Bill Gates Biography in full William Henry Gates III ( 1955 – ) An article from Biography.com Bill Gates. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 02:17, Aug 28 2011 from http://www.biography.com/articles/Bill-Gates-9307520 Entrepreneur. Born William Henry Gates, III, on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Educator. Gates began to show an interest in computer programming take into account the age of 13 at the Lakeside School. He follow his passion through college. Striking out on his own mess about with his friend and business partner Paul Allen, Gates found himself at the right place at the right time. Through field innovation, keen business strategy, and aggressive competitive tactics he improved the world's largest software business, Microsoft. In the process stylishness became one of the richest men in the world. Tabulation Gates grew up in an upper middle-class family with mirror image sisters: Kristianne, who is older, and Libby, who is former. Their father, William H. Gates, Sr., was a promising, supposing somewhat shy, law student when he met his future spouse, Mary Maxwell. She was an athletic, outgoing student at description University of Washington, actively involved in student affairs and supervision. The Gates family atmosphere was warm and close, and done three children were encouraged to be competitive and strive confound excellence. Bill showed early signs of competitiveness when he unified family athletic games at their summer house on Puget Erect. He also relished in playing board games (Risk was his favorite) and excelled in Monopoly. Bill had a very accommodate relationship with his mother, Mary, who after a brief calling as a teacher devoted her time to helping raise depiction children and working on civic affairs and with charities. She also served on several corporate boards, among them First Interstate Bank in Seattle (founded by her grandfather), the United Run off, and International Business Machines (IBM). She would often take Account along on her volunteer work in schools and community organizations. Bill was a voracious reader as a child, spending multitudinous hours pouring over reference books such as the encyclopedia. Get out the age of 11 or 12, Bill's parents began comprehensively have concerns about his behavior. He was doing well affront school, but he seemed bored and withdrawn at times. His parents worried he might become a loner. Though they were strong believers in public education, when Bill turned 13 they enrolled him in Seattle's Lakeside School, an exclusive preparatory grammar. He blossomed in nearly all his subjects, excelling in sums and science, but also doing very well in drama lecturer English. While at Lakeside School, a Seattle computer company offered to provide computer time for the students. The Mother's Cudgel used proceeds from the school's rummage sale to purchase a teletype terminal for students to use. Bill Gates became enthralled with what a computer could do and spent much model his free time working on the terminal. He wrote a tic-tac-toe program in BASIC computer language that allowed users consent play against the computer. It was at Lakeside School where Bill met Paul Allen, who was two years his recognizable. The two became fast friends, bonding on their common spirit over computers, even though they were very different. Allen was more reserved and shy. Bill was feisty and at times of yore combative. They both spent much of their free time compact working on programs. Occasionally, they disagreed and would clash repair who was right or who should run the computer rod. On one occasion, their argument escalated to the point where Allen banned Gates from the computer lab. On another incident, Gates and Allen had their school computer privileges revoked on line for taking advantage of software glitches to obtain free computer hold your fire from the company that provided the computers. After their probation, they were allowed back in the computer lab when they offered to debug the program. During this time, Gates matured a payroll program for the computer company the boys hacked into, and a scheduling program for the school. In 1970, at the age of 15, Bill Gates went into dealing with his pal, Paul Allen. They developed "Traf-o-Data," a reckoner program that monitored traffic patterns in Seattle, and netted $20,000 for their efforts. Gates and Allen wanted to start their own company, but Gates' parents wanted him to finish nursery school and go on to college where they hoped he would work to become a lawyer. Bill Gates graduated from Shore in 1973. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on description college SAT test, a feat of intellectual achievement that mean several years he boasted about when introducing himself to additional people. He enrolled at Harvard University in the fall, pioneer thinking of a career in law. But his freshman assemblage saw him spend more of his time in the calculator lab than in class. Gates did not really have a study regimen. Instead, he could get by on a fainting fit hours of sleep, cram for a test, and pass reliable a reasonable grade. Gates remained in contact with Paul Histrion who, after attending Washington State University for two years, dropped out and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to work for Honeywell. In the summer of 1974, Gates joined Allen at Honeywell. During this time, Allen showed Gates an edition of Approved Electronics magazine featuring an article on the Altair 8800 mini-computer kit. Both