Microsoft chairman Bill Gates transitioning out of company in 2008

[Roon]

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates transitioning out of company in 2008
Breaking on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Maybe he'll write more books

:puke:

[woodsprite]

5. MS Windows 2008 - World Domination...

Hope he doesn't run for prez. We'd have a White House with a back door that doesn't shut and nobody to write the security patches.

[SteppingRazor]

2. It'll allow him more time for interdimensional travel...

for some reason, I have this idea that Bill Gates is like that Dr. Who guy. :shrug:

[skids]

3. I don't know how I feel about this...

...Gates had a couple good things going on for him, along with the bad. I don't know whether this will result in a more evil or less evil M$.

[apnu]

10. same evil

M$ is so monolithic it has its own life now. Bill knows this. M$ runs (and ruins) itself.

[Rosco T.]

4. (watching BBC World) He plans on expanding his foundation...

.. boosting education and health care.

[apnu]

11. Mrs. Gates is planning on doing that.

She runs the show in the philanthropy department, not Mr. Gates. He is just the figure head in all this.

[wiley]

14. That is absolutely inaccurate

They are both actively involved, sometimes at the ground level of starting a program that addresses an unmet need in a country or place that would never get help. You may not hear a lot about what they do because that's not why they do it. Attack his business practices and policies if you like. The Foundation is beyond reproach and helping millions of desperate people.

[Rosco T.]

6. Full Press Release Here..

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2006/15/c4768.html

Microsoft Announces Plans for July 2008 Transition for Bill Gates

Working full time at Microsoft through June 2008, Gates then will continue
as chairman and advisor while increasing Foundation efforts; Ray Ozzie and
Craig Mundie to assume expanded roles.

REDMOND, Wash., June 15 /CNW/ -- Microsoft Corp.

(Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that effective July 2008 Bill Gates, chairman,
will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on
his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The company announced a two-year transition process to ensure that there is a
smooth and orderly transfer of Gates' daily responsibilities, and said that
after July 2008 Gates would continue to serve as the company's chairman and an
advisor on key development projects.

The company announced that Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie will
immediately assume the title of chief software architect and begin working
side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight
responsibilities, to ensure a smooth transition. Similarly, Chief Technical
Officer Craig Mundie will immediately take the new title of chief research and
strategy officer and will work closely with Gates to assume his responsibility
for the company's research and incubation efforts; Mundie also will partner
with general counsel Brad Smith to guide Microsoft's intellectual property and
technology policy efforts.

"Our business and technical leadership has never been stronger, and
Microsoft is well-positioned for success in the years ahead. I feel very
fortunate to have such great technical leaders like Ray and Craig at the
company," Gates said. "I remain fully committed and full time at Microsoft
through June 2008 and will be working side by side with Ray and Craig to
ensure that a smooth transition occurs."

"This was a hard decision for me," Gates added. "I'm very lucky to have
two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging. As I prepare for
this change, I firmly believe the road ahead for Microsoft is as bright as
ever."

In September 2005 Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer
organized the company into three divisions under presidents Jim Allchin, Kevin
Johnson, Robbie Bach and Jeff Raikes, who were given much greater
responsibility for product development and strategy decisions within their
respective businesses. In August 2005 the company appointed Kevin Turner as
chief operating officer.

"Bill and I are confident we've got a great team that can step up to fill
his shoes and drive Microsoft innovation forward without missing a beat,"
Ballmer said. "We will continue to hire the world's best technical talent and
give them the tools to do their best work, and we will continue to tackle the
biggest challenges and opportunities for our customers by investing for the
long term."

Ballmer and Gates noted that Microsoft has been steadily expanding its
senior leadership in recent years, and that today's announcement continues a
transition process that has been underway for several years. In January 2000,
Gates assumed the role of chief software architect and Ballmer assumed the
role of CEO, responsible for all day-to-day operations and company business
strategy.

"This is a very sensible and thorough approach. A two-year transition will
ensure that the company has a smooth transfer of strategy and knowledge from
Bill to the next generation of leaders," said James I. Cash, Ph.D., member of
the Microsoft board of directors and former James E. Robison Professor,
Harvard Business School. "Steve and his management team are very impressive,
and I'm confident the company will not miss a step."

