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The sound of a keyboard is cutting through
the silence of the night. In a small room, cluttered with code printouts, is sitting
a young man in glasses. His eyes are red from lack of sleep, but they are burning
with determination. This is Bill Gates, and he has just written a program that
will change the world of computers forever. Today, we will tell you the story
of the man who turned his obsession with code into an empire worth over
a trillion dollars. A man whose name has become synonymous with success and
innovation in the technological world. How did the son of a successful lawyer
become the richest man on the planet? Why did Gates sleep on the floor of his office
for years? What role did his domineering mother play in his success? And is it true that he
stole the idea for Windows from Steve Jobs? Get ready for the story of
Bill Gates – the man who taught the world to speak the language of Windows.
William Henry Gates III, known to the world
as Bill Gates, was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. His father, William
Henry Gates II, was a successful lawyer, and his mother, Mary Maxwell Gates, was a
prominent businesswoman and civic activist. Thanks to her sharp mind and networking skills,
she became the first woman to chair the national board of United Way and the first woman on the
board of directors of First Interstate Bank. Bill was the middle child in
the family, with two sisters: older sister Kristi and younger sister Libby. The relationships within the Gates family were
quite tense. Mary was a domineering woman who strictly controlled her children's lives.
She insisted that Bill eat vegetables he hated and even made him swim in the YMCA pool to
"channel his energy in the right direction." Bill often argued with his mother, and these conflicts
sometimes led to him being sent to a psychologist.
William Gates II was a more gentle parent, but he
also had high expectations for his son. He wanted Bill to follow in his footsteps and become a
lawyer. However, the young Gates had other plans. Bill attended a regular public elementary
school, where he showed exceptional abilities. He demonstrated a phenomenal
memory, quickly grasped new material, and had high grades in all subjects,
especially mathematics. At the age of 11, Gates scored 170 on an IQ test, indicating his
extraordinary intelligence. These abilities, as well as his persistence in his studies,
allowed him to successfully pass the entrance exams at the age of 13 and enter the
prestigious private Lakeside School in Seattle. It was here that he first
encountered computers. In 1968, Lakeside School acquired computer equipment, rare for that time even in universities. This
gave Gates the opportunity to learn programming. Gates was fascinated. He spent all
his free time in the computer lab, neglecting other subjects. His first program was
a Tic-Tac-Toe game written in BASIC. Bill quickly surpassed the school's computer science curriculum
and began looking for ways to apply his skills. It was also at Lakeside that Bill met Paul Allen.
They both spent most of their free time in the computer lab.
Despite the age difference,
they quickly discovered common interests. Allen was calmer and more thoughtful than
the impulsive Gates. He often smoothed out the rough edges in Bill's interactions
with others. "Bill was like a ball of energy with sharp elbows," Allen later
recalled. "If you didn't agree with him, he might lash out at you, shouting, 'That's
the stupidest thing I've ever heard!'" Their first joint project was automating
the class schedule at Lakeside School. Gates and Allen wrote a program that not only
created the schedule but also "randomly" placed Bill in classes with the most
"interesting girls." This experience showed them that their programming skills
could have real-world applications. In 1971, an event occurred that greatly
influenced Gates' future. At that time, he was 15 years old. Gates and Allen learned
that Information Sciences Inc. was looking for programmers to create a traffic management
system for Seattle.
Seeing an opportunity to apply their skills and earn money, the friends
offered their services. Despite their young age, they convinced the company to give them a chance
by demonstrating their programming skills. Together, they developed the Traf-O-Data program, which analyzed data from traffic counters
and optimized traffic light operation. The company was impressed with their work and paid
them $20,000, which was a significant amount for teenagers. The money was officially
paid through Gates and Allen's parents, who helped them complete the necessary paperwork.
This success strengthened Bill's confidence in his abilities and made him seriously
consider a career in computer technology.
However, not everything went smoothly. That same
year, Gates and Allen were caught hacking into the computer system of Computer Center
Corporation (CCC). They were punished by being banned from using school computers.
But Gates did not give up. He offered CCC to find vulnerabilities in their security
system in exchange for computer time. The company agreed, and Bill gained invaluable
experience working with real systems. After graduating from high school in 1973,
Gates entered Harvard University. He planned to study law to please his father,
but he spent most of his time in the computer lab.
It was at Harvard that Gates,
along with Professor Christos Papadimitriou, solved an interesting mathematical problem
known as the "pancake sorting problem." This problem involved finding the optimal
algorithm for sorting a stack of "pancakes" of different sizes in the minimum number of
flips. Gates' solution, published in 1979, remained the best for 30 years, demonstrating
his outstanding abilities in algorithmics. It was only in 2008 that an algorithm was
found that improved the result by one step. In 1974, when Gates was studying at Harvard and
Allen was working as a programmer in Boston, an event occurred that changed their lives.