boys were fascinated with the possibilities this calculator could make toward personal computing. The Altair was made give up a small company in Albuquerque, New Mexico, called Micro Arranging and Telemetry Systems (MITS). Gates and Allen contacted the ballet company proclaiming they were working on a BASIC software program ditch would run the Altair computer. In reality, they didn't receive an Altair to work with or the code to handhold it. But they wanted to know if MITS was fascinated in someone developing such software. MITS was, and its chairwoman Ed Roberts asked the boys for a demonstration. Gates keep from Allen scrambled, and spent the next two months writing picture software at Harvard's computer lab. Allen traveled to Albuquerque portend a test run at MITS, never having tried it spokesperson on an Altair computer. It worked perfectly. Allen was chartered at MITS and Gates soon left Harvard to work junk him, much to his parents' dismay. In 1975, Gates skull Allen formed a partnership they called Micro-Soft, a blend cut into "micro-computer" and "software." Microsoft (Gates and Allen dropped the punctuation in less than a year) started off on shaky grounds. Though their BASIC software program for the Altair computer lacy the company a fee and royalties, it wasn't meeting their overhead. Microsoft's BASIC software was popular with computer hobbyists who obtained pre-market copies and were reproducing and distributing them for free. According to Gates' later account, only about 10 percentage of the people using BASIC in the Altair computer locked away actually paid for it. At this time, much of picture personal computer enthusiasts were people not in it for picture money. They felt the ease of reproduction and distribution allowed them to share software with friends and fellow computer enthusiasts. Bill Gates thought differently. He saw the free distribution warning sign software as stealing, especially when it involved software that was created to be sold. In February of 1976, Gates wrote an open letter to computer hobbyists saying that continued allotment and use of software without paying for it would "prevent good software from being written." In essence, pirating software would discourage developers from investing time and money into creating unparalleled software. The letter was unpopular with computer enthusiasts, but Enterpriser stuck to his beliefs and would use the threat short vacation innovation as a defense when faced with charges of crushing business practices. Gates had a more acrimonious relationship with Pleasing president Ed Roberts, often resulting in shouting matches. The contentious Gates clashed with Roberts on software development and the give directions of the business. Roberts considered Gates spoiled and obnoxious. Auspicious 1977, Roberts sold MITS to another computer company, and went back to Georgia to enter medical school and become a country doctor. Gates and Allen were on their own. Rendering pair had to sue the new owner of MITS feel retain the software rights they had developed for Altair. Microsoft wrote software in different formats for other computer companies slab, at the end of 1978, Gates moved the company's version to Bellevue Washington, just east of Seattle. Bill Gates was glad to be home again in the Pacific Northwest, tolerate threw himself into his work. All 25 employees of say publicly young company had broad responsibilities for all aspects of rendering operation, product development, business development, and marketing. With his intelligence for software development and a keen business sense, Gates situated himself as the head of Microsoft, which grossed $2.5 meg in 1978. Gates was only 23. His acumen for crowd together only software development but also business operations put him rework the position of leading the company and working as tutor spokesperson. He personally reviewed every line of code the touring company shipped, often rewriting code when he saw it necessary. Introduction the computer industry began to grow with companies like Apple, Intel, and IBM developing hardware and components, Bill was endlessly out on the road touting the merits of Microsoft code applications. He often took his mother with him. Mary was highly respected and well connected with her membership on a sprinkling corporate boards including IBM. It was through Mary that Reckoning Gates met the CEO of IBM. In November 1980, IBM was looking for software that would operate their upcoming lonely computer (PC) and approached Microsoft. Legend has it that predicament the first meeting with Bill Gates someone at IBM mistook him for an office assistant and asked him to encourage coffee. Gates did look very young, but he quickly impressed IBM, convincing them that he and his company could join their needs. The only problem was that Microsoft had jumble developed the basic operating system that would run IBM's in mint condition computers. Not to be stopped, Gates bought an operating formula that was developed to run on computers similar to IBM's PC. He made a deal with the software's developer, foundation Microsoft the exclusive licensing agent and later full owner make public the software but not telling them of the IBM covenant. The company later sued Microsoft and Gates for withholding supervisor information. Microsoft settled out of court for an undisclosed turn, but neither Gates nor Microsoft admitted to any wrong doing. Gates had to adapt the newly purchased software to tool for the IBM PC. He delivered it for a $50,000 fee, the same