Bill Gates leaves an enormous legacy but an uncertain future

As Bill Gates leaves full-time work as chairman of Microsoft today, he can look back on one of the most extraordinary careers in the annals of business -- a rise from college dropout to world's wealthiest individual. Along the way, his forceful execution fulfilled the audacious goal of putting a computer in nearly every home, at least in the U.S.

But the company Gates leaves behind is, at long last, floundering. Its stock price is where it was six years ago. Microsoft has just bungled an attempt to buy Yahoo in what would have been the largest acquisition in Silicon Valley history. And the attention of the technology world, once riveted on the Redmond, Wash., company, has turned elsewhere, to Google and beyond.

Perhaps most surprising, Microsoft appears to be losing ground on the one product that it rode to world dominance: the operating system powering 9 in 10 personal computers.

By coincidence, today also marks the last day of general availability of Windows XP, the operating system that Microsoft finally got right. Its successor, Windows Vista, is so unworthy that even Microsoft's closest partner, top chip maker Intel, is refusing to distribute it to employees.

What do you think? If Gates went wrong, where? Will Microsoft ever command the technology industry again?

-- Joseph Menn

Photo: Bill Gates in 1990. Credit: Marty Lederhandler / Associated Press

Comments

[Stanley Krute]

Because of Bill Gates and Microsoft you can buy GUI computers for $300.

If it were up to Apple they'd still cost $3k.

I had the pleasure of working at MS on and off 'tween 87 and 98. Great place to work, alongside smart hard-working motivated geeks.

Thanks Bill.

-- stan

[Seth and Ray]

Bill is a genius. He definitely left his mark on history but I have a feeling this isn't the end of the story....

http://sethandray.wordpress.com/

[Michel]

I am a primary Windows user, but I also use Mac and Linux machines. I realize that it is fashionable to bash Microsoft, but XP Pro SP3 is probably one of the best operating systems out there. It is certainly the most stable Windows platform. Mac machines run fine, but they are expensive. Contrary to popular wisdom, not all the software that Apple produces is of the highest quality (e.g., MS Entourage is eminently superior to Apple Mail). Linux for desktops (e.g., Ubuntu) is becoming easier to use, but it still not as user-friendly as Windows, especially when you have to use Terminal to install software.

[ga hammer]

I'm through with Microsoft. Couldn't even get them to stand behind the warranty on my computer. No wonder Gates has so much money. Now he wants Congress to flood this country with cheap labor from other countries. I guess the employees at Microsoft are making to much money, and he's tired of it.

[AG]

To Jim Craft: "I have to laugh at the people predicting that Apple and Linux will take significant market share from MS. Both of these systems are primarily for people who use computers as hobbies. Real users use MS-based computers because of the range of applications available."

Where are you getting your facts? Apple computers used as a "hobby"?...lol. What a ridiculous statement. First of all, Macs are used by a wide array of businesses/industries like: the medical fields, scientists, entertainment industry, publishing, schools/universities, and so on. And let's not forget many individual users like myself who use the Mac for many functions and not for just a mere hobby! So before you post any ridiculous comments get your facts straight.

"This wasn't cheating--it was Apple ineptness." Your words for MS not being innovative, but having to copy others' ideas like they did with so many other companies.

[Chuck Overmann]

If it wasn't for Microsoft and it early dominance of the market, you would probably had over a dozen competing Operating Systems, none of them would have worked together, and the none of the convenience of the PC "standards" we enjoy today. Your blessed computers wouldn't be a fraction as productive as they are today. Not that long ago - not even Apple and Windows would work together. Like it or not Bill Gates was instrumental in the PC revolution. Give credit where credit is due.

Give me a PC anyday!

[AG]

To Anon: "I have to agree with Elizabeth that MAC is greedy.

I almost bought a MAC Leopard OS recently but the tiniest monitored one was over $1000 !! ($1100-1400 for something decent)"

You might want to specify what you were going to buy before you post. Your comment is rather vague.

But if you're content to buy a cheap imitation of the best OS out there (Mac OS Leopard), then be my guest. I know many PC users who've run into many problems using Vista and some are mad at MS for the bungled OS they delivered. They're already looking at buying a MAC.

[AG]

To AJ: "they comeback to Windows since they can't get much software, games etc in the MAC & Linux world. These facts remain the same till date."

Do you have facts to back up your claim? Maybe it's true of the people you claim to know that did go back to Windows. However, I know of no such people who've completely switched to the MAC and have said they'll go back to the headaches from using Windows. I actually know of many who switched from Windows to MAC and are happy with the switch and wont go back.

And there are many software titles and games for the MAC. Point me to where you got your information that there isn't any of these available for the MAC? You say "These facts remain the same till date." What's your source of info?

[Domingo A. Trassens]

Bill Gates will not retire… He leaves the day-to-day job as full-time employee, but his "soul" will continues present across the Microsoft's campus everyday. Bill is more than co-founder and former CEO of the company… He "marked" Microsoft forever with his "personality". Maybe, we will sees some "cosmetic" changes in the organization, but nobody will forget all his power and enthusiasm to build the software company. And Steve Ballmer will help to remember him too! His legacy doesn’t end today…

Domingo
http://www.comlab.corp.com
http://spaengclub.blogspot.com

[Domingo A. Trassens]

Bill Gates will not retire… He leaves the day-to-day job as full-time employee, but his "soul" will continues present across the Microsoft's campus everyday. Bill is more than co-founder and former CEO of the company… He "marked" Microsoft forever with his "personality". Maybe, we will see some "cosmetic" changes in the organization, but nobody will forget all his power and enthusiasm to build the software company. And Steve Ballmer will help to remember him too! His legacy doesn’t end today…

Domingo
http://www.comlab.corp.com
http://spaengclub.blogspot.com

[Arnold]

I bought my first computer (TI-64A) in 1980 from a Montgomery Ward store, using a small screen TV as a monitor and running and saving programs with a small cassette recorder. Anybody else go that far back? I graduated to an Apple IIC about 1985 with 128k of RAM, and used that for a few years. My first PC was a 286 with a 20 mb hard drive, and I was in hog heaven. I used that one for a few years and gave it to my daughter who used it for 4 years in college, and the power supply blew on the last day of school - in 2000. More PCs through the years, and now a big desktop, a nice laptop with Vista, and a Blackberry on my belt -- and I'm almost 70 years old! I've been through them all, and kept pace with the advance of technology, and Bill Gates has been behind most of them. Good or bad, he's had more positive impact on the world than anyone else in the last 50 years, and I'm sorry to see him step back. Microsoft won't go away soon, and we'll all need them for decades to come.

[Used Refurbished Laptops]

I ran the utility to create "recovery discs" on my new laptop. It aborted. I registered and emailed tech support for a set of discs. I waited. I emailed again. I waited. Over 3 months, including two emails to the office of the CEO, Mark Hurd, this produced...NO EFFECTIVE COMPAQ SUPPORT!

My laptop is useless without recovery discs and I can't get normal support, escalated support, or support from the office of the CEO.

Will I ever recommend or buy Compaq or HP again? Not in THIS lifetime.