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Bill Gates Biography – Profile

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Bill Gates Biography (William Henry Gates III): Microsoft Founder

Famous for : Being the richest man in the world, a cofounder of the software company
Microsoft, and for being one of the world's most generous philanthropists.
Gates details : Born - USA October 28, 1955 Lives - United States of America
More Gates : Buffett Gives to Gates Foundation - Person of the Year 2005 - Melinda
Gates - Richest Man in the World

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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 spent time 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 retired as Microsoft CEO in 2008.

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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Bill Gates Quotes

Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can
talk meaningfully about one without the talking about the other.
Bill Gates - Internet - Technology - Business

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.

Bill Gates - Customers - Learning

::: more Bill Gates quotes

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Bill gates history

Bill Gates - Biography and History

Bill Gates was the founder and first chairmen of Microsoft.

By Mary Bellis, About.com Guide

See More About:

 history of computers
 bill gates
 software
 windows
  microsoft

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates listens during a press conference to launch a plan aimed at saving 10 million mothers and
newborns in the poorest countries

Cetty Images/Rick Gershon

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History Inventors Windows Microsoft XP Inventors in History Bill Gates Asperger

Bill Gates came from a family of entrepreneurship and high-spirited liveliness. William Henry Gates III
was born in Seattle, Washington on October 28th, 1955. His father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle
attorney. His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and
chairwoman of United Way International.

Bill Gates - Early Life

He had an early interest in software and began programming computers at the age of thirteen. In
1973, Bill Gates became a student at Harvard University, where he meet Steve Ballmer (now
Microsoft's chief executive officer). While still a Harvard undergraduate, Bill Gates wrote a version of
the programming language BASIC for the MITS Altair microcomputer.

Did you know that as young teenagers Bill Gates and Paul Allen ran a small company called Traf-O-
Data and sold a computer to the city of Seattle that could count city traffic?

Bill Gates & Microsoft

 In 1975, before graduation Gates left Harvard to form Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen.
The pair planned to develop software for the newly emerging personal computer market.

Bill Gate's company Microsoft became famous for their computer operating systems and killer business
deals. For example, Bill Gates talked IBM into letting Microsoft retain the licensing rights to MS-DOS
an operating system, that IBM needed for their new personal computer. Gates proceeded to make a
fortune from the licensing of MS-DOS.

On November 10, 1983, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, Microsoft Corporation formally announced
Microsoft Windows, a next-generation operating system.

On January 1, 1994, Bill Gates married Melinda French Gates. They have three children.

Bill Gates Philanthropist

Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, have endowed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with more than
$28.8 billion (as of January 2005) to support philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and
learning.

 MS DOS The Operating System History

From a Quick and Dirty Operating System a giant walks (ms-dos), in 1980, IBM first approached
Bill Gates and Microsoft, to discuss the state of home computers and Microsoft products.

 Windows 1.0 To Windows Beyond 2000

Windows is the graphical user interface for IBM and IBM compatible machines, this article discusses
the origins of Windows and where Windows is heading.

 Top Books on Bill Gates

Authorized and unauthorized books on Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman and the youngest self-made
billionaire in history.

More on Bill Gates

Books on Bill Gates

Feature Stories on Microsoft

MS DOS The Operating System History

Windows 1.0 To Windows Beyond 2000

Suggested Reading

History of Computers
IBM PC - History
 The History of Software Programming

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The Unusual History of MS-DOS The Microsoft Operating System

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We Do Windows in The Gates of Hell - Bill Gates Microsoft Humor

Mary Bellis
Inventors Guide

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