Bill Gates biography, net worth, wife, children, daughter, young, height 2023

Biography of Bill Gates

Bill Gates, whose full name is William Henry Gates, is an entrepreneur and the founder of Microsoft, responsible for the groundbreaking operating systems, MS-DOS and Windows. He has topped the list of the world's wealthiest individuals 18 times. A significant portion of his income is devoted to philanthropy. Net worth: $133 billion.

Pictured: Bill Gates

Childhood and Family

Bill was born and raised in an affluent district of Seattle within a prosperous and well-established family. His father, William H. Gates, was a distinguished lawyer, while his mother, Mary, taught school and was actively involved in charitable activities, serving on the board of the organization, United Way of America. Bill was the second child, with an elder sister, Kristi, and a younger one, Libby.

Bill Gates in his youth

The family resided in the peaceful Sand Pond neighborhood in the southern part of the city. A notable disturbance to this tranquil area was a tornado in September 1962, damaging eight houses, including the Gates' residence. William and Mary raised their future billionaire and philanthropist, but it was no easy feat. In his early years, Bill was quite rebellious. On one occasion, when Mary repeatedly failed to summon him for dinner, she shouted in frustration, "What on earth are you doing?" To which Bill retorted, "I'm thinking. Have you ever tried thinking?" Following this outburst, Bill was referred to a psychologist who advised his parents to grant him more autonomy, noting, "Certain things become an obsession for Bill. Arguing with him on these matters is a fruitless endeavor."

Heeding this advice, the parents ceased restricting Bill's independence. By the age of 13, he was allowed to spend nights at the University of Washington, which boasted a laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art computers (in an era when personal computers were unheard of), diving deep into his area of interest.

Bill Gates with his mother

Bill reflected on the psychologist's impact, stating, "He convinced me that challenging my own parents wasn't constructive. That I wasn't proving anything by doing so. I believe by the age of 14, I had completely overcome this."

Bill's parents encouraged him to venture beyond what he excelled at. He wasn't fond of swimming, football, or music, yet he engaged in them, though he gave up playing the trombone rather quickly. Bill often wondered why his parents pushed him towards activities he didn't excel at. Their perspective was that by trying new things, he was cultivating his intellect and understanding that failures are an inherent part of life.

Raised in a Protestant household, the young Gates was instilled with Biblical values. Mary would often reiterate, "To whom much is given, much will be required," emphasizing their duty as a privileged family to assist those less fortunate. The Gates children were never self-centered; they recognized early on the importance of charity and civic activism.

At school, Bill Gates immediately distinguished himself as one of the top students. From the earliest grades, teachers recognized his exceptional abilities, remarkable photographic memory, and unusually high IQ. Contrary to his peers who frolicked in the streets, Bill immersed himself in reading a 20-volume encyclopedia, meticulously poring over each page.

An Introduction to Computers

In 1967, Gates transitioned to the prestigious Lakeside Middle School and first encountered the school's teletype. This device, reminiscent of a fusion between a typewriter and a printer, lacked any graphical display. Gates was so enamored with programming that he dedicated all his time in the computer class, often at the expense of other subjects.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen

In 1968, the young Gates met Paul Allen, who was two grades his senior and equally passionate about computers. Together, they crafted their inaugural program that automatically generated school timetables — a groundbreaking feat for its time. The school's principal rewarded their innovation with a $500 prize, making them realize that their hobby could indeed be lucrative.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen attended the same school

The two were granted permission to program in the computer lab of the University of Washington, as the school's computers paled in comparison to the university's sophisticated offerings. "Mostly, we were up to trivial pursuits: Monopoly strategies, rudimentary programs on punch cards," Gates reminisced. However, in 1971, they were barred from the lab for an entire year due to a "breach of trust" — they had proven how effortlessly security passwords could be pilfered.

We recognized that microprocessors were the future and were baffled as to why others couldn't see it.

By age 17, Gates, then a high school senior, collaborated with a friend to develop a program analyzing road traffic. This endeavor netted them $20,000, and their subsequent contract — to design an analytical program for a hydroelectric plant — earned them a staggering $30,000.

Bill Gates developed a passion for computers at just 12 years old

The Genesis of Microsoft

After concluding his school years, Gates matriculated at Harvard University, where he sustained his ardor for programming. In 1974, he chanced upon an article about the inaugural portable computer, the "Altair". Both Bill and Paul approached its creators with a proposition to devise software for this novel apparatus.