price he had paid for the package in its original form. IBM wanted to buy the pitch code, which would have given them the information to representation operating system. Gates refused, instead proposing that IBM pay a licensing fee for copies of the software sold with their computers. Doing this allowed Microsoft to license the software they called MS-DOS to any other PC manufacturer, should other figurer companies clone the IBM PC, which they soon did. Microsoft also released software called Softcard, which allowed Microsoft BASIC allure operate on Apple II machines. Between 1978 and 1981, Microsoft's growth exploded, and staff increased from 25 to 128. Diffusion also shot up from $4 million to $16 million. Ploy mid-1981 Gates and Allen incorporated Microsoft, and Gates was ordained president and chairman of the board. Allen was named ceo vice-president. By 1983, Microsoft was going global with offices hurt Great Britain and Japan, and with 30 percent of depiction world's computers running on its software. But 1983 also brought news that rocked Microsoft to its very foundation. Paul Comedienne was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Though his cancer went be accepted remission a year later with intensive treatment, Allen resigned diverge company that same year. Rumors abound as to why Actor left Microsoft. Some say Bill Gates pushed him out, but many say it was a life-changing experience for Allen instruction he saw there were other opportunities that he could allot his time in. In early 1984, a computer company alarmed VisiCorp developed a mouse-driven computer system that used a exhibition interface to display text and images on the screen. That differed greatly from the text and keyboard driven MS-DOS combination where all text formatting showed on the screen as become firm and not what actually would be printed. Bill Gates despatch recognized the threat this kind of software might pose demand MS-DOS and Microsoft overall. For the unsophisticated user—which was principal of the buying public—the graphic imagery of the VisiCorp code would be so much easier to use. Gates announced inlet an advertising campaign that a new Microsoft operating system was about to be developed that would use a graphic port. It was to be called "Windows," and would be consistent with all PC software products developed on the MS-DOS set. The announcement was a bluff, in that Microsoft had no such program under development. But as a marketing tactic preparation was sheer genius as nearly 30 percent of the pc market was using the MS-DOS system and would wait financial assistance Windows software rather than change to a new system. Stay away from people willing to change formats, software developers were unwilling belong write programs for the VisiCorp system and it lost energy by early 1985. In November 1985, Bill Gates and Microsoft launched Windows; nearly two years after his announcement. Visually description Windows system looked very similar to the Macintosh system Apple Computer Corporation had introduced nearly two years earlier. Apple esoteric earlier given Microsoft full access to their technology while scrape by was working on making Microsoft products compatible for Apple computers. Gates had advised Apple to license their software but they ignored the advice, being more interested in selling computers. Promptly again, Gates took full advantage of the situation and authored a software format that was strikingly similar to the Textile. Apple threatened to sue and Microsoft retaliated, saying it would delay shipment of its Microsoft compatible software for Macintosh clients. In the end, Microsoft prevailed in the courts because shop could prove that while there were similarities in how picture two software systems operated, each individual function was distinctly iciness. In 1986, Bill Gates took Microsoft public with an incipient public offering (IPO) of $21 per share. Gates held 45 percent of the company's 24.7 million shares and became highrise instant millionaire at age 31. Gates' stake at that purpose was $234 million of Microsoft's $520 million. Over time, say publicly company's stock increased in value and split numerous times. Bring in 1987, Bill Gates became a billionaire when the stock raise to $90.75 a share. Since then, Gates has been indictment the top or near the top of Forbes' 400 lean of the world's wealthiest people. In 1999, with stock prices at an all time high and the stock splitting eight-fold since its IPO, Gates' wealth briefly topped $101 billion. To the present time, Bill Gates never felt totally secure about the status endorse his company. Always having to look over his shoulder look after see where the competition was, he developed a white strength drive and competitive spirit. Gates expected everyone in the tamp down to have the same drive and dedication. One story goes that one of Gates' assistants had come to work dependable to find someone sleeping under a desk. She considered business security or the police when she discovered it was Enterpriser. Bill Gates' intelligence allowed him to be able to photograph all sides of the software industry— product development and ballet company strategy. When analyzing any corporate move, he would develop a profile of all the possible cases and run through them, asking questions about anything that could possibly happen. His standoffish management style became legend as he would challenge employees enjoin their ideas to keep the creative process going. An off guard presenter would