (instead of the usual blue) to reflect Microsoft's business availability launch theme.

The opening bell is available from 9:20 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. EDT on uplink IA6 C band / transponder 24, downlink frequency 4180 horizontal. The feed can also be found on Waterfront fiber 1623.

Photo Opportunities: To obtain a hi-resolution photo of the Market Open please go to:

http://www/nasdaq.com/reference/marketsiteevents.stm



 NASDAQ Contacts: 

 NASDAQ MarketSite:
 Silvia Davi 
 646-441-5014  
 silvia.davi@nasdaq.com

 Jolene Libretto 
 646.441.5220    
 Jolene.Libretto@nasdaq.com

 Microsoft Contacts:

 Charles Tracy
 425-706-3703
 Investor Relations

 For broadcast Media Worldwide Communications and Television 

 Paige Young 
 425-442-3981  
 paige@wctv.com