Having garnered approval, they immediately set the wheels in motion. Crafting these programs often required nocturnal endeavors, especially since they were exploiting Harvard's computing resources, much to the chagrin of the institution's administration.

After finishing school, Gates embarked on his academic journey at Harvard University

However, in defiance of prohibitions and impending threats, they triumphantly finalized their project, vending the software for the "Altair" at a price of three thousand dollars. With this capital, Bill and Paul inaugurated their very own enterprise, christening it Microsoft.

To the dismay of his parents, Gates abandoned his academic pursuits, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to his cherished enterprise. Returning to Seattle, the duo secured a modest office in its suburbs. By 1978, the burgeoning company was manned by a mere eleven individuals, with Bill orchestrating contracts and liaising with clientele, while Paul spearheaded the technical provisions.

The Birth of a Billionaire

At the age of 24, Gates signed a pivotal contract with IBM that eventually catapulted him to the zenith of wealth and influence on the global stage. The world's foremost computer company was on the lookout for an operating system for its nascent project, and Microsoft took on the challenge. Facilitating this monumental deal was Gates' mother, who introduced her son to the leadership at IBM. This, however, doesn't diminish Gates' own astuteness and persuasive prowess, which played a significant role in clinching this high-stakes task.

At 24, Gates inked a contract with IBM

In 1981, the famed text-based operating system MS-DOS (Micro Soft Disk Operation System) was unveiled. It was lauded as the most advanced OS of its era, democratizing personal computers for the average user. Remarkably, this system was not just tailored for BASIC but was also compatible with the majority of popular programming languages. It's worth noting that Gates didn't build this OS from scratch. He adapted its foundation from the 86-DOS OS, procuring rights from Seattle Computer Products for a sum of $75,000.

Young Bill Gates

August of that year saw the release of the inaugural IBM computer powered by an Intel processor and MS-DOS. IBM's offerings rapidly cornered the personal computer market due to their relatively affordable price tag. In stark contrast, Apple's Lisa — for a time developed with assistance from Microsoft — bore a hefty $10,000 price point, rendering it accessible only to a select few.

By 40, Bill Gates ascended to the title of the world's richest person

Rather than outright selling his OS to IBM, Gates negotiated a deal to earn a percentage from every computer the company sold. Thanks to this ingenious strategic move, by the time he reached 30, Gates had become a billionaire, entering history books as the youngest self-made billionaire. By 40, he was the world's wealthiest individual. Computers had become a mainstream commodity, and Microsoft had carved out a prosperous and sustainable future for itself.

1983 heralded the debut of Microsoft Windows, an OS that was a derivative of MS-DOS but boasted a user-friendly graphical interface. Its core principle, the window frame manager (wherein clicking on a link or button opens a new window, isolated from others), might seem commonplace today, but back in 1983, it was nothing short of revolutionary. It significantly simplified computer interaction, eliminating the need to manually input file directories.

Around this time, Microsoft also introduced the text editor, Word, which remains a staple for most PC users today. Naturally, its current iteration is radically different from the original. Similarly, Microsoft Excel, released in 1985, quickly overshadowed competitors in the realm of spreadsheet software.

Bill Gates Success Story

In 1995, the company launched Windows 95, an operating system so superior to its competitors that it solidified Microsoft's dominance in the market for years. By 1996, Forbes had recognized Bill Gates as the richest individual on the planet. He retained this title until 2007, reclaimed it in 2009, and held onto it until 2016. However, in 2018, this entrepreneurial crown was passed on to Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos.

Life After Microsoft

In June 2008, Bill Gates stepped down as the leader of Microsoft to immerse himself in philanthropic and societal ventures. Yet, this did not signify a complete severance from his brainchild. Until 2010, Gates remained the Chairman of the Board, albeit without executive powers. He also retained a significant 8.7% stake in the corporation.

In June 2008, Bill Gates stepped down as the head of Microsoft

By October 2008, Bill Gates had founded his third company, "bgC3," a compact research center providing scientific and technological services.

Bill Gates dedicated himself to philanthropic and societal efforts

Following his departure from Microsoft, Gates channeled his resources into scientific research, acquired art masterpieces, and sponsored political campaigns. For instance, in 2003, he showcased a collection he had acquired of Leonardo da Vinci's works at the Seattle Art Museum, and in 2004, according to Forbes, he financially backed George W. Bush's presidential campaign.

Bill Gates was honored with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire

In early 2005, the British Foreign Office honored Bill Gates with the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to British enterprises and his crusade against global poverty.

