# Ladies and Gentlemen, Bill Gates Has Left the Building



## naveen_reloaded (Jun 28, 2008)

*news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Ladies-and-Gentlemen-Bill-Gates-Has-Left-the-Building-11.jpgYesterday, June 27, 2008 was a day that made it into history simply because it marked the transition of Bill Gates out of his day-to-day role at Microsoft, a company founded together with Paul Allen in 1975. As of June 28, Microsoft is officially sans Bill Gates, now 52 years old and committed to focusing almost exclusively on philanthropic work via the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But at the same time June 28 is synonymous with Microsoft's debut on a new path, other than the one in Bill Gates' original vision. A new direction that is designed to take the Redmond software giant into the cloud... 

In one of the cafeterias on the iconic Redmond campus Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer along with approximately 1,000 Microsoft employees gathered yesterday morning to say farewell to Gates, a ceremony that reverberated across the world in all the company's offices. By pure coincidence, Bill Gates' pseudo-retirement, because he still retains the title of Chairman and will continue as a member on the Board of Directors albeit just once a week, is synchronized with the last days when Windows XP will still be available via the retail and OEM channels. 

Windows XP, with Service Pack 2, is the operating system that took Microsoft over the 1 billion milestone for the Windows install base worldwide. At the end of June 2008, both Gates and XP are, at least theoretically, out the door. But just as XP, now with SP3, will linger on until at least 2014, so will Gates continue with Microsoft, even if in a smaller role, dealing with innovative projects, such as making the connection between the Windows operating system and natural user interfaces ubiquitous. 

"I wanted to share some of my thoughts and reflections as we go through today," said S. Somasegar, Senior Vice President, Developer Division on June 27. "I have had a fantastic time being a part of Microsoft and being able to work on some great products and technologies that a lot of people around the world use. Being able to do this in an environment with Bill Gates at the top of Microsoft has been very rewarding. Over the years, I have had many opportunities to interact with Bill and learn from those interactions. Bill is an individual that I deeply admire and respect."

"Today hurts deep" 

"I wasn't fortunate enough to attend the Bill Gates town hall in person today. Though it was being webcasted to all MPRs on campus - I decided to watch it from my desk, after all I feared shedding a tear in front of a whole bunch of colleagues. But the load on the network gave me the slip and I had to go into an MPR. I couldn't help but shed a tear - but I wasn't alone - the man himself shed a few tears when the energetic Big Boy Ballmer couldn't hold himself together any longer, that moment, I’m sure the whole world broke down. Dang - Today hurts deep," revealed Mohammed Jeelani, Development Lead, Microsoft. 

The official website of the company was redesigned to mark the end of Gates' two year long transition out of Microsoft. Just under the slogan "your potential, our passion" Bill Gates is "looking back, moving ahead" on Microsoft.com. The architect of Microsoft's success, and a brand larger than even Windows or Office, the company's flagship products, now just the third wealthiest man in the world, is moving on into the next stage of his life. 

"As I ask myself when the first time was I ever heard of Bill Gates. I can't even remember it’s something like how you don't even remember someone telling you – "this is your brother" or "this is your sister". I grew up knowing this chap - he wasn't just a hero, or just an inspiration, he is a way of life - someone who we look up to as a role model who we can’t replicate even a smallest fraction of how we live not just our professional life but also our personal," Jeelani added. 

The fact of the matter is that Bill Gates has created much more than just Microsoft. Gates is the catalyst that spawned the entire software industry in a time when the personal computer wasn't given many chances to succeed in either business environments or in households. It was Gates' original vision that has ultimately taken Microsoft to where it is today, with over 1 billion copies of Windows in use worldwide.

"Thank you Bill, for bring us this fantastic digital world, and let us know the magic of software!"

The message in quote marks above, complete with the original spelling belong to Rex Tang from Microsoft Consulting Services Japan. In case you didn't know it, spelling and grammar are not requirements for writing code, especially English spelling and grammar in Tokyo. Japan was one of the first markets where Microsoft expanded as it was evolving. The then young company managed to bet big on the internationalization of its software products and end up winning. 

And internationalization is still the key for continual expansion, but not so much on the developed markets, as in emerging countries. After Bill Gates, Microsoft needs to start focusing intensely on the next five billion potential users around the world. But at this point in time, software can no longer be limited to the desktop. In fact, it's no longer all about software and the Redmond company has already acknowledged this as it is gearing up for a new strategy involving Software + Services. 

"Seeing the farewell to Bill Gates… Yes, I work for Microsoft and I am proud of it. To be very honest he was one of the reasons I joined this company. The people working here are my personal reason to stay… Microsoft – Change the world or go home!!! We just started," said Frank Fischer, Manager for Technical Evangelism at Microsoft Germany.

"Bill is an icon of software and IT technology that has changed the world for better forever"

Bill is moving onward to new challenges, but at the same time he is leaving a strong legacy behind. The Microsoft co-founder has had a monumental influence on the world, and there are few of his rivals who can claim the same. But like it or not this is farewell... For Microsoft going forward means Microsoft 2.0. For Gates, this is obviously Bill 2.0 time. One thing that Gates did and has yet to get credit for is not the way he changed the future back in 1975 when he created Microsoft, but how he will continue to shape the future even after June 27, 2008. 

"To some people Bill may be synonymous to the richest guy in the world. But to many others, including myself, Bill is an icon of software and IT technology that has changed the world for better forever. He is an icon of our generation, and perhaps many generations after. Before I joined Microsoft, the notion of working for Bill and his company was so noble. After almost seven years I found that feeling remains so true and so strong. Our CEO Steve Ballmer perhaps has said it all for all of us, "We've been given an enormous, enormous opportunity. And Bill gave us that opportunity. I want to thank Bill for that," said Zhiming Xue "Z", a Microsoft Architect Evangelist based in the Mid Atlantic area.

