Bill Gates writes letter to all Microsoft employees on eve of 40th anniversary

Bill Gates writes letter to all Microsoft employees on eve of 40th anniversary
40 years ago, Bill Gates and Paul Allen started a small software company that they named Microsoft.

Thanks to their creation of the Windows operating system and the Office suite of productivity tools, the company is now one of the largest corporations in the world, and Bill Gates is the wealthiest person in the world with an estimated $78 billion.



A decade ago, Gates began committing full time on philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, looking to solve some of the world's biggest problems, but Gates has always been a specter around Microsoft, even more so now as the company transitions to just its third-ever CEO - Satya Nadella.

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the company's founding, Gates sent a letter to celebrate the company and its roots.

Here is the letter in its entirety:

Tomorrow is a special day: Microsoft's 40th anniversary.

Early on, Paul Allen and I set the goal of a computer on every desk and in every home. It was a bold idea and a lot of people thought we were out of our minds to imagine it was possible. It is amazing to think about how far computing has come since then, and we can all be proud of the role Microsoft played in that revolution.

Today though, I am thinking much more about Microsoft's future than its past. I believe computing will evolve faster in the next 10 years than it ever has before. We already live in a multi-platform world, and computing will become even more pervasive. We are nearing the point where computers and robots will be able to see, move, and interact naturally, unlocking many new applications and empowering people even more.

Under Satya's leadership, Microsoft is better positioned than ever to lead these advances. We have the resources to drive and solve tough problems. We are engaged in every facet of modern computing and have the deepest commitment to research in the industry. In my role as technical advisor to Satya, I get to join product reviews and am impressed by the vision and talent I see. The result is evident in products like Cortana, Skype Translator, and HoloLens -- and those are just a few of the many innovations that are on the way.

In the coming years, Microsoft has the opportunity to reach even more people and organizations around the world. Technology is still out of reach for many people, because it is complex or expensive, or they simply do not have access. So I hope you will think about what you can do to make the power of technology accessible to everyone, to connect people to each other, and make personal computing available everywhere even as the very notion of what a PC delivers makes its way into all devices.



We have accomplished a lot together during our first 40 years and empowered countless businesses and people to realize their full potential. But what matters most now is what we do next. Thank you for helping make Microsoft a fantastic company now and for decades to come.





Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 Apr 2015 9:48
Tags
Microsoft Bill Gates
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  • 7 comments
  • DXR88

    i don't believe computing will advance as fast as gates thinks its will.

    prefab companies are to cheap and monopolistic, Diamond Semiconductors are the future but that future can be sold to the elite of the world for a good chunk of cash.

    in the mean time the non elite plebs and slaves of the world will have to settle with another cheap silicon trick for the next 30 years.

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    6.4.2015 04:09 #1

  • bw5011

    Sir, you need a hug.

    Anyway....

    Great motivation for the troops at Microsoft.

    6.4.2015 23:14 #2

  • sikosrus

    A decade ago, Gates began committing full time on philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Bill Gates Dodges Questions on Why He Owns 500,000 Shares of Monsanto
    It should come as no surprise, then, that Gates owns 500,000 shares worth 23 million US dollars (or more) of Monsanto stock. The very same company that has been caught running slave rings in Argentina in which workers were forced to work 14+ hours a day while withholding payment, has used their massive finances to fund organizations that literally fake FDA quotes to support GMOs, and of course peddling through GMOs that have been linked to numerous health concerns. philanthropy my ass

    7.4.2015 19:53 #3

  • adre02

    Originally posted by sikosrus: A decade ago, Gates began committing full time on philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Bill Gates Dodges Questions on Why He Owns 500,000 Shares of Monsanto
    It should come as no surprise, then, that Gates owns 500,000 shares worth 23 million US dollars (or more) of Monsanto stock. The very same company that has been caught running slave rings in Argentina in which workers were forced to work 14+ hours a day while withholding payment, has used their massive finances to fund organizations that literally fake FDA quotes to support GMOs, and of course peddling through GMOs that have been linked to numerous health concerns. philanthropy my ass
    And so because of that he has not participated in any type of philanthropy? Because of the reasons that you just wrote that nullifies the fact that he has participated in multiple projects that have helped hundreds of thousands of people?

    I understand your stance but even the most evil have good days where they have helped someone. It doesn't excuse their evilness (I agree with you 100%) but just because someone is accused of doing A or is proven to be doing A does not erase that they do B as well.

    This is superman

    8.4.2015 11:16 #4

  • marknc

    Allegedly, Microsoft was built on a stolen idea. Apparently, Bill Gates was shown the first Apple machine buy Steve Jobs and he promptly designed "Windows" based on Steve Jobs idea.

    Also I'm not certain, but I think Microsoft's wealth has been topped by Apple now.

    9.4.2015 05:57 #5

  • adre02

    Originally posted by marknc: Allegedly, Microsoft was built on a stolen idea. Apparently, Bill Gates was shown the first Apple machine buy Steve Jobs and he promptly designed "Windows" based on Steve Jobs idea.

    Also I'm not certain, but I think Microsoft's wealth has been topped by Apple now.
    Yes but an ideology in itself cannot be patented. Car companies spun off of Robert Anderson (first true electric car 200+years ago), others spun off of Karl Benz (first specific gasoline auto).

    If they were alive now, they wouldn't be able to sue for patent infringement in a court of law that someone stole their idea. As long as Gates didn't take the exact replica of an Apple computer and name it something else, he's in the clear.

    This is superman

    9.4.2015 10:39 #6

  • marknc

    Legally perhaps. But conscience has a persistent voice. Perhaps Gates has forgotten all about it and so would I if I had made the kind of history he has.

    9.4.2015 12:50 #7

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