Two years ago, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announced that he will retire from his work at Microsoft. Today, he steps out of his office in Redmond, Washington for the last time. After 33 years at the helm of the software giant, Bill is finally leaving the tech industry.
His baby — a $260 billion company with more 78,000 employees and operated in 105 countries and regions worldwide — is all grown up to be a big mammoth of a company so he’s ready to leave and let go.
Bill Gates used to hold the title of richest man in the world for many years until recently where he slid down to 3rd despite his estimated $58 billion asset.
One thing I can say is that I used to work for this guy 5 years ago when Microsoft bought Great Plains and later renamed the division to Microsoft Business Solutions.
He’s not exactly retiring though. He’ll be a full-time ambassador for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a mission to promote health and education around the world and to help cure AIDS. The foundation has an endowment of approximately $33 billion as of December 31, 2006, which includes $1.6 billion from the first installment of the gift from Warren Buffett recorded August 24, 2006.
Even if a lot of people think Microsoft (Bill Gates) is greedy, he’s basically giving billions of his own money to charity. He’s not only leaving a mark in the tech industry but also in the world of philanthropy. No other billionaire in the tech industry can match that — not even Larry Ellison of Oracle or Steve Jobs of Apple (related story here).
Here’s a parody Microsoft did for Bill Gates and what he’d probably do after leaving the company. Funny, he also knows how to rock.
I’m agree with you, i was thinking about you the other day. I should just give up and take lessons from you
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Mark 8:36 Webster’s Bible Translation
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul:”
change is constant. so this step down of gates is one of those change. being with the foundation, he will still inspire people.
I almost cried last Friday(technically Saturday)just reading Bill Gates stuff…. Bill is my idol and my inspiration… sigh… I’ll definitely miss him…..
Yeah, Jeffrey is right, it all started in Bill Gates footprints :)
There could have been no iPods or iPhones today if not for Bill Gates. :P
Bill gates for me is the best.
BrianB is right, Bill Gates is different from the other two because he is more focused on the “Corporate Social Responsibility”.
What I can’t understand is how the richest software company with the best people available to them cannot improve Windows, make it as good or even better than OS X?
Gates was a tough businessman. Not every creative and not even a good visionary but he was super smart in all his dealings. That he will focus now on philanthropy bode well for humanity. Hencefoth, we shall stop comparing him with Steve Jobs… they are miles apart
Reposted from PMPToday.