Bill Gates transitioning out of company

[MGS4-SS]

Looks like Vista will not cut it.

[illicit]

I just heard about this on the news.

[Orange]

Bout time don't you think :whistle:

[Bhav]

He's gona keep earning millions for doing f*** all :cry:

[Fourjays Veteran]

I think the transition is a good thing. Not because he will be less involved with the company, but because of all the people who will benefit from his charity work. :yes:

[leovanham]

Say it aint so Bill :cry: :cry: ..... say it aint sooooo :cry: :cry: :cry:

HAHA! that made me laugh out loud!

[Rubicks13]

He is doing this because when Vista gets more features taken out of it, Gates can then say "I was in the transitional phase and was not in full control. Its simple he knows that Vista won't be ready for the shipping date, we will be lucky to see it by the summer of 2007. If he gets questioned about it all the blame is off him as he "stepped down" from that post to make the world a better place. Its all smoke the real reason why he stepped down because Vista will not be ready for ship!!!

CUBE

[.Ark]

He is doing this because when Vista gets more features taken out of it, Gates can then say "I was in the transitional phase and was not in full control. Its simple he knows that Vista won't be ready for the shipping date, we will be lucky to see it by the summer of 2007. If he gets questioned about it all the blame is off him as he "stepped down" from that post to make the world a better place. Its all smoke the real reason why he stepped down because Vista will not be ready for ship!!!

CUBE

Don't understand why the hell people can be so ****ing obtuse! He is trying to change his priorities to focus on charity and you think that he is doing this to blame it on someone else? Vista doesn't suck first of all and thats a different topic! But the thing that you said shows how narrow minded you are!

[Fourjays Veteran]

Don't understand why the hell people can be so ****ing obtuse! He is trying to change his priorities to focus on charity and you think that he is doing this to blame it on someone else? Vista doesn't suck first of all and thats a different topic! But the thing that you said shows how narrow minded you are!

Quite agree, but I stopped saying anything a long time ago. Microsoft/Bill Gates is evil, and Apple/Steve Jobs is god. Simple as.

[phantasmorph]

Don't understand why the hell people can be so ****ing obtuse! He is trying to change his priorities to focus on charity and you think that he is doing this to blame it on someone else? Vista doesn't suck first of all and thats a different topic! But the thing that you said shows how narrow minded you are!

...and for what reason could this announcement not wait...what...6 months or so, until Vista and Office are out the door? Two of the biggest product launches in the past 5 years, and he makes an announcement like this mere months before they are scheduled to take place?

Believe what you want, but what would you think of a coach who announced his retirement a few weeks before his team plays in the Superbowl? :whistle:

[Nexus]

Come on Bill, give me a call I'm waiting to take your position. :D . .................Still waiting. I'm sure the phone will ring any minute. :whistle: :p

[.Ark]

...and for what reason could this announcement not wait...what...6 months or so, until Vista and Office are out the door? Two of the biggest product launches in the past 5 years, and he makes an announcement like this mere months before they are scheduled to take place?

Believe what you want, but what would you think of a coach who announced his retirement a few weeks before his team plays in the Superbowl? :whistle:

For what reason should it wait? To convince people like you who think in a cheap way of a man who reached a pinnacle?

[viciv]

IMO, Bill is one of the greatest person ever.. he has donated so much money which he doesn't really have to:)

[Hurmoth]

Wow, just wow. I cannot imagine how hard of a decision this was for him. After all, Microsoft is his baby and giving something like this up is a huge step. I know, I know, he's not leaving the company, but for the most part he is. I wish him all the best with his aid work (Y)

Come on Bill, give me a call I'm waiting to take your position. :D . .................Still waiting. I'm sure the phone will ring any minute. :whistle: :p

To late, his position is already filled :p

...and for what reason could this announcement not wait...what...6 months or so, until Vista and Office are out the door? Two of the biggest product launches in the past 5 years, and he makes an announcement like this mere months before they are scheduled to take place?