Allen saw a photo of the first personal computer, the Altair 8800, on the cover of Popular
Electronics magazine. He immediately ran to Gates, shouting, "Hey, it's happened!
I can't believe it's happened!" The friends realized that the era
of personal computers had begun, and they could not miss this chance. They
contacted the manufacturer of the Altair, MITS, and offered to write a BASIC interpreter
for them. MITS agreed for several reasons.
First, the company desperately needed software for
its computer to make it more attractive to buyers. Second, Gates and Allen convincingly
presented themselves as experienced programmers, without revealing their young age. Finally,
MITS did not need to invest funds until they received a finished product. The company
did not know that Gates and Allen did not have an Altair computer or even a
working prototype of the program. For eight weeks, the friends worked practically
without sleep, creating a BASIC interpreter for a computer they had never seen. When Allen
flew to Albuquerque to demonstrate the program, it worked the first time.
It was a moment of
triumph that led to the creation of Microsoft. In April 1975, inspired by the success of
their BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded
Micro-Soft (the hyphen was removed later). Gates was only 19 years
old and still a Harvard student. Microsoft's first office was located in a cheap
motel room in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gates and Allen chose this location because of its
proximity to MITS, their first major client. They not only worked but also lived in this room,
often falling asleep right at their computers. In its early stages, Microsoft
consisted of only a few people. The company earned money by selling
software for early microcomputers. "We were young and hungry," Gates
later recalled. "I knew that every hour of sleep was an hour when our
competitors could overtake us." Most of the money earned was spent on renting
computer time needed for software development. Gates personally checked every line of code
written by employees and did not hesitate to criticize harshly.
"This is the most idiotic
code I've ever seen!" was his usual comment. In 1976, Gates made a decision that shocked his
parents and friends – he dropped out of Harvard to devote himself entirely to Microsoft. His mother
was furious. "He's going to ruin his life!" she shouted. His father was more restrained,
but he also did not approve of this step. The turning point came in 1980 when IBM approached
Microsoft with a request to develop an operating system for their new personal computer.
Gates and Allen did not have a ready-made OS, but they knew who did – a small company called
Seattle Computer Products.
Microsoft bought their QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating
System) system for $50,000, refined it, and sold it to IBM under the name PC-DOS
(Personal Computer Disk Operating System). Although the exact amount of the
deal with IBM was not disclosed, experts estimated it to be around $80,000.
However, the key point in this deal was that Gates insisted on non-exclusive licensing.
This meant that Microsoft could sell its OS (now called MS-DOS) to other computer
manufacturers. This strategic move laid the foundation for Microsoft's future
dominance in the operating system market. In 1981, Microsoft was reorganized
into a corporation with Gates as president and chairman of the
board, and Allen as executive vice president. The company moved from
Albuquerque to Bellevue, Washington, closer to the founders' hometown.
The new office
was located in a business park on 8th Street, symbolizing Microsoft's transition from a
garage startup to a serious corporation. The success of MS-DOS brought Microsoft
huge profits, but Gates understood that the future lay in the graphical interface.
In 1983, Microsoft announced Windows – a graphical shell for MS-DOS. The first version
of Windows was released in 1985 and was met with skepticism due to its slow performance,
frequent crashes, and limited functionality. Steve Jobs of Apple called it a "lousy
copy of the Mac," accusing Microsoft of plagiarizing the graphical interface ideas
that Apple had developed for its Macintosh computer. Jobs was particularly angry
because he had previously shown Gates prototypes of the Macintosh, hoping for
collaboration in software development. Gates was adamant.
"We're just getting
started," he stated. "Wait and see." He was right. By the 1990s, after
several significant improvements, Windows had become the dominant
operating system in the world. In 1986, Microsoft held its initial
public offering (IPO) on the stock market. The share price was set at $21.
By the end of the first day of trading, it had risen to $28, making Gates an instant
millionaire. He was only 31 years old. The success of Windows and the Microsoft
Office suite in the 1990s transformed the company into a true industry giant. By 1995,
Windows was used on 80% of personal computers worldwide. Gates became the richest man in
the world, surpassing the Sultan of Brunei. However, this success attracted the
attention of antitrust authorities. In 1998, the US Department of Justice
filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, accusing the company of unfair competition.
Gates personally testified in court, and his behavior during questioning became a
subject of wide discussion. He often evaded direct answers and argued about the meaning
of ordinary words, which irritated the judge.
"What do you think the word 'concerned' means?" asked lawyer David Boies
during one of the interrogations. "I'm not sure I understand your question.
Perhaps you could clarify?" Gates replied, causing laughter in the courtroom. This trial seriously damaged the reputation
of Gates and Microsoft. In 2000, the court ruled to split the company into two parts.