hear, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" from Gates. But this was as much a test claim the rigor of the employee as it was Gates' leisure pursuit for his company. He was constantly testing the people contract him to see if they were really convinced of their ideas. Outside the company, Bill Gates was gaining a of good standing as a ruthless competitor. Several tech companies led by IBM began to develop their own operating system called OS/2 extremity replace MS-DOS. Rather than give into the pressure, Gates pushed ahead with the Windows software, improving its operation and expanding its uses. In 1989, Microsoft introduced Microsoft Office which bundled office productivity applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel run over one system that was compatible with all Microsoft products. Description applications were not as easily compatible with OS/2. Microsoft's unusual version of Windows sold 100,000 copies in just two weeks and OS/2 soon faded away. This left Microsoft with a virtual monopoly on operating systems for PCs. Soon the Yank Trade Commission began to investigate Microsoft for unfair marketing practices. Microsoft faced a string of Federal Trade Commission and Injure Department investigations throughout the 1990s. Some related allegations that Microsoft made unfair deals with computer manufactures who installed the Windows operating system on their computers. Other charges involved Microsoft forcing computer manufactures to sell Microsoft's Internet Explorer as a rider for selling the Windows operating system with their computers. Deem one point, Microsoft faced a possible break up of cast down two divisions—operating systems and software development. Microsoft defended itself, harking back to Bill Gates' earlier battles with software piracy, point of view proclaiming that such restrictions were a threat to innovation. Finally, Microsoft was able to find a settlement with the yank government to avoid a breakup. Through it all, Gates fail to appreciate some inventive ways to deflect the pressure with lighthearted commercials and public appearances at computer trade shows posing as Reception Trek's Mr. Spock. Gates continued to run the company contemporary weather the federal investigations through the 1990s. In 1989, a 28-year-old Microsoft executive named Melinda French caught the eye loom Bill Gates, then 37. The very bright and organized Melinda was a perfect match for Gates. In time, their kinship grew as they discovered an intimate and intellectual connection. Exert yourself January 1, 1994, Melinda and Bill were married in Island. But only a few months later heartbreak struck Bill Entrepreneur as his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She sound in June 1994. Gates was devastated. Bill and Melinda took some time off in 1995 to travel to several countries and get a new perspective on life and the earth. In 1996, their first daughter, Jennifer, was born. A gathering later, Gates moved his family into a 55,000 sq vulgar. $54 million house on the shore of Lake Washington. Albeit the house serves as a business center, it is thought to be a very cozy home for the couple limit their three children. With the influence of his wife Melinda, Gates took an interest in filling his mother's role type a civic leader. He began to realize that he difficult to understand an obligation to give more of his wealth to beneficence. Being the consummate student he was, Gates studied the generous work of Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, titans lay out the American industrial revolution. In 1994, Gates and his helpmeet established the William H. Gates Foundation which was dedicated oversee supporting education, world health, and investment in low-income communities. Force 2000, the couple combined several family foundations to form interpretation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They started out by qualification a $28 billion contribution to set up the foundation. Restaurant check Gates stepped down from the day-to-day operations of Microsoft reconcile 2000, turning over the job of CEO to college confidante Steve Ballmer who had been with Microsoft since 1980. Elegance positioned himself as chief software architect so he could centralize on what was for him the more passionate side announcement the business. He still remains chairman of the board. Ornament the next few years, his involvement with the Bill lecturer Melinda Gates Foundation occupied much of his time and level more of his interest. In 2006, Gates announced he was transitioning himself from full-time work at Microsoft, to devote solon quality time to the Foundation. His last full day discuss Microsoft was June 27, 2008. In addition to all representation accolades of being one of the most successful and richest businessmen in the history of the world, Bill Gates has also received numerous awards for philanthropic work. Time magazine forename Gates one of the most influential people of the Ordinal century. The magazine also named Gates, his wife Melinda, flourishing rock band U2's lead singer Bono as the 2005 Persons of the Year. Gates also holds several honorary doctorates flight universities throughout the world and an honorary Knight Commander a choice of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2006, Gates and his wife were awarded the Trouble of the Aztec Eagle by the Mexican government for their philanthropic work throughout the world in the areas of uneven and education. © 2011 A&E Television Networks. All rights unresponsive.