Bill Gates quitting day-to-day duties at Microsoft

We've been harping on Bill Gates and company ever since we learned how to add "M$" to our clever newsgroup diatribes, and he's been doing his geeky thing for much longer than that. But after more than 30 years at Microsoft, Bill Gates says he's going to quit his day-to-day Microsoft duties in 2008 in order to concentrate on the charitable work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He'll stick around as chairman, and we're sure we haven't seen the last of him in a broader sense, but he's not going to be doing any more software architectin', and probably won't have as much time for continuing his series of Engadget interviews. Don't worry Bill, we won't forget about you. We just hope those charitable efforts don't take you away from your true passion: reading Engadget daily like every good knighted billionaire ought.

[Giorgio @ Jun 15th 2006 6:05PM]

lmao maybe M$ will stop crashing in 2008 since bill is out of the way

[RK @ Jun 15th 2006 6:19PM]

Yes, sometimes I have problems with M$, but I do like Bill Gates as a person. He's done tons of charitable work and has donated tons of money.

Maybe I just see this more since I'm in Seattle.

You shouldn't harp on him too much.

[Matthew Baggett @ Jun 15th 2006 6:23PM]

Ding, dong, the witch is dead, which old witch, the wicked witch...

... And there was much rejoycing.

[leojsoap @ Jun 15th 2006 6:32PM]

"Good riddence you evil greedy wonk - don't come back!" -Todd

Yeah, that jerk! going off to try to better the world, the nerve… C'mon Todd lets go throw waterballons at homeless people!

But seriously, no more Bill? It's good that he's invested his power into more charitable work, at least we'll still have Ballmer to ridicule; "I'LL F***ING KILL GOOGLE!"

[Steve @ Jun 15th 2006 6:40PM]

I thought he said the same thing several years ago? And isn't Steve aka: Butthead Ballmer the CEO now? I thought he'd given Steve the keys to the mothership then too.

[iDean @ Jun 15th 2006 6:41PM]

how weird is it going to be when he dies?!

[Hans @ Jun 15th 2006 6:51PM]

No no... don't worry Todd and other MS/Bill haters. He'll not go and have intercourse with opposite human reproductive systems in your house on those ms-off days. He has got some philanthropy to do.

[slave_25637 @ Jun 15th 2006 6:52PM]

lol how does THAT work? the man accused of monopolizing wants to quit so he can do more for charity.


at least he's still chairman. He's done a phenominal job with MS. too bad he's leaving.

[Ryan @ Jun 15th 2006 6:54PM]

Wow, there is no love for the Billman here, now is there? He's a human being, not some dark lord of the Sith. Unless you truly know the man or have actually seen him condone the killing of Africans or whatever nonsense some of you seem insistent on spouting, then you really don't have the right to slander him like that.

[Kyle @ Jun 15th 2006 6:58PM]

Here is the video of the news from channel 9
mms://wm.microsoft.com/ms/msnse/0606/27918/BillSteve_MBR.wmv

[HanSolo @ Jun 15th 2006 7:02PM]

2008?

Could have at least waited until AFTER vista is released.. :)




(don't care who you are, thats funny)

[Mokkan88 @ Jun 15th 2006 7:32PM]

What a startling contrast between the comments from the "Bill Gates reads daily" post and this. :-P

[aarond @ Jun 15th 2006 8:01PM]

As a Microsoft employee, it's bittersweet seeing Bill move on. I've never regarded him as egotistical, and I've had many interactions with him. It could be interesting seeing him apply the same fire to vaccinations and education that he did to software proliferation. He has the resources to make a huge difference.

[Casey S @ Jun 15th 2006 8:36PM]

Search Engines Web, Bill Gates has been donating billions for years and years now. He hasn't just now decided "Gee, I think I want history to view me kindly from now on!" The man and his wife are truly concerned with the affairs of this world, especially the goings on in Africa.

I read an article a few years back that he and his wife will donate almost every cent of their wealth to multiple charities when they die.

God bless the man.

[bob @ Jun 15th 2006 8:45PM]

RIP the man who finished off innovation in desktop computing and introduced us all to virsues and spyware, now retire windows too

[Jeremy D @ Jun 15th 2006 10:26PM]

Just reading between the lines here, but...What Bill is REALLY saying here is, "I intend to leave just after my current project(Vista) is released...in 2008."

[Brian Ward @ Jun 15th 2006 10:33PM]

And RIP the man who had vision enough to recognize the value of software and the skills to establish de-facto computing standards that propelled the usefulness of computers and gave purpose to the advancement of related technologies…

[Torontoguy @ Jun 15th 2006 11:58PM]

When they want to criticize somebody who can't shoot, they say, "He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." It is so easy to hit such a big target that anyone who could miss it must be Really bad!!
Microsoft is a big target. Bill Gates is a big target! It doesn't take much skill to take a few pot shots at him.
The guy is the biggest philanthropist in the history of the world. He has given away more money than ALL of his critics will ever generate in their entire collective lives.

