1
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                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549                

                       ----------------------------------

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                  ON FORM S-3
                                     Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                          COMMISSION FILE NO. 0-14278

                             MICROSOFT CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                                          
          WASHINGTON                                             91-1144442
  (State or other jurisdiction                                  (IRS Employer
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)



                               ONE MICROSOFT WAY
                        REDMOND, WASHINGTON  98052-6399
                                 (206) 882-8080
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Address, including zip code, and telephone
             number including area code, of registrant's principal
                               executive office)            

             -----------------------------------------------------         
                               William H. Neukom
                                Vice President,
                           Law and Corporate Affairs
                               One Microsoft Way
                        Redmond, Washington  98052-6399
                                 (206) 882-8080
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

             -----------------------------------------------------
                        Copies of all communications to:
                                Richard B. Dodd
                             Preston Gates & Ellis
                              5000 Columbia Center
                                701 Fifth Avenue
                        Seattle, Washington  98104-7078     
             -----------------------------------------------------
             
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         Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  At
such time or times after the effective date of this Registration Statement as
the Selling Shareholder shall determine.

         If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box:            
               [ ]



         If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the
Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with
dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:
               [X]



         The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration
statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 89(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said section 8(a),
may determine.

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of each class                           Proposed maximum      Proposed maximum
of securities to be       Amount to be       offering price per    aggregate offering         Amount of
     registered            registered              share*                price*           registration fee
- -------------------      -------------       ------------------    ------------------     ----------------
                                                                                  
Common stock             105,847 shares           $54.875             $5,808,354.13           $2,002.88
 par value               -------                   ------              ------------            --------
  $.00005 


         *Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) solely for purposes of calculating
amount of registration fee, based upon the average of the high and low prices
reported on October 10, 1994, as reported on the NASDAQ National Market System.


                                     -ii-
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                             CROSS REFERENCE SHEET

                             MICROSOFT CORPORATION



Item No.                         Item                                  Location in Prospectus
- --------                         ----                                  ----------------------
                                                        
   1          Forepart of the Registration Statement and      Facing page; cross-reference sheet; cover
              Outside Front Cover Page of Prospectus          page of Prospectus

   2          Inside Front and Outside Back Cover Pages of    Available Information; Incorporation of
              Prospectus                                      Certain Documents by Reference

   3          Summary Information, Risk Factors and Ratio     Cover Page of Prospectus
              of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   4          Use of Proceeds                                 Not Applicable

   5          Determination of Offering Price                 Not Applicable

   6          Dilution                                        Not Applicable

   7          Selling Security Holders                        Selling Shareholders

   8          Plan of Distribution                            Not Applicable

   9          Description of Securities to be Registered      Incorporation of Certain Documents by
                                                              Reference

  10          Interest of Named Experts and Counsel           Experts

  11          Material Changes                                Not Applicable

  12          Incorporation of Certain Documents by           Incorporation of Certain Documents by
              Reference                                       Reference

  13          Disclosure of Commission Position on            Disclosure Of Commission Position On
              Indemnification for Securities Act              Indemnification For Securities Act
              Liabilities                                     Liabilities

              Exhibit Index                                   Page II-4






                                     -iii-
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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS




                                                                                                          PAGE
                                                                                                        
AVAILABLE INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2

THE COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3

SELLING SHAREHOLDERS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3

EXPERTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4

DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . .  4

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-1

SIGNATURES  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-3

INDEX TO EXHIBITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II-4






                                      -iv-
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                                  PROSPECTUS

                            MICROSOFT CORPORATION
                        105,847 Shares of Common Stock
                        Par Value of $.00005 Per Share

                ---------------------------------------------
   
         This Prospectus relates to up to 105,847 shares of common stock (the
"Shares") of Microsoft Corporation (the "Company") which may be offered from
time to time by the selling shareholders named herein (the "Selling
Shareholders").  The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale
of the Shares.  The Company will bear the costs relating to the registration of
the Shares estimated to be approximately $6,102.88

         The Shares are registered as a result of a merger (the "Merger") of
Microsoft Corporation, a Washington corporation ("Microsoft") and Altamira
Software Corporation, a California corporation ("Altamira").  In an agreement
related to the Merger, each Selling Shareholder entered into an investment
agreement with Microsoft (the "Investment Agreement").  The Investment
Agreement limits the amount of shares the Selling Shareholder may sell during
the first two years of the agreement.

         The Company has been advised by each Selling Shareholder that, subject
to the terms of the Investment Agreement, he or she expects to offer his or her
shares through brokers and dealers to be selected by him or her from time to
time.  The Shares may be offered for sale through the National Market System of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), in the
over-the-counter market, in one or more private transactions, or a combination
of such methods of sale, at prices and on terms then prevailing, at prices
related to such prices, or at negotiated prices.  Subject to the terms of the
Investment Agreement, each Selling Shareholder may pledge all or a portion of
the Shares owned by him or her as collateral in loan transactions.  Upon
default by such a Selling Shareholder the pledgee in such loan transaction
would have the same rights of sale as the Selling Shareholder under this
Prospectus.  Subject to the terms of the Investment Agreement, each Selling
Shareholder may also transfer Shares owned by him by gift and upon any such
transfer the donee would have the same rights of sale as such Selling
Shareholder under this Prospectus.  Each Selling Shareholder and any brokers
and dealers through whom sales of the Shares are made may be deemed to be
"underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and the commissions or discounts and other compensation paid to such persons
may be regarded as underwriters' compensation.

