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Bill Gates leaves Microsoft
- Thread starter kabunaru
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Just a quick note to say his departure is as planned, for several years now. It's not like he got fired or anything. 
bill gates stepping down i think will hit microsoft and im sue he wont be very far away when they need him, i doubt he will be able to let go even on his death bed.
Simon
Simon
End of an era ey. I actually quite like the chap, not as charismatic as Mr Jobs but he sure is talented.
And I echo the other members, good luck with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
And I echo the other members, good luck with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
More like extremely lucky. I find it odd that this article makes no mention at all of Gates having had the great fortune of being in precisely the right place at precisely right time, or of the often illegal strong-arm tactics he used to establish Microsoft's place in the market. Now that he's "retiring" from Microsoft we will no doubt see more of these hagiographies.
Still his departure, planned or not, leaves the company entirely in the hands of Steve Ballmer, a man of very dubious talents indeed.
Tp paraphrase Norman Schwarzkopf, as far as Steve Ballmer being a great business strategist, he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the development arts, nor is he a visionary, nor is he a leader, nor is he a operator. Other than that he's a great businessman.
He's solving bigger problems than the ones his software has created!
As I said, he is still devoting some of his time per week to Microsoft.
MS really has made the transition very smooth, though. When SJ retires from Apple, I doubt the separation will be this clean. I expect the stock price to drop like a rock.
bill gates will never be completely separated from Microsoft. its really just not possible. but its good to see him devote time to other aspects of his life as well.
Sorry for off-topic question but who do you think dislikes Apple more: Bill Gates or Steve Ballmer? I am just curious and it's a question that popped into my head.
I would say Ballmer. He's a "zero."
As much as I think Gates allowed Microsoft to steal from Apple, he and Jobs have more in common. They both have an underlying belief in technology as a path to better lives for people. They may differ on how that path should be directed, but I don't see Gates and Jobs being fundamentally different. Remember, it was Jobs that handed Gates the "keys to the kingdom" because Jobs was so afraid of IBM -- and it was Gates who rode to the rescue, so to speak -- with the cash Jobs needed after the disastrous Scully years.
Also, Gates, in his day, actually coded. Could Jobs do the same -- or do we have Woz to thank for much of what we take for granted?
Few things in life are as simple as we're led to believe. No computer is perfect, and I would expect that characteristic extends to the the CEO of the computer company in question.
kabunaru: Steve Ballmer, no question about it. I understand that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs actually have a healthy admiration & warm feelings toward each other.
It'll be interesting to see Microsoft without Bill. Personally I would have retired years ago if I was him .
He's certainly made his mark in history though. I wouldn't doubt hundreds of years from now in addition to kids learning about the lightbulb and the printing press and the cotton gin, kids will be learning about Bill and Microsoft.
.He's certainly made his mark in history though. I wouldn't doubt hundreds of years from now in addition to kids learning about the lightbulb and the printing press and the cotton gin, kids will be learning about Bill and Microsoft.
They love each other.
Maybe not to the point of holding hands but I can see them sharing an ice cream cone.
I find SJ's future departure from Apple very terrifying.
I don't. I would like to see somebody else in charge now. Steve Jobs was good but now I want to see a new leader.
wooo..yes this is good...just hope he "dissapears forever"
here comes the fall of microsoft just like what Apple did..but is back
Apple will eventually rule!
here comes the fall of microsoft just like what Apple did..but is back
Apple will eventually rule!
I find SJ's future departure from Apple very terrifying.
why? it has to happen sometime. and its obvious that hes been taking a step back in the keynote process, which is a good sign that they know its an inevitability.
This is true. Gates will remain the single largest stockholder and a major force on the board. We can also expect him to have substantial personal influence over Ballmer.
This isn't correct. Remember, Jobs left Apple in 1985, and I don't think you could point to any event at Apple that "handed Gates the keys to the kingdom," at least not prior to 1985. If anyone did that, it was IBM (in 1981), and unwittingly at that. As for the cash, Apple did not need it at the time Microsoft made that payment. This was part of settlement of a long-running patent dispute, not a rescue. Apple had about $1 billion in cash on hand at the time.
Who cares if Gates ever coded? Did this result in Microsoft being better at writing software than Apple? Honest answer, please!
Microsoft wont be the same. I am not a fan of Microsoft however they have shaped the IT industry undoubtedly, IMHO the organisation wont be the same without the full direction of Bill.
Hello Ballmer with a mirror of the Apple Scully years...
Hello Ballmer with a mirror of the Apple Scully years...