[Casey S @ Jun 16th 2006 12:57AM]

Torontoguy, I'm glad somebody agrees with me.

[matt @ Jun 16th 2006 1:43AM]

Gates has personal, financial, interests in doing the donations. Technically, he's killing Africans for (Microsoft's) profit by, amongst other things, supporting a number of copyright treaties - from Greg Palast's website : "TRIPS, the rule which helps Gates rule, also bars African governments from buying AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis medicine at cheap market prices."

Now, he's going to be able to make his sponsorship of big pharma into a full-time job.

(Palast's full article is up on http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=235&row=1)

[ev @ Jun 16th 2006 3:44AM]

Don't leave us Bill! We need some one that really knows what the hell there doing on a computer unlike "Geek squad" oh my god they messed up my computer so bad I had to get another one:{

P.S. where can I get that Windows jacket you where wearing :)

[MattC @ Jun 16th 2006 3:58AM]

Excuse me? The laws governing the protection of pharmaceutical intellectual property rights (and there is specific patent legislation on the books in the US) is designed to compensate for the heavy R&D costs associated with developing those drugs.

It is necessary for them to even break even. I'm not even entirely sure TRIPS has anything to do with it; I know for a fact that drug patents and the like are governed under a specific set of laws.

Gotta love misinformation, no?

[James @ Jun 16th 2006 5:16AM]

rejoice? for what? you idiots cheering know absolutely nothing. all you know is how to do is replace the s in MS with a $. hate windows all you want, bill gates does a lot for charity. you talk like he is some evil person out to get everyones money. tell us, what has steve jobs done for charity? all he's focused on is releasing new ipods every year. and every year the price goes up while there are less items in the box.
get your heads out of your asses.

[Ben @ Jun 16th 2006 5:51AM]

Palast is a troll

from the text of the trips:
3. Members may also exclude from patentability:

(a) diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical methods for the treatment of humans or animals;



available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/t_agm3c_e.htm

[Claudiu Spulber @ Jun 16th 2006 6:45AM]

With a fortune of 36+ bn dollars behind he should go on a permanent vacation. I mean why working when you're so rich?
This press-release is also a marketing thing. It's curious how he decides to make this public now, right before Vista gets released. And it will take two years, I'll bet you that in 6 months another press-release will say "In 1.5 years I'm retiring", in 1 year...

[slave_25637 @ Jun 16th 2006 6:59AM]

Charity is wonderful, but I would like to say


Thanks for Windows. I really love it.

[Jsut Me @ Jun 16th 2006 8:41AM]

Oh my god people, stop bashing Bill. You people are just jealous. If you were in the same position and given the same opportunity he had starting Microsoft, you would have done the same thing. At least he is doing something good with his money. Now go back to your little rocks and crawl under them.

[JC @ Jun 16th 2006 10:30AM]

Good job, Bill Gates.

You got the idea of business competition down to a science, edged out your competition, and kicked butt like any good enterpreneur should, and now, while your competition is still rubbing the bruise on their ass and coming up with white devices with little clickwheels and gimmicks, you can retire and do some good.

Rest assured if things had gone the other way, PC users would have to be the tree hugging hippies bashing the competition.

Good on you. Good night, sweet prince, and may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

[Pinkerton @ Jun 16th 2006 10:49AM]

People who are uber-rich may not have to work, but a 24/7/365 life of leisure is not something a socially conscious person would consider.

[Derek Reisner @ Jun 16th 2006 3:06PM]

Bill Gates, run for President 2008. Its the only path forward for you, and you have the organizational gifts to repair our broken systems, from the Bureau of Prisons to the educational system to scientific R&D to Patents etc etc etc. You'd win. We know you're not corruptable. Unf*cking america would do more for the 3rd world than anything philanthropy quest you may burn cash on.

[MilkCake @ Jun 16th 2006 4:54PM]

I really don't know about Bill going all forward for Charity either. He does more good for the society making better software. And yeah, Bill Gate for president sound sweet too. As far corruption goes, you can't bribe him with money and he has skills for organization and running America with what the best capitalism can offer.

[DinnyHoon @ Jun 16th 2006 8:38PM]

"oh, the devil is leaving M$ pwnd pwnd pwnd."

For Christ's sake. Bill Gates is one of the most humble men on this planet. He's Turning his back on the largest company on Earth to focus on charity work. Good for you, Bill. If it wasn't for the retarded flamers, you'd be an idol around these parts.

One thing concerns me though. All I can think of is Steve Ballmer in Gates' office with a hideous cackle, followed by "Windows! Windows! Windows!" The ballmer crew. We. Are. Going. To. Die.

[Vndr @ Jun 18th 2006 2:15AM]

Ballmer what a goof-ball:D

[z @ Jun 20th 2006 6:11AM]

Congratulations to Bill. For once this move is a really a good one, good luck with that. ;-)