Ozzie, 50, worked on the first electronic spreadsheet, VisiCalc, in the
early 1980s, then joined Lotus Development Corp. in 1983 to develop Lotus
Symphony, an MS-DOS(R)-based integrated software management product that
combined word processing, spreadsheet, business graphics, data management and
communications capabilities. In 1984, Ozzie formed Iris Associates Inc. to
develop Lotus Notes. In 1997 Ozzie founded Groove Networks, where he developed
Groove Virtual Office. Microsoft acquired Groove Networks in April 2005 and
named Ozzie chief technical officer.

Mundie, 56, joined Microsoft in 1992 to create and run the Consumer
Platforms Division, which was responsible for developing non-PC platform and
service offerings including the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE operating system;
software for handheld PCs, Pocket PCs and Auto PCs; and early telephony
products. Mundie also started Microsoft's digital TV efforts and acquired and
managed the WebTV Networks Inc. subsidiary. Mundie is also the original
champion of the Trustworthy Computing Initiative at Microsoft, which has
influenced Microsoft's software development strategy. His current
responsibilities also include global technology policy and a variety of
technical and business incubation activities.

Ozzie and Mundie will continue to report to Gates. At an appropriate time
during the two-year transition period, they will shift to reporting to
Ballmer.

Gates, 50, started Microsoft in 1975 with childhood friend Paul Allen. He
took Microsoft public in 1986 and was the company's chairman and CEO until
2000, when Ballmer took over as CEO. For the past six years Gates has focused
on Microsoft's software development as the company's chairman and chief
software architect. In 2000, with his wife, he formed the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, whose assets now are $29.1 billion.

[brooklynite]

7. Microsoft Announces Plans for July 2008 Transition for Bill Gates (PR)

REDMOND, Wash., June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp.(Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that effective July 2008 Bill Gates, chairman, will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The company announced a two-year transition process to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates' daily responsibilities, and said that after July 2008 Gates would continue to
serve as the company's chairman and an advisor on key development projects.

The company announced that Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie will immediately assume the title of chief software architect and begin working side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight responsibilities, to ensure a smooth transition. Similarly, Chief Technical Officer Craig Mundie will immediately take the new title of chief research and strategy officer and will work closely with Gates to assume his responsibility for the company's research and incubation efforts; Mundie also will partner with general counsel Brad Smith to guide Microsoft's intellectual property and technology policy efforts.

"Our business and technical leadership has never been stronger, and Microsoft is well-positioned for success in the years ahead. I feel very fortunate to have such great technical leaders like Ray and Craig at the company," Gates said. "I remain fully committed and full time at Microsoft through June 2008 and will be working side by side with Ray and Craig to ensure that a smooth transition occurs."

"This was a hard decision for me," Gates added. "I'm very lucky to have two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging. As I prepare for this change, I firmly believe the road ahead for Microsoft is as bright as ever."

In September 2005 Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer organized the company into three divisions under presidents Jim Allchin, Kevin Johnson, Robbie Bach and Jeff Raikes, who were given much greater responsibility for product development and strategy decisions within their respective businesses. In August 2005 the company appointed Kevin Turner as chief operating officer.

"Bill and I are confident we've got a great team that can step up to fill his shoes and drive Microsoft innovation forward without missing a beat," Ballmer said. "We will continue to hire the world's best technical talent and give them the tools to do their best work, and we will continue
to tackle the biggest challenges and opportunities for our customers by investing for the long term."

Ballmer and Gates noted that Microsoft has been steadily expanding its senior leadership in recent years, and that today's announcement continues a transition process that has been underway for several years. In January 2000, Gates assumed the role of chief software architect and Ballmer
assumed the role of CEO, responsible for all day-to-day operations and company business strategy.

"This is a very sensible and thorough approach. A two-year transition will ensure that the company has a smooth transfer of strategy and knowledge from Bill to the next generation of leaders," said James I. Cash, Ph.D., member of the Microsoft board of directors and former James E. Robison Professor, Harvard Business School. "Steve and his management team are very impressive, and I'm confident the company will not miss a step."