*news.softpedia.com/newsImage/Ladies-and-Gentlemen-Bill-Gates-Has-Left-the-Building-2.jpg


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## ArZuNeOs (Jun 29, 2008)

fine one...but this thread has the similar topic ...

Mods please merge this one with the other topic

No Offense Naveen


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## naveen_reloaded (Jun 29, 2008)

no prob....

just an update of the current event... 

off topic...

how are u azu ??

sorry couldnt come that day...

PM me,,,


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## tgpraveen (Jun 29, 2008)

nice title


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## csczero (Jun 29, 2008)

Salute to Bill gates..Thanks for wonderful Days.....You changed lives of many... A Legend Logs Out


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## virus_killer (Jun 29, 2008)

Many many thanks to the Legend *Mr. Bill Gates *.


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## Gigacore (Jun 29, 2008)

bye uncle gates! we like you!


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## naveen_reloaded (Jun 29, 2008)

Just like " I am A Legend " film.... He is a legend...


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## MetalheadGautham (Jun 29, 2008)

Bill was a guy with some SERIOUSLY GREAT BRAINS.
Microsoft is sans brains now.

Since Steve Ballmer came to MS as CEO, they have seen a gradual fall in quality, sales and public relations along with reputation.

But now, since Bill Gates has left active coding and company management, I don't think MS has too long a life to live.


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## iMav (Jun 29, 2008)

MetalheadGautham said:


> But now, since Bill Gates has left active coding and company management, I don't think MS has too long a life to live.


On what basis do you say that? Do you know who is the Chief of Software Development in MS? Bill Gates had left coding long back. Ray Ozzie is a great guy with equally great brains. There is a lot and I mean a lot MS has to offer, as a matter of fact, Bill's retirement is a much needed PR for MS, now people shall remember the good times and it will help the PR of MS. The size & magnitude of MS is so huge that no 1 man is the basis of it's running.


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## MetalheadGautham (Jun 29, 2008)

iMav said:


> On what basis do you say that? Do you know who is the Chief of Software Development in MS? Bill Gates had left coding long back. Ray Ozzie is a great guy with equally great brains. There is a lot and I mean a lot MS has to offer, as a matter of fact, Bill's retirement is a much needed PR for MS, now people shall remember the good times and it will help the PR of MS. The size & magnitude of MS is so huge that no 1 man is the basis of it's running.


But Bill Gates represented all that was good about microsoft.
He was all about working for the PEOPLE. He wanted to make software that EVERYONE can use, software that was cheap and affordable. He wanted to make PCs as affordable as possible. His social work along with his wife Belinda gates has been recoganised world over. No other man could do what he did - he donated 30% of his wealth, while he was the richest man in the world, to charity and never cared that his name was off the top of the richest people list.

But look at MS now - they get into trouble, they try to supress opensource, they try to bribe governments and use their influence to push OOXML as an ISO standard, with psudo openness. Windows Vista is miserable, because its not an OS that performs great on common hardware, the way Mr. Gates wanted the original DOS to be. Microsoft software is pricey and not as powerful as other software. Their hardware would have been great but for the RROD problem in Xbox 360. Their dealings with different governments and companies are comming under the scanner due to some suspected malpractices. They are being criticized for abuse of power and monopoly. Their web browser has been declared to NOT be standards compliant, and their media player which was an ANGEL in version 6.4 is a BLOATED DEVIL in version 11.

You still think MS is in its golden age ? You still think MS is the darling of software companies ?


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## iMav (Jun 29, 2008)

@Metal: The past few days have been like an exam for me, I have been reading so much about MS in the past few days as if I had an exam on the subject. MS has been embroiled with law suits since God knows when.

It is funny that you mention RRoD. Which hardware doesn't have a problem? There are big MNCs that have had total recalls of their products because of defects, even car companies have had total recalls in the past. It is part & parcel of business. Microsoft's support for such defects too has imp[roved drastically as to what it was initially when the problem surfaced. To let you know, the XBOX 360 is still considered to be an amazing gaming platform, XBOX Live is un-paralleled and since it's launch in India it has all met with phenomenal response.

Why do I need to consider a company as 'darling' or 'in it's golden age'? Law suits and legal problems are something that most successful companies face. Anyone successful will have to face such things. Also, don't under estimate Steve Ballmer, he might be some one who comes across as a 'freak' but he is good at what he does, he is good at numbers & marketing a product.


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## MetalheadGautham (Jun 29, 2008)

@iMav

RRoD was one of the BIGGEST reasons Xbox 360 never became as successful as hoped to be. Everyone knows all those dark stories concerning Xbox 360's alarming failure rates.

The lawsuits MS is facing are not of the common kind. They are doing UNETHICAL business, and that kills.

About steve ballmer, he markets the product well and manages to sell them. But that does not mean he wins over the hearts of people the way Gates did.

*www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc&feature=related


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## iMav (Jun 29, 2008)

Bill Gates will always be an unfilled-void, Steve Jobs will be an unfilled-void. But that does not mean that the company will go bankrupt and shut shop in 5 years. MS is way too big to be a one man show anyways. It is a huge company with it's hands in a lot of fields. Medicines, space everything. Windows is no more the only source of income. It is the flag ship product but not the only product.

BTW, that is one horrendous tie.

One of Reuters article has a perfect paragraph that sums up Bill Gates & Steve Ballmer's duo:

"Gates is such a serious, plodding, methodical guy and Ballmer knew that to be part of the dynamic duo with Bill, he needed to be the opposite."


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