US Edition Today marks the end of an era. Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world and one of the foremost figures in technology, is stepping down as head of Microsoft to concentrate on the philanthropic projects supported by his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Here, we look back at the life, times and legacy of Bill Gates.
If you had to put together a photofit picture of a stereotypical geek, then the image produced would surely look like a young Bill Gates – or William Gates III, to give him his full name.
The son of professional parents, and a middle child with two sisters, the wiry, bespectacled Gates was a bright pupil. It was at school in Seattle, Washington, that he met Paul Allen, with whom he would later establish Microsoft, and developed his interest in coding and programming.
After graduating from high school, Gates enrolled at Harvard, where he met Steve Ballmer. But within two years of starting university, Gates had abandoned his studies to focus on building a personal computer using a new and highly affordable Intel chip.
In 1975, Microsoft was born, and Gates found himself both overseeing the business, as well as personally reviewing and approving every line of code the company shipped.
Gates married Melinda French in 1994. Together, they established a charitable foundation that drew on the philanthropic ideals of the Rockefeller family.
The Gates' chose to focus on the global issues that go largely ignored or unnoticed by government and the existing charity network, and have worked tirelessly to establish scholarships that encourage ethnic minorities to pursue further education, as well as investment in AIDS projects and efforts to find a cure for malaria and other diseases prevalent in developing nations.
Gates always felt burdened by the title of “world’s richest man”, and charity work has given him an outlet for this incredible wealth.
“I think it’s better for society and better for my children if the vast bulk of the wealth that I’m lucky enough to be shepherding at this point, if that goes back to causes that are important, things like access to technology, education, medical research, social services and a variety of things,” he said in a recent interview.
A prodigious reader and keen bridge player, Gates – with his cable-knit sweaters, unstyled hair, and air of bewilderment at the high regard in which he is held – cuts an unlikely hero figure.
But to a generation of technologists, he is an inspiration, proof positive that a good idea combined with good business acumen can pave the way for success.
Warm, self-effacing and quietly spoken, Gates has weathered many storms while at the helm of Microsoft.
His company’s dominance of the desktop computer space lead to accusations that Microsoft was effectively operating as a monopoly, and the launch of the latest Windows operating system, Vista, was less than well received by both commentators and the public.
He leaves the company as it reaches one of the most crucial periods in its 30-year history, locked in a battle with Google for control of the desktop and the internet, and courting Yahoo! in an effort to shore-up this side of its business.
Despite ceding control of his empire to a new three-man management team, Gates is certain to maintain more than a passing interest in its fortunes. He’ll remain chairman of the technology giant, and retain a nominal, part-time, one-day-a-week role with the company he helped build from scratch.
Once a geek, always a geek, after all.