Bill Gates Biography

William Henry Gates III, who is also known as Bill Gates, is regarded as one of the wealthiest and most prosperous businessmen in the world. In 1975, Gates was informed about a new computer in the making. In two weeks, he was hired to work for the business that created the new computer. In one year, Bill Gates and Paul Allen had their own business. They decided to name their business Micro-Soft. They called it Micro-Soft because it is relating to microprocessors and the software in the computers.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1975 to form this partnership. It would soon grow into one of the most successful and instrumental companies of the technological age. Microsoft is a major component in the field of computer programming, and it has not only been innovative in developing value for itself but has also been influential for the creation of thousands of companies by the way of the technical advancement. In the 1970s, people depended on typewriters for making documents and using carbon paper for making copies. This is when Allen and Gates saw personal computing as a path to the future.

In 1973 Gates enrolled at Harvard University to become a lawyer or an attorney like his father, but he then realizes he wasn’t interested in that career choice as much as he was interested in computers and software. He was spending more of his time and effort working on computers and technological advances than class, while at Harvard. In 1974 Bill Gates joined his friend Allen, who dropped from Washington University after two years, at Honeywell Company because they received an opportunity to write software for a computer that was soon to release. They improved upon their basic software and expanded their business until they incorporated in 1981, removing the hyphen and known as Microsoft.

People could now purchase their own computers that would be cost efficient. When the personal computers was introduced into the market, the demand for improvement had already started. People wanted their computers to load faster, have larger memory, have better programming, and making it easier to use. Gates was already a step ahead and figured out that the people would want and have these needs, so development was already in progress.

In their business, Bill Gates and Paul Allen split up their responsibilities to their own advantages. Paul Allen was better in the technical ideas and perspective developments. Bill Gates was responsible for negotiations, contracts and other business communication. He is held accountable for making the most popular computer and technology enterprise. Gates and his company have created both computers and software that has changed the world. The astounding thing is that the business still continues to expand and change the way people live.

The two partners saw that the technology used in their computers, mainly the microprocessor, could be used in other electronic devices than just a PC. For example, elevator controls, traffic lights, automobiles, heating and air conditioning systems, stereos, televisions, etc. has now become more advanced, saving everyone a huge sum of money. Gates technological advances was transforming everything in everyone’s lives that at first, could go unnoticeable. Microsoft allowed numerous things to occur more methodical and efficiently. This is important because the better people run their lives, the better the whole system becomes.

The employees at Microsoft work together in small groups on projects. The teams are given a budget and are allowed to make and choose their own work hours and arrangements, with each team working like a business on its own. Microsofts micro-management is what Gates' describes as being one of the reasons behind the continued success of the company.

The Macintosh PC came out in 1984, but the first Windows came out in 1983. Consumers would rather have a cheaper IBM (International Business Machines) computer with Windows, than a more expensive, but nicer looking Macintosh, since they both had the same software. Steve Jobs was fired the next year. Microsoft went on to develop Windows 95 through Windows XP. Steve Jobs went back to Apple in 1997 and came together with Bill Gates. Microsoft continues to grow and began to rise in worth grossing $2.5 million in 1978 when Bill was only 23. The success started when the IBM needed a software to run their new upcoming personal computers. Although he had not come up with an operating system that could run IBM’s new computer, he bought an operating system that was similar to what IBM needed and sold it to them for the price he bought it for. This made Microsoft more valuable and made the company millions between the years 1978 and 1981.

He was the second billionaire of his time. His main motivation was to create a product that would be used by everyone around the world, and positively change the way people live. He explains in his biography, “Guided by a belief that the personal computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers.”(thocp.net) This was a huge step up from the weak, and commonly used Mac OS, which was released by Apple Computers earlier. Over a short period of time, Microsoft’s new product became very popular for its simplicity in operation. Millions of people around the world decided to switch to Microsoft Windows. The sudden change from Mac OS to Windows was incredible. Bill Gates’ product became such an important tool to businesses, homes, and schools.

Microsoft was able to knock out all of its competitors easily. Bill Gates’ strategy was to promote all of his products together. For example, he would attach Internet Explorer to Microsoft Windows, which was his top selling product. Gates had changed the meaning of technology and made personal computers and more easier to use and the software more accessible through his constant designs and upgrades.

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