         The Shares are traded on the National Market System of the NASD.  The
average of the high and low prices of the Company's common stock as reported on
the National Market System on October 10, 1994 was $54.875 per share.


 THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
    EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR HAS THE COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR 
     ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A 
                              CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                ---------------------------------------------

               The date of this Prospectus is October 14, 1994.

All of the securities to be registered hereby are to be offered for the account
                             of security holders.





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                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION


         The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and files reports and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance therewith.  Such reports,
proxy statements, and other information filed by the Company are available for
inspection and copying at the public reference facilities of the Commission at
Room 1024, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Judiciary Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20549, and
at the Commission's Regional Offices located at Room 1028, Jacob K. Javits
Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10278 and Room 3190,
Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois
60604. Copies of such material may be obtained by mail from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth St., N.W., Judiciary Plaza,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates.

                          -------------------------

                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission are
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus:

         1.      The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
June 30, 1994.

         2.      The description of the Common Stock of the Company which is
contained in the Form 8-A registration statement of the Company filed pursuant
to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 under Commission file number 0-14278,
including any amendment or reports filed for the purpose of updating such
description.

         All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and
prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares offered hereby shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and to be a part
hereof.

         The Company hereby undertakes to provide without charge to each person
to whom this Prospectus has been delivered, upon the written or oral request of
any such person, a copy of any and all of the foregoing documents incorporated
herein by reference (other than exhibits to such documents which are not
specifically incorporated by reference into the information that this
Prospectus incorporates).  Written or telephone requests should be directed to
the Company's Vice President, Law and Corporate Affairs, at the Company's
principal executive office, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399,
telephone number (206) 882-8080.

         No dealer, salesman, or any other person has been authorized to give
any information or to make any representation not contained in this Prospectus,
and, if given or made, such information and representation must not be relied
upon as having been authorized by the Company.  This Prospectus does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the
securities offered hereby in any state to any person to whom it is unlawful to
make such offer in such state.  Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any
sales made hereunder shall, under any circumstances, create any implication
that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company since the date
hereof.

                          -------------------------

         This Prospectus constitutes a part of a Registration Statement which
the Company has filed with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, with respect to the Shares.  This Prospectus omits certain of the
information contained in the Registration Statement, and reference is hereby
made to the Registration Statement and related Exhibits thereto for further
information with respect to the Company and the securities offered hereby.
Such additional information can be obtained from the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C.  Any statements contained herein concerning the provisions of
any documents are not


                                     -2-
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necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of
such document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or otherwise
filed with the Commission.  Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by
such reference.

                                  THE COMPANY

         Microsoft Corporation, a Washington corporation, has its principal
executive offices at One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399,
telephone number (206) 882-8080.  Microsoft was founded as a partnership in
1975 and was incorporated in 1981.  The Company designs, develops, markets, and
supports a product line of systems and applications microcomputer software for
business and professional  use.  The Company offers several operating systems
products, computer language products in a number of computer languages, and
business applications software products in several categories, including word
processing, spreadsheet, file management, graphics, and project management.
The Company's products are available for 16-bit and 32-bit microcomputers,
including IBM, Tandy, Apple, COMPAQ, Olivetti, AT&T, Zenith, Wang,
Hewlett-Packard, DEC, Siemens, Mitsubishi, and NEC.  Microsoft develops most of
its software products internally using proprietary development tools and
methodology.  The Company markets and distributes its products domestically and
internationally through the original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") channel and
through the retail channel primarily by means of independent distributors and
dealers and by direct marketing to corporate, governmental, and educational
customers.

                              SELLING SHAREHOLDERS

         The 105,847 Common Shares of the Company described in this Prospectus
are owned by the individuals listed below.  All of the shares offered hereby
were acquired by the listed individuals in connection with an acquisition of
Altamira.  Alvy Ray Smith and Nicholas Clay are now each employees of the
Company, but the Selling Shareholders do not have any other material
relationship with the Company except as disclosed below.



                                   No. of Shares                     
        Name of                     Owned Prior                                             Shares
  Selling Shareholders (1)          Offering (2)        Received from Company              Offered
- --------------------------       ------------------   -------------------------       ------------------                   
                                                                                     
TVI-4 L.P.                         ---------------                 28,958                     13,031
TVI Partners -4, L.P.              ---------------                  3,384                      1,523
TVI Affiliates -4, L.P.            ---------------                    249                        112
Alvy Ray Smith                     ---------------                 28,199                     12,689
Morton H. Meyerson                 ---------------                 13,116                      5,902
Pixar                              ---------------                 10,310                      9,279
Nicholas Clay                      ---------------                  6,075                      2,734
Steven Brooks                      ---------------                  3,037                      1,367
S. David Kalish                    ---------------                  2,250                      1,013
Lawrence Wilkinson                 ---------------                    360                        162
Garen K. Staglin                   ---------------                    360                        162
Steven G. Blank                    ---------------                  1,574                        709
C. Gordon Bell                     ---------------                  1,574                        709
Stanford University                ---------------                    900                        405
David Boucher                      ---------------                    720                        324
Ed Catmull                         ---------------                    225                        101
Eric Lyons                         ---------------                  4,556                      2,050
Total                              ---------------                105,847                     52,272

- --------------------                                        


         (1)  With the exception of C. Gordon Bell, who has served as a
              consultant to the Company, and on the Company's Technical 
              Advisory Board, none of the Selling Shareholders held any 
              office with the Company during the last three years.

