Bill Gates is the name behind huge and everyone’s most basic necessity i.e. Microsoft. We all know facts about Bill Gates he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975 at the age of 20. He is the world’s richest man, a college dropout and self-earned wealth.
But we don’t know certain things about him which gives us more of his character, personal facts, and how as a human being he is.
Bill Gates’s Money-Making Journey and Struggle.
At the age of 13, Bill Gates was in a private school named Lakeside School. He programmed his first application which was a basic programming game Tic-tac-toe which can be played between computer and user. Seeing this the school asked him to write a program to schedule students’ class timetables, Gates modified the code to place himself in classes with a high number just to be around “interesting girls”.
In 1975, while studying at Harvard University, Gates and Paul Allen(his hometown friend) started developing software for the first microcomputers. Their first launch was BASIC, a programming language. It is used generally in large computers but this duo adapted BASIC programming language for the use of microcomputers. After the success of the project, Gates left the junior year and with his friend Paul Allen cofounded Microsoft.
Bill Gates is not rags to riches. Many of us think that he comes from a small, simple family, but he comes from a wealthy family. His father is a famous lawyer. Bill’s mother was not just a simple teacher, but the president of the national council of United Way International, and a member of the board of directors of a finance and telephone company.
At Unite Way International, Bill Gates’s mother met John Opel, chairman of International Business Machines (IBM). As we know in the 90’s, IBM was a giant shark in the world of computers. It gave Bill its first-ever opportunity in 1980.
Before the great IBM deal was cracked, Bill faced many hurdles. Of course, it was bound to happen. Every genius struggles to launch things that are going to evolve technology for generations.
In the earlier days of Microsoft, the manufacturers thought the techno hobbyist could program machines all by himself. But Gates had a visionary goal. He made a tailor-made software called BASIC, without which the machine was useless. He tied up with many small companies, so instead of getting a straight price, he started getting a commission of about $30 for each sale with a computer having his software in it.
The problem arose when the demand for computers in the 90’s was booming but very few showed interest in buying his software with it. His software got pirated. Back in 1975, you had to copy complete code manually on a reel of paper tape, punching holes in the same spots as in the original. Gates wanted to confront the pirates directly where they lived, which at the time was just possible through the Homebrew Computer Club Newsletter. In the January 1976 issue, the entire second page was taken up by an open letter in which Gates criticized the injustice of stealing software and announced: “I would appreciate letters from anyone who wants to pay up.”
They say to use the right contacts at the right time and you will catch the fish. This was the time Bill Gates’s thinking turned him towards the millionaire’s list. Like ordinary men, he did not find shortcuts or run from the problem, but he made his desire more powerful that every computer and person should be using his software without having a feel of paying extra. Using his personal contact with reference to the above, his mother forged Gates with John Opel, (the person behind IBM). Bill had a deal with IBM, the company gave Microsoft to develop a system for its first personal computer. At that time Microsoft licensed an operating system called MS-DOS to IBM for their personal computers. Bill Gates swayed as his influence increased.
After the machine’s release with MS-DOS software in 1981, IBM immediately set the technical standard for the PC industry, and that’s how MS-DOS pushed out competing operating systems. Slowly Gates manipulated the larger company so that it became permanently dependent on him for crucial software. Makers of IBM-compatible PCs, or clones, also turned to Microsoft for their basic software. By the start of the 1990s, he had become the PC industry’s ultimate kingmaker. Microsoft’s independence resulted in a tense situation as relations with IBM were tense.
And then there was no looking back, Seven years later Bill Gates became the youngest billionaire.
Now for every generation of computer, Microsoft was the default software. Learning with the pirates he played so well that now most of the time, customers didn’t have a choice. Microsoft was already present in their systems. Automatically now Bill Gates was no longer some pushy tech guy. Microsoft was on every system on the planet. Wealth started pouring!
My Takeaway:
I’m sure most of the things people must know after all, Bill Gates is one of the richest men. The point is when you connect these facts as dots to each other, you get to know the person a little well, his journey. How he thinks, how he had strategized. How he figured out things when he faced hurdles. After all, being a billionaire is not a joke. You have to play some mind games and tricks to get your mark set. Thinking of what people will say would never take you to new heights, but your guts, vision, hard work, and last but not least your instincts to use the right contacts at the right time will always take you leaps.
Interesting facts about Bill Gates
At Microsoft, Bill Gates used to memorize his employees’ car plates to keep a tab on everyone’s punch-ins and punch-outs. He was quoted saying, “Eventually, I had to loosen up, as the company got a reasonable size.”
Mono linguistic – Bill Gates regrets speaking only one human language – English, despite mastering several programming languages.
Bill Gates’s habit – The world’s richest man likes to wash his dinner dishes all by himself and he does it most nights. Bill Gates says, “Other people volunteer, but I like the way I do.”
Speed Ticketing – We all know Bill Gates likes to drive for himself and that he is surely a Porsche man. But also Gates got so many speeding tickets during his young days that he was forced to hire a traffic attorney.
Bill Gates and Mosquito episode – During one of his TED Talks, He released a jar of mosquitoes within the audience just to give a live example of how malaria can be dangerous and is a matter to look into. He was quoted, “There’s no reason only poor people should have the experience.” He has won hearts and also became popular as the best presenter as he had done similar demos to make people understand the seriousness of the issue.
Bill Gates wrote to Steve Jobs – When Steve Jobs was in his last days, he had kept Bill Gates’s letter to his bedside. The letter was all the appreciation of Steve Jobs’ work and his achievements till now. Being famous rivals, they had had good times when Jobs was dying. Now we know how the healthy competition looks like!
Bill Gates family – being an AI and tech inventor he is a catholic, religion and church are a big part of their family.
Bill Gates’s Web Series debut – Season 11, episode 18 of Big Bang Theory, Bill Gates acted guest cast member, playing himself.
Bill Gates and Melinda Wedding – Guess, who has started the destination wedding, I think it’s Bill Gates. Bill and Melinda married in 1994. The ceremony took place on Lanai Island with close friends and family. To avoid unnecessary hype, he bought all hotel rooms and rented all helicopters that could fly from hotel to island.
Top Questions
Bill Gates’s net worth?
Bill Gates’s net worth is $131.2B. According to Forbes.
When was Bill Gates born?
Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington.
Does Bill Gates have nick nickname?
Bill Gates ‘ name is ‘Trey’ which was kept by his grandfather.
Why Bill Gates is famous?
Bill Gates cofounded Microsoft Corporation, the world, ‘s largest personal computer software.
How Bill Gates did have money to start Microsoft?
Gates did not start Microsoft with any loan or money from his parents. It is a completely bootstrapped company that Paul Allen (cofounder) and Bill Gates started with the money they saved from contract work. Together they provided the capital funding.
When was Microsoft invented?
Bill Gates and Paul Allen co-founded U.S.Microsoft on April 4, 1975, to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the ALTAIR 8800
What Bill Gates is doing now?
Currently, Bill Gates has stepped down from Microsoft. He is a co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He shapes and approves foundation strategies, looks into foundation issues, and sets the overall direction for the foundation.
How to know Bill Gates more?
Bill Gates has his website. www.gatesnotes.com where he writes blogs and shares about people he met, books he’s reading, and what he is learning as well as any new things on his mind.