Bill Gates Biography - Profile |
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Biography - Information |
Bill
Gates is one of the most influential
people in the world. He is cofounder of
one of the most recognized brands in the
computer industry with nearly every desk
top computer using at least one software
program from Microsoft. According to the
Forbes magazine, Bill Gates is the richest
man in the world and has held the number
one position for many years.
Gates was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington
USA. His father, William H. Gates II was
a Seattle attorney and his mother, Mary
Maxwell Gates was a school teacher and chairperson
of the United Way charity. Gates and his
two sisters had a comfortable upbringing,
with Gates being able to attend the exclusive
secondary "Lakeside School".
Bill Gates started studying at Harvard University
in 1973 where he met up with Paul
Allen. Gates and Allen worked on a version
of the programming language BASIC, that
was the basis for the MITS Altair (the first
microcomputer available). He did not go
on to graduate from Harvard University as
he left in his junior year to start what
was to become the largest computer software
company in the world; Microsoft Corporation.
Bill Gates and
the Microsoft Corporation
"To enable people and businesses
throughout the world to realize their full
potential." Microsoft Mission Statement
After dropping out of Harvard Bill Gates
and his partner Paul Allen set about revolutionizing
the computer industry. Gates believed there
should be a computer on every office desk
and in every home.
In 1975 the company Micro-soft was formed,
which was an abbreviation of microcomputer
software. It soon became simply "Microsoft"®
and went on to completely change the way
people use computers.
Microsoft helped to make the computer easier
to use with its developed and purchased
software, and made it a commercial success.
The success of Microsoft began with the
MS-DOS computer operating system that Gates
licensed to IBM. Gates also set about protecting
the royalties that he could acquire from
computer software by aggressively fighting
against all forms of software piracy, effectively
creating the retail software market that
now exists today. This move was quite controversial
at the time as it was the freedom of sharing
that produced much innovation and advances
in the newly forming software industry.
But it was this stand against software piracy,
that was to be central in the great commercial
success that Microsoft went on to achieve.
Bill Gates Criticism
With his great success in the computer software
industry also came many criticisms. With
his ambitious and aggressive business philosophy,
Gates or his Microsoft lawyers have been
in and out of courtrooms fighting legal
battles almost since Microsoft began.
The Microsoft monopoly sets about completely
dominating every market it enters through
either acquisition, aggressive business
tactics or a combination of them. Many of
the largest technology companies have fought
legally against the actions of Microsoft,
including Apple
Computer, Netscape, Opera, WordPerfect,
and sun Microsystems.
Bill Gates Net
Worth
With an estimated wealth of $53 billion
in 2006, Bill Gates is the richest man in
the world and he should be starting to get
used to the number spot as he has been there
from the mid-ninties up until now. The famous
investor
Warren Buffett is gaining on Gates though
with an estimated $46 billion in 2006.
Microsoft hasn't just made Bill Gates very
wealthy though. According to the Forbes
business magazine in 2004 Paul Allen, Microsoft
cofounder was the 5th richest man in the
world with an estimated $21 billion. While
Bill Gates' long time friend and Microsoft
CEO, Steve
Ballmer was the 19th richest man in
the world at $12.4 billion.
See more information the Bill
Gates Net Worth page.
Bill Gates Philanthropy
Being the richest man in the world has also
enabled Gates to create one of the world's
largest charitable foundations. The Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation has an endowment
of more than $28 billion, with donations
totaling more than $1 billion every year.
The foundation was formed in 2000 after
merging the "Gates Learning Foundation"
and "William H. Gates Foundation".
Their aim is to "bring innovations
in health and learning to the global community".
Bill Gates continues to play a very active
role in the workings of the Microsoft Company,
but has handed the position of CEO over
to Steve Ballmer. Gates now holds the positions
of "Chairman" and "Chief
Software Architect". He has started
that he plans to take on fewer responsibilities
at Microsoft and will eventually devote
all his time to the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation.
In 2006, the second richest man in the world,
Warren Buffett pledged to give much of his
vast fortune
to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Bill Gates Receives
a KBE
In March 2005 William H. Gates received
an "honorary" knighthood from
the queen of England. Gates
was bestowed with the KBE Order (Knight
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of
the British Empire) for his services in
reducing poverty and improving health in
the developing countries of the world.
After the privately held ceremony in Buckingham
Palace with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II, Gates commented on the recognition..
"I am humbled and delighted. I am
particularly pleased that this honor helps
recognize the real heroes our foundation
(Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) supports
to improve health in poor countries. Their
incredible work is helping ensure that one
day all people, no matter where they are
born, will have the same opportunity for
a healthy life, and I'm grateful to share
this honor with them."
The KBE Order of the British Empire is the
second highest Order given out, but it is
only an honorary knighthood as only citizens
that are British or a part of the Commonwealth
receive the full Order. This means that
Gates does not become Sir Bill Gates.
Bill Gates lives near Lake Washington with
his wife Melinda
French Gates and their three children.
Interests of Gates include reading, golf
and playing bridge.
This Bill Gates biography may not
be reproduced online.
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