         (2)  All amounts are less than 1% of the issued and outstanding shares
              of common stock of the Company.


                                     -3- 
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                                    EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of June 30,
1994, and 1993 and for each of the three years in the period ended June 30,
1994, incorporated by reference in this Prospectus from the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent
public accountants, as stated in their report which is incorporated herein by
reference, and has been so incorporated in reliance upon such opinion given
upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


              DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION
                         FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES

         Article  XII of the Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation
authorizes the Company to indemnify any present or former director, officer,
employee, or agent of the Company, or a person serving in a similar post in
another organization at the request of the Company, against expenses,
judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement incurred by him in connection
with any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, to the fullest extent not
prohibited by the Washington Business Corporation Act, public policy or other
applicable law.  Chapter 23B.8.510 and .570 of the Washington Business
Corporation Act authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors, officers,
employees, or agents in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification
under certain circumstances for liabilities (including provisions permitting
advances for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Act").

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Act may
be permitted to directors, officers, or persons controlling the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in
the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.
In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other
than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of
any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.





                                     -4- 
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                                    PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.         Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

         The expenses relating to the registration of Shares will be borne by
the registrant.  Such expenses are estimated to be as follows:


                                                                            
      Registration Fee--                                          $ 2,002.88
      Securities and Exchange Commission                          ----------
                                                                  
      Accountant's Fees                                             1,000.00
                                                                  ----------
      Legal Fees                                                    3,000.00
                                                                  ----------
      Miscellaneous                                                   100.00
                                                                  ----------
         Total                                                    $ 6,102.88
                                                                  ==========


Item 15.         Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Article  XII of the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company
authorizes the Company to indemnify any present or former director or officer
to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Washington Business Corporation
Act, public policy or other applicable law.  Chapter 23B.8.510 and .570 of the
Washington Business Corporation Act authorizes a corporation to indemnify its
directors, officers, employees, or agents in terms sufficiently broad to permit
such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities (including
provisions permitting advances for expenses incurred) arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act").

         The directors and officers of the Company are entitled to
indemnification by the Selling Shareholder against any cause of action, loss,
claim, damage, or liability to the extent it arises out of or is based upon the
failure of the Selling Shareholder (or his donees, legatees, or pledgees) and
each underwriter to comply with the Prospectus delivery requirements under the
federal securities laws or any applicable state securities laws or upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in this Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained herein, as the
same shall be amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon or in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Shareholder
(or his donees, legatees, and pledgees) or such underwriter.

Item 16.         List of Exhibits.

         The Exhibits to this registration statement are listed in the Index to
Exhibits on pages II-4

Item 17.         Undertakings.

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)     To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i)     To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement;





                                     II-1
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         (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement;

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2)     That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)     To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         (4)     For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.





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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Redmond, State of Washington on the 14th day of
October, 1994.

                             MICROSOFT CORPORATION


                             By  \s\  Michael W. Brown                      
                                -------------------------------               
                             Its:  Vice President,  Finance; Chief 
                                   Financial Officer
                                -------------------------------



         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.



                                                     
\s\  Michael W. Brown                                   Dated October 14, 1994
- ---------------------------------                                       
Michael W. Brown
Vice President, Finance; Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting  Officer)


Principal Executive Officer                )
         William H. Gates,                 )
         Chairman and CEO                  )                Dated October 14, 1994

                                           )
                                           )
Directors:                                 )                By    \s\ Michael W. Brown     
                                                               ----------------------------
                                                            Michael W. Brown
         William H. Gates                  )                Vice President, Finance; Chief
         Paul G. Allen                     )                Financial Officer
         Richard A. Hackborn               )                
         Robert D. O'Brien                 )                Pursuant to Power of
         William G. Reed, Jr.              )                Attorney dated October 4
         John A. Shirley                   )                through 13, 1994






                                     II-3  
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                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit No.                                        Description                               
- -----------                                        -----------                               
                                                                                             
3.1                               Restated Articles of Incorporation(1)                                           

3.2                               Bylaws(1)                                                              

5                                 Opinion of Counsel re: legality                                     

13                                1994 Annual report to Shareholders(1)                                  

23.1                              Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Independent Accountants             

23.2                              Consent of Preston Gates & Ellis(2)                                    

24                                Power of Attorney                                                      



_________________
(1)  Incorporated by reference to Microsoft's Form 10-K for the fiscal year
     ended June 30, 1994.
(2)  Contained within Exhibit 5.
     




                                     II-4