Complete coverage: Bill Gates Moves On

Microsoft's Golden Age: Going, going ... gone?
With Bill Gates giving up his day-to-day role at Microsoft, a big question is whether the company's best days are behind it.

Gates' historical legacy may focus more on philanthropy than on Microsoft
As a result of his plan to give most of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, it's conceivable that Bill Gates ultimately will be remembered more as a philanthropist than as a business tycoon.

Gates pushed change in security culture at Microsoft
The "Trustworthy Computing" initiative ordered by Bill Gates in 2002 set in motion a series of changes that have helped Microsoft make progress on software security issues, despite the continuing stream of patches it issues.

For Bill Gates, antitrust fight was a personal crucible
With the U.S. antitrust case against Microsoft, Bill Gates in 1998 faced his company's gravest threat -- the possibility it could be broken up by the federal government.

The '640K' quote won't go away -- but did Gates really say it?
In 1981, when the IBM PC was introduced, Bill Gates supposedly said that 640KB of memory "ought to be enough for anybody." The quote has followed him through the years, despite any solid evidence that he actually said it.

The quotable Bill Gates: In his own words
Bill Gates has weighed in on everything from computers to government regulation to poverty and philanthropy in his years at Microsoft.

Bill Gates, in other people's words
Not surprisingly, Bill Gates has attracted a lot of comments during his 33 years at Microsoft. Here's a sampling of what rivals, comedians and others have had to say about him.

Is Ballmer the right man for Microsoft -- for another 10 years?
With Bill Gates retiring from his day-to-day role at Microsoft, the spotlight will shine even more on CEO Steve Ballmer than it does now. Some Microsoft watchers think he's up to the task; others have their doubts.

15 ways Microsoft can reinvent itself for the post-Gates era
Its cofounder is retiring, its latest big product has been vilified, and potential partners are spurning its advances. So what does Microsoft do to remain relevant? Here are 15 ideas.

Before Ballmer: Pretenders to Gates' throne at Microsoft
Eric Lai looks back at those who at one point might have laid claim to the top job at Microsoft.

Making the Bill Gates myth grow
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols says Microsoft's best days are behind it and he's looking forward now to a slow post-Gates decline at the company.

History's verdict: Bill Gates, yes; Steve Jobs, no
As far as Preston Gralla is concerned, Bill Gates will be remembered for his historic contributions to society, unlike Steve Jobs, who will be seen as a greater marketer and designer, but not much else.

Seven Bill Gates predictions that showed he's no Nostradamus
You'd think being in a position to help shape the tech industry would help you predict where it's going, says Eric Lai.

My picks for Bill Gates' 5 smartest moves
Eric Lai details when Bill Gates got it right.

My picks for Bill Gates' 5 dumbest moves
Eric Lai explains when Bill Gates sometimes got it wrong.

Five reasons why it's not business as usual for Microsoft
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols says Gates' departure will leave a void, despite the company's claims.

Good-Bye Mr. Gates
It was appropriate that Bill Gates' last major public speech was not to the masses, but to developers at Microsoft's Tech-Ed conference, Vaughan-Nichols writes.

Five reasons to fire Ballmer
Ballmer has been in charge of Microsoft for the past several years, and he's been running it into the ground, Vaughan-Nichols argues.

Bill Gates' final day video spoof, from his keynote at the 2008 International CES trade show.

Timeline: The Gates era at Microsoft
A look back at some of the key developments during Bill Gates' 33-year tenure at Microsoft.

Photo Gallery: Gates Now . . . and Then
Pictures of Bill Gates from the recent and not-so-recent past.

Image Gallery: Bill Gates' Seattle: A life in maps
Forget Waldo. Where in Seattle is Bill Gates likely to turn up?

Gates bids adieu to developers
Bill Gates delivered his final speech as a full-time Microsoft employee to software developers at the company's Tech-Ed conference in Orlando.

Short-timer: Gates down to his last month at Microsoft
The legacy assessment season opens in earnest as the end of Bill Gates' two-year retirement process looms.

Gates says farewell to CES, sense of humor intact
In his swan song at the annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, the Microsoft co-founder predicted a greater digital era ahead.

Curtain Closing on Gates Era at Microsoft:
IT managers say transition plan has benefits, pitfalls
From 2006: Users and analysts said the decision by Bill Gates to gradually step away from a day-to-day role at Microsoft marks the end of an era in the software industry. But the change might not be a bad thing for the company, many said.

Gates Downplays His Role, Plays Up Microsoft's Future
Also from 2006: Bill Gates said during a teleconference announcing his retirement plans that Microsoft is "well positioned" to fend off new competitive threats, and he downplayed his recent contributions to the development of the company's key products.

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