The story of Bill Gates is a story of rag to riches. Starting with a computer workshop in a garage he rose to become the richest person of the world. He is too young for his wealth. He is an institution in itself.
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On October 28, 1955, shortly after 9.00PM, William Henry Gates III was born into a family with a rich history in business, politics and community service. His mother, Mary Gates, was a school teacher. Right from the childhood it was clear that Bill Gates inherited the passion, intelligence and competitive spirit that had helped his progenitors rise to the top in their chosen professions.
In elementary school, he quickly outshines all of his fellow students’ abilities in nearly all subjects, especially math and science. His parents soon recognized his extraordinary talent and decided to enroll him in Lakeside, a private school known for its excellent academic environment. This decision had far reaching effects on Bill Gates’ life. It was at Lakeside, where Bill Gates was first introduced to computers. The administration offered him a job of computerizing the school’s scheduling system. Gates asked his fellow Paul Allen to help with the project. He agreed and the following summer, they wrote the program. In his senior year, Gates and Allen continued looking for opportunities to use their skills and make some money. Bill enrolled in Harvard University in 1973, one of the best universities in the Country. The intense lifestyle Bill lived during his first year in Harvard made him ill for most of the summer of 1974. Bill soon left Harvard for business opportunities in programming which turned him into a multi-billionaire. It’s very interesting that even with all that money, Bill drives himself to work in an average family car.
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In 1975, Bill Gates started Microsoft with Paul Allen. Steered by a belief that the computer would be a precious tool on every office desktop and in every home, they started developing software for personal computers. His foresight and his extraordinary vision for personal computing have been vital to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. Under Gates’ inspiring leadership, Microsoft’s mission has been to continually advance and improve software technology, and to make it easier, more cost-effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. The company is committed to a long-term view, reflected in its investment of more than $6.8 billion on research and development in the current fiscal year. Microsoft had revenues of US$58.43 billion for the fiscal year ending July 2009, and employs more than 90,000 people across 85 countries. Microsoft has launched several indispensable products in the global market that includes various versions of GUI interface Windows much touted Internet Explorer (IE) among others. This product brought a drastic change in the field of computers and its allied fields.
Most of Bill’s personal beliefs revolve around working hard and trying your hardest to succeed. He believes that if you are intelligent and know how to apply your intelligence, you can accomplish anything. Bill thinks that if you don’t work your hardest you will never succeed. He doesn’t believe in luck or any sort of God, just hard work and competitiveness. In addition to his love of computers and software, Gates is interested in biotechnology. Philanthropy is also to Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, have endowed a foundation with more than $28 billion to support philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning.
In 1999, Gates wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought, a book that shows how computer technology can solve business problems in fundamentally new ways. The book was published in 25 languages and is available in more than 60 countries. Business @ the Speed of Thought has received wide critical acclaim, and was listed on the best seller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Amazon.com. Gates has donated the proceeds of the book to non-profit organizations that support the use of technology in education and skills development.