April 04

On April 4, 1860, the declaration establishing the Finnish markka as the official currency was formally read throughout the Grand Duchy of Finland. As an autonomous province within the Russian Empire, Finland gained a distinct monetary identity by replacing the Russian ruble with the markka. The new currency was divided into one hundred penni and remained in use until Finland adopted the euro in 1999. This reform bolstered local trade, strengthened banking institutions, and fostered economic growth. The markka’s introduction also symbolized growing national consciousness and self-governance. It stands as a significant milestone in Finland’s journey toward full independence.

On April 4, 1975, childhood friends Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft as a small software partnership in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company's first product was a version of the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. Operating out of a modest office, Gates and Allen aimed to revolutionize personal computing. Within a decade, Microsoft secured its place in the industry with the MS-DOS operating system. The company's rapid growth fueled the PC revolution and positioned Microsoft as a leader in software development. The founding of Microsoft marked the beginning of a technological era that would reshape global business and communication.