Believe what you want, but what would you think of a coach who announced his retirement a few weeks before his team plays in the Superbowl? :whistle:

:wacko: Obviously you weren't paying to much attention or just didn't watch Bill Gates' announcement, but Bill Gates is no longer the Chief Software Architect, Ray Ozzie has already taken over the position. So still wondering why Bill made the announcement today?

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/ozzie/default.mspx

[Nashy]

Now would have to be the time to buy stocks wouldn't it?

[Hurmoth]

Now would have to be the time to buy stocks wouldn't it?

Without a doubt :yes: I see stocks for Microsoft rising big tomorrow, so if you're going to buy some, get the order in tonight.

[Proforma]

...and for what reason could this announcement not wait...what...6 months or so, until Vista and Office are out the door? Two of the biggest product launches in the past 5 years, and he makes an announcement like this mere months before they are scheduled to take place?

Believe what you want, but what would you think of a coach who announced his retirement a few weeks before his team plays in the Superbowl? :whistle:

yeah... um that is why he made the announcement now and it is for 2008 when he steps down.

Thanks for playing.

[phantasmorph]

yeah... um that is why he made the announcement now and it is for 2008 when he steps down.

Thanks for playing.

Uh...DUH?

My point is, why didn't he wait until Vista was out, which is about half a year away, to announce to the world that he's essentially leaving. What was so pressing RIGHT NOW that required him to do this? I'm not saying he's LEAVING right now, I'm saying, why did he have to ANNOUNCE THIS right now.

Three cheers for braindead muppets with no reading comprehension! :rolleyes:

[PL_ Veteran]

Wonder if he will have the "Steve Jobs effect" on MS :p

[Nashy]

Why the hell does it matter? DO you seriously think he personally had all that much to do with the new OS except for testing and marketing?

[fishrman]

All good things eventually have to come to an end. I'm sure Microsoft and the greater technology community (among others) will view it as a great loss, but looking foward, it only opens the door for someone else to really take the helm of Microsoft; to take charge and emulate the success of Bill Gates in his/her own way. And at the end of the day, that's what I'm taking away from this piece of news.

At least, regarding Microsoft and software. Obviously his new-found time to devote himself to his community service also speaks very highly and well of him, of course, and I'm sure it will inspire more people to do stuff in that area. But that was the obvious thing :p

[Fourjays Veteran]

...and for what reason could this announcement not wait...what...6 months or so, until Vista and Office are out the door? Two of the biggest product launches in the past 5 years, and he makes an announcement like this mere months before they are scheduled to take place?

Believe what you want, but what would you think of a coach who announced his retirement a few weeks before his team plays in the Superbowl? :whistle:

Announcement being the key word. He will still be in charge when Vista and Office come out - providing they don't get delayed again. If he had announced that he is transitioning out starting next week, then it would probably be a case of jumping ship. Anyway, he is transitioning out of his day-to-day role, not leaving the company entirely, so he will still effectively be the company owner!

[.Ark]

Uh...DUH?

My point is, why didn't he wait until Vista was out, which is about half a year away, to announce to the world that he's essentially leaving. What was so pressing RIGHT NOW that required him to do this? I'm not saying he's LEAVING right now, I'm saying, why did he have to ANNOUNCE THIS right now.

Three cheers for braindead muppets with no reading comprehension! :rolleyes:

The thing is that, the annoucement had to come out sometime and he annouced it now. Vista launch is almost an year away and there is no reason the annoucement had to wait an year. Most of Vista is done anyways, so it really doesn't matter and Bill Gates is not the kind of person who would say that he was transitioning and couldn't focus on the project. Its the company that he made.. not someone elses where he works. Stop thinking like a "braindead muppet" and think positively.

[evo0o]

Imagine if Steve Jobs went over to Microsoft. Gasp!

[Anand]

Imagine if Steve Jobs went over to Microsoft. Gasp!

Well, we'll get the universal binary of Office 2004 within a week if that happens :p