See also: Why I cannot die trying
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In 1985 when Microsoft Excel was announced by Gates, Jerry Pournelle
claimed that he was impressed by the reason Bill Gates liked program. He explained
that Bill Gates didn’t like Microsoft Excel because it would fetch him a lot of
money (it would fetch him anyway), but because it was a neat hack.
Give back to the Society
Gates and Warren Buffet in 2009
founded the Giving Pledge, where they and other billionaires promised to give
at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. Gates pointed to the generosity
of David Rockefeller as his inspiration for philanthropy. This made him to also
focus on the global problems that are ignored by the governments and
organizations. As at 2007, Bill and
Melinda Gates had given over $28 billion to charity and the couple also
promised to give out 95 percent of their wealth to charity.
The couple also planned to give each of their three kids $10
million each as their inheritance. With $30 million for the family, they would
give out 99.96 percent of their wealth.
The Attention
Gates was identified as a billionaire by Forbes in 1987 and
was the world’s youngest self-made billionaire at that time with a net worth of
$1.25 billion. Since 1987, Gates has been among the Forbes World’s Billionaires
list. He was the wealthiest from 1995 to 1996, 1998 to 2007, 2009 and had
remained at this position since 2014. Also, Gates was the number one on Forbes’
400 Richest Americans list from 1993 to 2007, 2009, and 2014 to 2017.
Gates’ Belief
Regarding Gates’ faith, he claimed
to belief that moral systems of religion are super important. They raised their
kids in a religious way and they attended the Catholic Church with their mother
and he also participates in it. He
claims his aim is to reduce the inequity in the world and that is a kind of
religious belief he believes in, a moral belief.
On his account of the report of
scientists about the creation of the world,
‘I agree with scientists like Richard Dawkins about the need to
understand the creation myths. While we tried to understand disease, weather
and other things, there were false explanations for them which we looked for. Fortunately,
scientists fill a lot of knowledge gap in this regard which religion once
filled. However, the mystery and beauty of the world is too amazing and no
scientific explanation of how it came by. If to say it was created as a result
of random numbers, which is never charitable. I belief it makes sense to
believe in God, however, the decisions you make in life aside this, I wouldn’t know’.
The Humble Wealth
Gates’ wealth briefly passed $101 billion and despite his
wealth and extensive travels, Gates usually fly commercial aircraft until 1997
when he bought his own private jet. Due to Gates’ charitable act, this has seen
a decline in his worth and he said he wished he was never the richest man in
the world because he hates the attention associated with it.
Books
Gates wrote two books; The Road Ahead which was published in
1995 and the Business @ the Speed of
Thought which was published in 1999. The latter book particularly discusses
how businesses and technology are integrated, and how digital infrastructures
and information networks can help to get an edge on the competition.
Feature Films
Bill Gates featured in the Pirates of Silicon Valley which was
produced in 1999. This film explains the rise of Apple and Microsoft from the early 1970s to 1997. In the film, Gates was portrayed by Anthony Michael Hall.
He also featured in Nothing So
Strange in 2002. This was a documentary film that featured Gates as the
subject of a modern assassination. Gates was played by Steve Sires. In 2010,
Gates featured in The Social Network. This pictures the development of
Facebook and Gates was also portrayed by Steve Sires. Finally Gates featured in
a film published in 2015; Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates: The Competition to
Control the Personal Computer, 1974 – 1999. This was produced by the
National Geographic Channel for the American Genius Series.
Bill Gates story is an interesting
one to learn from about risk; however, the risks must be well calculated. From his
words, he planned to return to school if things didn’t work out as planned. So,
always plan a way out if decisions don’t fall through. Learn not to put all
eggs in one basket, however, be very decisive. When you make a decision, follow
it through. We are not born to win all the time, but we are to win at the end
of it all. So take those decision when you have the time to follow through so
you don’t regret it.
Waste no more time, you only know if it would work after
you have tried it.........
Read also: The Great Men's Cross 1: Jack Ma, The Great Men's Cross 2: Albert Einstein, and The Great Men's Cross 3: Ben CarsonCredit: Wikipedia
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