Although this decision was later overturned, Microsoft agreed to several restrictions on its
activities. The company pledged to give computer manufacturers more freedom to install competitors'
programs, disclose some of Windows' source code to third-party application developers, and provide
a more level playing field for competing web browsers.
In addition, Microsoft agreed to
the appointment of an independent observer to monitor compliance with these conditions
for five years. These restrictions were aimed at reducing Microsoft's monopoly power and
stimulating competition in the software industry. Despite these difficulties, Gates continued
to lead Microsoft forward. He invested heavily in research and development, striving to stay
at the forefront of technological innovation. In 2000, Gates and his wife Melinda founded
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private charitable
organization in the world. The foundation focused on global health,
education, and poverty reduction. In 2006, Gates announced his decision to gradually
step away from the day-to-day management of Microsoft to focus on the foundation's work.
This was not due to problems within the company, but reflected his desire to use his experience and
resources to address global challenges. In 2008, he stepped down as CEO, and in 2014, he
resigned as chairman of the board of Microsoft. Bill Gates' political views have always been
a subject of interest and speculation. Despite trying to stay away from partisan politics,
his influence on public life has been enormous. Gates has supported candidates
from both major US parties, but his views can generally be characterized as
moderately liberal.
He has advocated for higher taxes on the wealthy, supported same-sex marriage,
and expressed concern about climate change. "I've paid over $10 billion in taxes, but I
should have paid more," Gates said in a CNN interview in 2020. "I support raising
taxes for people with high incomes." However, his philanthropic activities have
often been criticized. Some have accused the Gates Foundation of having undue influence on
global health policy. Others have argued that the foundation invests in companies whose
activities contradict its stated goals. For example, a major scandal erupted in 2013
when it was revealed that the Gates Foundation had invested $23 million in G4S, a private
security company accused of human rights abuses in Palestinian prisons. Following a wave of
criticism, the foundation sold its shares in G4S. In recent years, Gates has become the
subject of numerous conspiracy theories, particularly in connection
with the COVID-19 pandemic. His long-standing interest in vaccination and
warnings about a possible pandemic have led to accusations that he is allegedly
behind the spread of the virus. "It's so stupid and strange that I even
find it hard to comment on it seriously," Gates said in a BBC interview in 2020.
"We
have vaccines that save people's lives. And suddenly there are these strange
conspiracy theories around it." Despite criticism and scandals, Gates
remains an influential figure in global politics and philanthropy. His views
on global health, climate change, and technological development continue to
shape discussions at the international level. Bill Gates' personal life has
always attracted public attention, although he tried to keep
it secret from prying eyes.
Gates met his future wife Melinda in 1987
when she started working at Microsoft. Their relationship began after a chance
encounter in the company parking lot. "He wasn't impressed with me, and I
wasn't impressed with him," Melinda recalled. However, sympathy
gradually arose between them. Bill and Melinda married on January 1, 1994, in
Hawaii. The ceremony was so secret that Gates rented all the helicopters on the island of
Lanai to prevent paparazzi from interfering. The couple has three children: Jennifer, Rory, and
Phoebe. Gates has always emphasized the importance of education for his children, but at the
same time, he tried not to pressure them. "I don't think it will be good if my kids
get a lot," Gates said in an interview in 2011. "They have to have meaning in life. You
want them to be passionate about something, to feel like they can achieve
something on their own." Contrary to popular myth, Gates never completely
banned his children from using Apple products. However, he established strict rules for the
use of technology in the family.
For example, children were not allowed to have mobile
phones until they were 14 years old. In May 2021, Bill and Melinda announced
their divorce after 27 years of marriage. This decision shocked many and caused
a wave of speculation in the media. "We no longer believe we can grow
together as a couple in this next phase of our lives," their joint statement said. Later, it turned out that one of the reasons
for the divorce was Gates' connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a financier convicted in 2008
of soliciting a minor for prostitution. Gates met Epstein in 2011 and continued to meet with him
despite his criminal past. Melinda was extremely unhappy with this relationship and insisted
on ending contact with Epstein back in 2014. In addition, during the divorce proceedings, information surfaced about Gates'
romantic relationship with a Microsoft employee in 2000. The company's board of
directors launched an investigation into this incident in 2019, which may have influenced
Gates' decision to leave the board in 2020. Despite the divorce, Bill and Melinda
announced their intention to continue working together in their charitable foundation.
Bill Gates' business empire began with Microsoft, but over time it has expanded significantly.