Bill Gates’ fortune exceeded $ 90 billion

Gates stands out as one of the most generous philanthropists, having contributed over $30 billion to various charitable projects to date.

In 2000, alongside his wife Melinda, he established a charitable foundation aimed at enhancing healthcare standards in developing nations.

In 1999, Gates renamed his charitable institution the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on bolstering healthcare in emerging nations and education within the US. In 2005, the couple was distinguished as "Persons of the Year" by Time magazine.

Bill Gates has donated over $30 billion to charitable causes

In 2010, in collaboration with Warren Buffet, Gates was among the first to sign the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals to donate at least half of their wealth to charity during their lifetime. The pledge attracted signatories from various sectors, including IT (Mark Zuckerberg), trading (Michael Bloomberg), and cinema (George Lucas).

In early 2018, Bill Gates declared his intent to invest around $12 million in flu vaccine research. He also revealed that he declined an offer to be Donald Trump's science advisor.

Bill Gates' Personal Life

From 1994 to 2021, Bill was married to former Microsoft marketing executive, Melinda French (now Gates). A graduate of Duke University, she pursued computer science with a focus on economics. Melinda is nine years younger than her now ex-husband. The couple met in 1987 and dated for nearly seven years before tying the knot.

Bill and Melinda Gates in their younger days

Bill and Melinda raised three children: son Rory (born 1999) and daughters Jennifer (born 1996) and Phoebe (born 2002). It is well-known that after Gates' demise, all his assets will be donated to charity. Instead of spoiling his children with limitless wealth, Gates invested in their education. All three attended the same Lakeside School in Seattle, which their father once graduated from.

Bill Gates with his wife and children

In May 2021, Bill and Melinda announced their divorce. After a 27-year-long marital journey, despite their earnest efforts, the couple could not sustain their initial affection. The former couple vowed to remain friends, and Melinda continues to be involved in the operations of the Gates charitable foundation.

The Gates family resides in a vast mansion situated along the scenic shores of Lake Washington. This residence can rightly be called a house of the future, being equipped with cutting-edge technology that facilitates comprehensive control.

Bill Gates Now

In 2020, Bill Gates' forecasts regarding the most lethal threat to humanity came to pass. For several years, he repeatedly warned of a potential pandemic that could claim millions of lives. Ironically, conspiracy theorists accused Gates himself of orchestrating the global coronavirus outbreak, alleging his support for global vaccination demonstrated vested interests in widespread illness.

Bill Gates nowadays

Of course, these are mere speculations without any basis. Meanwhile, Gates diligently studied the coronavirus issue, funded vaccine development, and projected a somber estimate that humanity might only return to normalcy in 1-2 years.

As of 2020, Bill Gates' wealth exceeded $100 billion. Despite this, the billionaire has excluded his children from his will, intending to leave all his money to his charitable foundation

In the fall of 2020, Bill Gates publicly spoke about the second wave of the coronavirus. He highlighted that the world's inhabitants would face worsening circumstances due to the disease and its repercussions. According to the businessman, with the onset of colder weather, people would spend more time indoors, inevitably leading to a surge in infections. His predictions were confirmed: a second wave began in December, and unfortunately, it wasn't the last.

What Bill Gates hopes we learn from coronavirus

In 2021, Bill Gates ranked fourth in the list of the world's wealthiest individuals, earning $26 billion over the past year. Forbes estimated his wealth at $124 billion. However, following his divorce, he dropped to fifth place, ceding $5.7 billion to his former spouse.

Gates donates billions to medical advancements, procures coronavirus vaccines for impoverished nations, and genuinely puzzles over how his fellow list-toppers (Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson) can spend vast fortunes on space programs while Earth still grapples with a myriad of unresolved issues.

Mae Fitzgerald

Brainy guy. What would we do without Bill Gates? Would sit without computers and Internet??? Horrible...

2021-05-02 08:22:19
William Cook

It is very impressive that Gates spends most of his income on charity. I think this is correct.

2021-05-01 08:24:54
Virginia Lawson

I think Bill Gates has a very kind face. He is such a sweetheart and cutie :)

2021-03-26 12:04:15
Ryan Lewis

Microsoft is cool. I have been using computers and laptops on the Windows platform for many years and am happy with everything.

2021-03-25 11:05:19
Angel William Miller

I respect Bill Gates. He did so much for the development of technology in our world.

2021-02-28 11:59:43