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Bill Gates : last day at Microsoft

Posted by jigneshdodiya on June 29th, 2008 filed in day2dAY

$Bill Gates\' fatewell at Microsoft$

Bill Gates spent his last day at Microsoft Friday, bidding a teary goodbye to the company he built into a global software colossus.

The Microsoft co-founder, 52, known for his boyish face and nerdy manner, will now focus on running the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at fighting disease, reducing poverty, and improving education around the world.

“My life’s work really is about software and working with incredible people,” Gates told more than 800 Microsoft employees picked by lottery to attend his onstage farewell chat with chief executive Steve Ballmer at the company’s campus in Redmond, Washington.

“There won’t be a day in my life that I’m not thinking about Microsoft and the great things it’s doing and wanting to help.” Gates said with tears in his eyes.

“When we miss a big change, when we don’t get great people on it, that is the most dangerous thing for us,” Gates said. “It has happened many times. It’s OK, but the less the better.”

Gates, who will remain Microsoft’s chairman on a part-time basis, said he would still take on Microsoft projects picked by Ballmer and two other executives who have assumed most of his day-to-day tasks, Craig Mundie and Ray Ozzie.

“I do think with my not being here full time there is some opportunity that people will really step up. There’s somewhat of a vacuum created there,” he said. “I have got to get out of the way, and let that new thing step in there.”

When it came time for Ballmer to make his public farewell to Gates, he joked about the inevitable inadequacy of a thank-you gift, and presented him with a large scrapbook embossed with Gates’ signature. Then, the tears came.

“We’ve been given an enormous, enormous opportunity. And Bill gave us that opportunity,” Ballmer said, his face reddening. “I want to thank Bill for that.”

As the employees rose to their feet, Gates swiped at tears of his own.