Bill Gates The Software Man who Inspair Everyone with Life picture

In 1973, Gates is awarded one of the eight National Merit Scholarships that went to Seattle-area high school seniors.

Microsoft is a company of fewer than a dozen employees in 1978. Top row, from left: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace and Jim Lane. Middle row, from left: Bob O'Rear, Bob Greenburg, Marc McDonald and Gordon Letwin. Bottom row, from left: Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood and Paul Allen. In an open letter to hobbyists in 1976, Gates rails against software piracy.

A moment in microcomputer history: Microsoft co-founders Allen and Gates have just signed a major contract with IBM to write software for their upcoming line of PCs. The two had moved the company from Albuquerque two years earlier. ( Courtesy of Microsoft)

Allen and Gates strike a pose by a desktop computer equipped with Microsoft software in the early 1980s.

This photo of Gates on a soft sculpture of a personal computer was part of "People: The First Decade," an exhibit at Frye Museum of more than 100 outstanding photographs from the magazine. (Photo by Dale Wittner, 1986)

At 31, the founder and chairman of Microsoft has become the world's youngest self-made billionaire. (AP Laserphoto, March 27, 1987)

In a message to his top executives in 1987, Gates marks the moment that Microsoft passes Lotus as the largest software company.

Gates introduces Windows software in New York on May 22, 1990. The software, designed to make IBM computers and their clones as easy to use as the more costly Macintosh computer, was regarded as a serious challenge to Apple.

The November 1990 cover of Business Month Magazine labels Bill Gates The Silicon Bully

In 1991, Gates now heads a company with annual sales of $32 million, up from $1 million five years ago.

presents Gates with the National Medal of Technology Award on June 23, 1992, during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House. Gates received the award for his contributions to the development of the personal computer industry. 

In a 1993 e-mail, Gates sounds the alarm over a delay in "Chicago," the code name for what would become the Windows 95 operating system.

Gates and his wife, Melinda, enjoy some nachos during the NCAA Championship game on April 3, 1995, at the Kingdome.

In this 1994 progress report, Gates exhorts his troops to anticipate the moves of their opponents in this "fast moving, intensely competitive industry."

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 1997. (Business Wire photo)

 In this 1997 reply to an executive, Gates touches on Microsoft's uncertain relationship with Apple.

Gates is shown a computer slide show by Ceser Chavez third-grade students, left to right, Kevin Coney, Agnes Vaitafa and Adam Hall, in East Palo Alto, Calif., on Jan. 27, 1998. Gates visited the school to see how students are using computers for education. (John Todd/AP)

A pie is thrown in Gates' face as he arrived at a meeting with business and government leaders in Brussels on Feb. 4, 1998. Two people were arrested after the incident. (AP Photo/VRT)

Gates poses with a computer running on the new Windows 98 operating system during an interview June 

1998, in San Francisco before the planned launch of the new software. A month later, on July 31, 

prosecutors seeking to bolster their landmark antitrust case asked a federal judge to force Microsoft Corp. to hand over blueprints for its Windows software. The lawyers, who also sought to lengthen their pretrial questioning of Gates to at least two days, filed their request in federal court in Washington, D.C., and  repeatedly cited a ruling earlier that week in Utah in a similar antitrust case. 

Gates on the cover of Brill's Content magazine for September 1998

 Gates led the list of billionaires according to Forbes' 13th annual ranking of the World's Billionares published in the July 5, 1999, issue of the magazine. Starting from top left in order of wealth, Gates is No. 1 with $90 billion, investor Warren Buffett is No. 2 with $36 billion, Microsoft Corp. co-founder Allen is No. 3 with $30 billion, Microsoft President Steve Ballmer is No. 4 with $19.5 billion, and tied at No. 5 with $16.5 billion are oil, rail and telecommunications magnate Philip Anschutz and Dell Computer Corp. Chairman Michael Dell. (AP File Photo)

Gates signs autographs for shareholders after the company's annual meeting at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue on Nov. 10, 1999. Gates said that the company "is willing to go a long way'" to address the government's concerns over its business practices, but can't accept limitations on its ability to develop software.

At a news conference on Feb. 13, 2001, in Seattle, Gates unveils the company's newest operating system, Windows XP. The new system, built on the enhanced Windows 2000 engine, features a new look and extended personal computing services, including uniting PCs, devices and services.

Responding to mounting criticism, Gates sends out this 2002 e-mail declaring security the  company's top priority.

Gates plays on the new Xbox game console system with Edward Glucksman of Keansburg, N.J., at the Toys "R" Us flagship store in New York City's Times Square on Nov. 14, 2001. The $299 console, the only one with a built-in hard drive and a plug for high-speed Internet access, officially went on sale the next morning at 10,000 retailers nationwide.

The Gateses meet with reporters outside federal court in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 2002, after Bill Gates testified in an antitrust case. Gates, in written testimony, said that the penalties sought by nine states would undermine the Windows software and give competitors an unfair advantage. 

Gates sets a mid-2004 completion date for Longhorn, the internal code name for Windows Vista, in this 2002 e-mail. Vista would later release in early 2007.

Gates appeared as himself with Kelsey Grammer as the good doctor on the 200th episode of the 

set-in-Seattle TV comedy series "Frasier" on Nov. 13, 2001. 

Gates chats with Portland Trail Blazers owner and former business partner Paul Allen on March 11, 2003, during a game in Seattle between the Sonics and the Blazers.

 Gates holds Cecilia Massango during his visit to Manhica Health Research Center in Mozambique on Sept. 21, 2003. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed $168 million to accelerate research for urgently needed new malaria prevention and treatment strategies.

Business 2.0 magazine makes Gates into the Godfather.

Gates joined other world leaders and humanitarians at the start of the "G8-Africa" plenary session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 27, 2005. Standing from left to right are former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Gates, President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and musician Bono.

Gates addresses attendees at Microsoft's annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center on April 26, 2005.

Gates shows off the new Xbox 360 on the cover of Time magazine on May 23, 2005.

Time's Dec. 26, 2005, Persons of the Year Issue features Bill Gates, Bono and Melinda Gates. The three were honored for their outstanding humanitarian efforts. 

Gates is greeted by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer after Gates announced that he will transition from day-to-day responsibilities at the company he co-founded to concentrate on the charitable work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates said then that he hopes to remain the company's chairman indefinitely, and that Ballmer will remain responsible for all day-to-day operations and the company's business strategy. 

Gates is flanked by his designated successors, Craig Mundie, left, head of research and strategy, and Ray Ozzie, chief software architect, at Microsoft's Home of the Future at its campus in Redmond on July 26, 2007. 

In this 2005 message, Gates lays out Microsoft's new strategy and recognizes the expanded role of executive Ray Ozzie, who in a year would be selected to take Gates' place as chief software architect.

 Warren Buffett, with the Gateses, speaks to the media June 26, 2006, to discuss his financial gift to their foundation. Buffett, ranked at the time as the second-richest man in the world, just behind Gates, said his $31 billion of Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock will go to the foundation to foster health and education programs in underprivileged countries. 

Gates eyes his hand during the Nebraska Regional Bridge tournament on Aug. 5, 2006, in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Gates delivers the keynote speech at a Vista launch event Feb. 25, 2007, at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

Gates receives his honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Harvard University's June 7, 2007, commencement exercises on campus in Cambridge, Mass. 

Bill and Melinda Gates address a forum of 300 malaria scientists and policymakers Oct. 17, 2007, in Seattle. The Gateses appealed to the group to join in the goal of eradicating the disease worldwide. 

Guitarist Slash plays next to Gates during his keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 6, 2008.