PCWorld ran a story last Thursday about Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Bill Gates, planning to retire by 2008.
Gates said he is leaving gradually in order to smooth the transition of his duties to the two men who will assume them–chief technical officers Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie, who have been named chief software architect and chief research and strategy officer, respectively, effective immediately.
Gates emphasized that he has no plans to ever give up his position as chairman of Microsoft’s board of directors. “I don’t see a time in the future when I won’t be chairman of this company,” he said. I see myself as always being the largest shareholder in Microsoft. Steve is the second largest, and I think we both take a lot of pride in that.”
So it seems that he’s just handing over a critical role in Microsoft operations (Chief Software Architect) but since he still owns majority of the company, he’ll remain as Chairman of the Board.
Much of what Microsoft achieved is due to Bill Gates and at the same time his name has become almost synonymous to monopoly and corporate bullying. With Bill leaving the Redmond premises make the face of the company a little less monolithic? Will there be less hate towards him and eventually to the corporate giant? Maybe. Or it could be worse.
Reminds me of this funny video at Youtube:
The guy who invented Ctrl+Alt+Del, David Bradley of IBM, jokingly recounts how he came up with the idea but gave credits to Bill for making it popular. *heh*
Ballmer is funny!?! hehehe