In addition to his stake in Microsoft, Gates has invested in various companies through
his investment firm Cascade Investment. At the peak of his wealth in 1999, Gates'
fortune was estimated at $100 billion, equivalent to approximately $163 billion
in 2021, adjusted for inflation. He was the richest man in the world from 1995 to 2017,
with the exception of a few short periods. However, Gates did not strive to accumulate
wealth for the sake of wealth. In 2000, he and his wife Melinda founded the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private charitable
organization in the world. By 2021, the foundation had donated over $50
billion to various projects worldwide. In 2010, Gates and Warren Buffett created the
Giving Pledge initiative, urging billionaires to donate most of their wealth to charity. By 2021,
more than 200 billionaires had signed this pledge. "Money has no value for me beyond a certain
level," Gates said in an interview with the Telegraph in 2013. "His transition from
being totally profit-driven at Microsoft to being totally driven to improve
the lives of the poorest people in the world is stunning," Warren
Buffett said of his friend.
Despite large donations, Gates'
fortune continued to grow thanks to his investments. According to Forbes, in
2021, his fortune was estimated at $124 billion, making him the fourth richest person in the world. Gates' investment portfolio is diverse.
In addition to technology companies, he has invested significant amounts in
agriculture, energy, and healthcare. For example, he is the largest private owner
of agricultural land in the United States. However, not all of Gates' investments
have been successful.
For example, his investments in Theranos, a blood testing
company, proved to be disastrous. In 2018, it turned out that Theranos' technology was
a fraud, and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, deliberately misled investors. Holmes was
found guilty of fraud and sentenced to prison. "It was a clear miscalculation," Gates
admitted in an interview with CNBC in 2022. "I lost several hundred million dollars. It
was a mistake, and I take responsibility for it." Despite some setbacks, Gates'
business empire remains one of the most impressive in the world. His
success in business and his extensive philanthropic activities have made him one
of the most influential figures of our time.
Bill Gates' impact on the technological world and
society is enormous. His vision of "a computer on every desk" largely determined the development
of the personal computer industry. Microsoft Windows and Office have become the standard,
changing the way millions of people work. Through his charitable foundation,
Gates has become a key player in global health and education. The Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation has played an important role in the fight against
various diseases in developing countries. Gates has also become an influential voice in
discussions about the future of technology, warning about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence and actively speaking
out on climate change issues. However, his influence has not always been
perceived positively. Critics have accused Gates of using charity to advance personal interests and
of having undue influence on global health policy.
Despite the controversy, Gates' transition
from businessman to philanthropist has become an example for many. "With great money
comes great responsibility," Gates said, reflecting his approach to using
wealth to solve global problems. In recent years, Bill Gates has increasingly
focused on his philanthropic activities and global challenges such as climate
change and pandemic prevention. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Gates announced that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would allocate $1.75 billion
to fight the virus.
He also became one of the key voices in discussing the
global strategy to combat pandemics. "We need to prepare for the next pandemic
like a fire. Just as we have fire trucks on standby and people practicing using them,"
Gates said in a BBC interview in 2021. Gates is also actively investing in
projects to combat climate change. He founded Breakthrough Energy, a company
that supports innovation in clean energy. "Climate change could be worse than COVID-19,"
he warned in his blog in 2020.
"By 2060, climate change could be as deadly as COVID-19,
and by 2100, it could be five times as deadly." As for the technology sector, Gates continues to
follow the development of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. He
expresses both optimism and concern about their potential impact on society. "AI is a fundamental technology that will
affect almost every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to education," he said in an
interview with MIT Technology Review in 2021. "But we have to be careful and make sure that we are
in control of AI, and not the other way around." Bill Gates' legacy is already enormous.
He
not only changed the world of technology but also set a new standard for philanthropy
among billionaires. His Giving Pledge has inspired many wealthy people to give
to charity on an unprecedented scale. However, Gates does not believe his work
is done. "There are still so many problems to solve," he said in an interview with The
Atlantic in 2020. "I feel like I have a duty to use my resources and influence to tackle
some of the world's toughest challenges." Time will tell what Bill Gates' ultimate
legacy will be. But it is already clear that his impact on technology, business, and
philanthropy will be felt for decades to come. The story of Bill Gates is not just a success
story. It is a saga of transformation: from an ambitious young programmer to one
of the most influential philanthropists in the world. Gates has shown that it is
possible not only to build a multi-billion dollar empire but also to use this wealth
to solve global problems facing humanity.
His path was not smooth. From accusations of monopoly to criticism of
his philanthropic activities, Gates has faced numerous challenges. But each
time he adapted, learned, and moved forward. "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart
people into thinking they can't lose," Gates once said. These words reflect his approach to life and
business: always learn, always strive for more.
"I'm convinced that in 20 years, we'll look back
and be amazed at how much better the world has become," Gates said in his TED Talk in 2014.
Time will tell if he is right. But one thing is certain: thanks to the efforts of Bill
Gates and people inspired by his example, we have a chance to make the world a better place. What do you think about Bill Gates' legacy?
Do you think his approach to philanthropy is effective? Can one person really change the
world? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to like
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will continue telling you exciting stories about people who are changing the world. Thank you
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