Bill Gates - About One of the Richest Men on Earth
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Early Life
William Henry Gates III, or Bill Gates, was born on October 28, 1995 in Seattle Washington. The son of two middle class parents, Bill had two sisters and grew very close to his mother over the years. At age 13, Bill started to show his passion for computer programming, a passion that he would pursue over his career. AS a youngster, Bill kept to himself and was withdrawn, making his parents worried that he may become a loner. This worry led to his enrollment at Lakeside School in Seattle. While at this private school, Bill did very well and spent all of his extra time working with computers. It was here at Lakeside where he met his best friend and future business partner Paul Allen. While at Lakeside, Gates and Allen made BASIC computer programs (like games), hacked into company servers, and made scheduling and payroll programs. He graduated high school in 1973 with an SAT score of 1590 out of 1600. He showed promise.
The Birth of Microsoft
Bill Gates enrolled in Harvard with a plan to go into law. But, he dropped out of Harvard two years later as he was more interested in computers. He reunited with his friend Paul Allen again in Boston . Then his life started to change. Paul brought Bill an article about a new Altair mini-computer, and the two contacted the computer's manufacturer, MITS, about making a BASIC software program to run the computer. The program was a hit, and the two made a partnership the called Micro-Soft. Most computer enthusiasts at this time didn't pay or get paid for programs or software, something Gates set out to change. By 1978, Gates had Microsoft writing software in different formats for other computer companies, grossing the company $2.5 million only 3 years after it was created.
Microsoft on the Rise
Microsoft continued to grow with Bill at its head. With the help of his mom, Mary, Bill got connected with many corporate board members, including the CEO of IBM. Using shrewd maneuvers and some ideas from others, Microsoft made an operating system for IBM and other computers. They even adapted the system for Apple computers. Between 1978 and 1981, revenue continued to rise from $4 million to $16 million. In 1983, Microsoft went global with 30% of the world's computers running on Microsoft operating systems. But, Bill's longtime friend and business partner Paul Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and soon retired from Microsoft.
The Introduction of Microsoft Windows
Through collaboration with Apple, Microsoft was able to make a system that used a mouse to drive a graphic interface on the screen. This was an important innovation in computer technology as text and images were now displayed on the screen, not just computer code. After fending off the creation of another graphic interface system made by VisiCorp, Windows came out in 1985. With the introduction of their new system, Microsoft went public in 1986 and stocks raised very quickly. The height of Bill's wealth came in 1999 when Microsoft stocks soared and he topped $101 billion. Bill Gates used a competitive spirit and the want to always push ahead to keep Microsoft on top.
Bill Gate's Personal Life
Bill and his future wife, Melinda French, first met in 1989. The two were married on January 1, 1994 in Hawaii. But later on in 1994, Bill's mother died due to breast cancer, an event that devastated Bill. In 1996, Bill and Melinda had their first child, Jennifer, and would go on to have three children. In 1997, the family moved into a residence presiding over Lake Washington, a $54 million home that provides the family with space and comfort.
Bill Gate's Philanthropy
Bill realized he needed to fulfill his role as a civic leader and give more of his wealth to society. Bill created his first foundation in 1994 and in 2000, combined several family foundations to create the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill donated $28 million to start the foundation, and has been contributing ever since. In 2008, Bill stepped down from running the everyday operations of Microsoft so he could put more time into and focus on his foundation. Bill aims to help those in need of health and education, going into poor societies in North America, Africa, and all over the world.
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A video about Bill Gates rise to being the richest man on Earth.
Courtesy of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GNdH6uV-UY4 |
A look at Bill's childhood all the way to his founding of Microsoft.
Courtesy of: http://www.biography.com/people/bill-gates-9307520/videos/bill-gates-schoolboy-to-businessman-2080038388 |