Amid cheers and tears, Gates says goodbye

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:18 AM EDT

Article Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

technology, united-states, microsoft, bill-gates, bill-meinda-gates-foundation

Bill Gates wiped the tears from his face, bowed his head to the applause -- and ended an era.

Microsoft's 52-year-old icon worked his final day as a full-time executive Friday, more than three decades after he dropped out of college to found the company with his high school friend. As he prepared to depart, Gates reminisced about Microsoft's successes, and its controversies.

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Regions: Seattle/Tacoma

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{"commentId":2071956,"authorDomain":"redruby"}

Redruby

Excerpt:

Gates acknowledged that it won't be easy to move on, given how natural it has become for him to work at the company.

Sometimes, when he's driving his children to school, Gates said, "If I forget and start thinking about work a little, I start driving towards Microsoft. They say to me, 'Dad, Dad, what are we going to do at Microsoft?' "

Gates has said he can't envision a scenario under which he would return full time, but he noted Friday that he will be available to the company's next generation of leaders, if they need his advice. "To steal a sentence from Steve," Gates said, "I love this company."

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2 votes

#1 - Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:20 AM EDT

{"commentId":2072500,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

Yeah..It will be a bit strange not having Bill running around the campus and writing 100's of emails daily.

Strange for my since I have seen Redmond change from a tiny little town that Microsoft was rather hard to even find when they first built the quad buildings to what it is now where the town of Redmond is hard to find because of all the Microsoft Buildings and Blue Badged staff...

I still have a hard time believing Bill is going to let go of Microsoft, its just too much a part of him and his life. You picked out the perfect saying. "I love this company" that one is pretty clear and it shows.

{"commentId":2072500,"threadId":"301290","contentId":"1620492","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

3 votes

#2 - Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:08 AM EDT

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Ballmer and Gates bid farewell with tears	Associated Press	Fri Jun 27	7
Gates steps down, but not out of public eye	Associated Press	Mon Jun 23	16
The hits and misses of Microsoft	BBC News	Fri Jun 27	1
As Gates Steps Away, Let Us Ponder His Legacy	The Washington Post	Sat Jun 28	1
So Long, Bill Gates, and Thanks for the Monopoly	Wired News	Fri Jun 27	0

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Amid cheers and tears, Gates says goodbye

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