Complete coverage: Bill Gates Moves On

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bill Gates has weighed in on everything from computers to government regulation to poverty and philanthropy in his years at Microsoft.

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.

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.

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.

Blogs

Eric Lai looks back at those who at one point might have laid claim to the top job at Microsoft.

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.

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.

You'd think being in a position to help shape the tech industry would help you predict where it's going, says Eric Lai.

Eric Lai details when Bill Gates got it right.

Eric Lai explains when Bill Gates sometimes got it wrong.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols says Gates' departure will leave a void, despite the company's claims.

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.

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

Video

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

Poll

Gates Through the Years

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

Pictures of Bill Gates from the recent and not-so-recent past.

Forget Waldo. Where in Seattle is Bill Gates likely to turn up?

From the Archives

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

The legacy assessment season opens in earnest as the end of Bill Gates' two-year retirement process looms.

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.