Gates steps down from Microsoft
Bill Gates is stepping down as the head of Microsoft to devote more time to his foundation. Janet Babin looks back at his career as an industry leader, the impact he had on the tech world and the company structure he left behind.
Bill Gates (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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TEXT OF STORY
Scott Jagow: In a few days, one of the world's wealthiest people will be out of a full-time job. Bill Gates is stepping down as chairman of Microsoft so he can devote more time to his foundation. Whatever you think of Gates, you can't deny his influence on world -- and the world of technology. Janet Babin reports from our Innovations Desk at North Carolina Public Radio.
Janet Babin: Back in the day, Information Week editor David Berlind routinely interviewed Bill Gates. What struck him most about Microsoft's leader was his intensity.
David Berlind: I can remember sitting in a room with him, having a very impassioned argument about software development.
Gates may have mellowed with success. But Berlind says the billionaire leaves behind a corporate structure many cyber companies still use today -- that is, the tech geek should lead the company.
Berlind says Gates knew his stuff from the start:
Berlind: You couldn't come to him with a technology idea, or show him some code and fool him about it. He knew the bits and bytes deeply enough to know what was real, what was good, what was cool and what had potential.
Microsoft faces many challenges these days. But Berlind says the company's prepared to weather them without Gates at the helm.
I'm Janet Babin for Marketplace.
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From Las Vegas, NV, 06/26/2008
Not being a fan of Microsoft or it's products, I listened, with mild interest, to the story about Bill Gates. When the word "innovative" was mentioned I glanced at my watch not for the time, but the date, is it April 1st, 2009 already? He should hardly be considered innovative after mimicking the Macintosh operating system which made him his fortunes. If he saw a company producing a superior product, he either bought it or ran it into the ground while skirting the law. Remember Netscape?
As far as inventing a office environment that offered massages and the like, I recall another person who was known for his casual work setting. I won't mention his name but he runs a little company called "Apple Computer".
Mr. Gates made a substantial amount of money at the expense of Apple Computer and ought to give back more than the $150 million used to buy off Apple to quash an upcoming lawsuit.
Were he to stay at the helm of Microsoft, how many countless companies or products would he buy, run into the ground, or just flat out copy? The world needs true innovation, not a copycat.
I will agree with one point however, he certainly was influential. Good or bad, I'll give him that.
From TN, 06/26/2008
Good riddens to that monopolist on the likes of the 'robber barons, Rockefeller, J P Morgan, Harriman et al. IBM made him what he is by screwing up the contract Gates had with them. They didn't keep the rights to the code! I sure hope that IBM lawyer was FIRED. Gate's didn't innovate he either drove out or bought the the competition. Hopefully he will do better giving out the LOOT he STOLE!
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