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Microsoft this month is marking the 15th anniversary of its research lab, saying Microsoft Research is critical to the company's future. MSR grew to be a leader in computer research at a time when other technology companies were cutting back on R&D. In the last few years, however, competitors such as Google and Yahoo have stepped up their research efforts, creating more competition for research talent.

Microsoft researchers have published some 3,700 academic papers over the years. The department is staffed with 700 people -- from computer scientists to anthropologists. Their job is to push technology forward.

Past research has found its way into products such as Windows Vista, the next Microsoft operating system; it helped create anti-spam filters in the Outlook email program; and helped start streaming audio and video on the Internet.