Ozzie, 50, worked on the first electronic spreadsheet, VisiCalc, in the early 1980s, then joined Lotus Development Corp. in 1983 to develop Lotus Symphony, an MS-DOS(R)-based integrated software management product that combined word processing, spreadsheet, business graphics, data management
and communications capabilities. In 1984, Ozzie formed Iris Associates Inc. to develop Lotus Notes. In 1997 Ozzie founded Groove Networks, where he developed Groove Virtual Office. Microsoft acquired Groove Networks in April 2005 and named Ozzie chief technical officer.

Mundie, 56, joined Microsoft in 1992 to create and run the Consumer Platforms Division, which was responsible for developing non-PC platform and service offerings including the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) CE operating system; software for handheld PCs, Pocket PCs and Auto PCs; and early telephony products. Mundie also started Microsoft's digital TV efforts and acquired and managed the WebTV Networks Inc. subsidiary. Mundie is also the original champion of the Trustworthy Computing Initiative at Microsoft, which has influenced Microsoft's software development strategy. His current
responsibilities also include global technology policy and a variety of technical and business incubation activities.

Ozzie and Mundie will continue to report to Gates. At an appropriate time during the two-year transition period, they will shift to reporting to Ballmer.

Gates, 50, started Microsoft in 1975 with childhood friend Paul Allen. He took Microsoft public in 1986 and was the company's chairman and CEO until 2000, when Ballmer took over as CEO. For the past six years Gates has focused on Microsoft's software development as the company's chairman and chief software architect. In 2000, with his wife, he formed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, whose assets now are $29.1 billion.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft has pioneered many of the software innovations that paved the way for the digital information revolution and launched the PC industry. Beginning with MS-DOS, Microsoft's first
operating system, and continuing with products such as Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows and Xbox(R), the company has developed a broad range of software, services and solutions that have transformed the way people work, communicate and play. Microsoft has 63,000 employees in more than 100 countries and generates annual sales of more than $40 billion (U.S.). With products for desktop PCs, servers and mobile devices, Microsoft continues to be the worldwide leader in helping people and businesses realize their full potential.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

[OhioChick]

8. Bill Gates..........

:puke:

[athena]

13. Why all this irrational hatred of Bill Gates?

Bill Gates is probably the biggest philanthropist in the world. I'm a linux person myself, but I have a great deal of respect for Bill Gates. He has given over $29 billion to charity since 2000. He donates more than $1 billion (that's one thousand million) per year through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which provides AIDS and Malaria treatment in third-world countries, among other things. He has stated that he will donate 95% of his money into this cause when he retires, leaving only 5% for his three children. On top of that, he's a liberal. His father was on PBS last week arguing for the estate tax.

Bill Gates is like Robin Hood. He takes from the wealthiest people in the world (i.e., Americans who can afford to buy a new computer every year) and gives to the poorest people in the world (e.g., those dying of AIDS in Africa because their countries can't afford to buy expensive medication from American pharmaceutical companies).

People who think it's better to give their money to Apple CEO Steve Jobs instead of Bill Gates should check out the following:
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,70072-0.html

Gates is giving away his fortune with the same gusto he spent acquiring it, throwing billions of dollars at solving global health problems. He has also spoken out on major policy issues, for example, by opposing proposals to cut back the inheritance tax.

In contrast, Jobs does not appear on any charitable contribution lists of note. And Jobs has said nary a word on behalf of important social issues, reserving his talents of persuasion for selling Apple products.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates :

In 2000, Gates founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a charitable organization, with his wife. The foundation's grants have provided funds for college scholarships for under-represented minorities, AIDS prevention, diseases prevalent in third world countries, and other causes. In 2000, the Gates Foundation endowed the University of Cambridge with $210 million for the Gates Cambridge Scholarships. The Foundation has also pledged over $7 billion to its various causes, including $1 billion to the United Negro College Fund; and as of 2005, had an estimated endowment of $29.0 billion. He has spent about a third of his lifetime income on charity.

(snip)

According to a 2004 Forbes magazine article, Gates gave away over $29 billion to charities from 2000 onwards. These donations are usually cited as sparking a substantial change in attitudes towards philanthropy among the very rich, as philanthropy eventually became the norm for the very rich.

[kurth]

9. How about fixing those bugs first?

[Dogmudgeon]

12. Check the DATE on his departure

June of 2008.

Bill may have his feet of clay (and the clay runs all the way up to his ass), but stupid he's not. I think he's aware that Something Is Up.

Especially with what will be happening in November of that year.

--p!