Bill Gates

William Henry Gates III (b. October 28, 1955), usually known as Bill Gates, is an American businessman and a microcomputer pioneer. Along with others, he wrote the original Altair BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800 (an early microcomputer). With Paul Allen, he co-founded Microsoft Corporation, and is now its chairman and "Chief Software Architect." According to Forbes magazine in 2005, Gates is the wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of around US$46.5 billion.

Influence and wealth

Gates is considered among the most influential people in the world. Mentions include a position in the Sunday Times power list in 1999, CEO of the year by Chief Executive Officers magazine in 1994, a ranking of 28 in the "Top 100 most powerful people in sports" by The Sporting News in 1997, a ranking of first in the "Top 50 Cyber Elite" by Time in 1998, a ranking of second in the Upside Elite 100 in 1999, and a ranking in The Guardian as one of the "Top 100 influential people in media" in 2001.

Related Topics:
Sunday Times - Chief Executive Officers magazine - The Sporting News - Time - Upside - The Guardian

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Gates has been number one on the "Forbes 400" list through 1993-2005 and number one on Forbes list of "The World's Richest People" in 1996-2005 except for 1997 when the Sultan of Brunei was included despite Forbes' usual policy of excluding heads of state. Since 2000 Gates' weath has declined due to a fall in Microsoft's share price and the multi-billion dollar gifts he has made to his charitable foundations. According to a 2004 Forbes magazine article, Gates has given away over $28 billion to charities over the last few years. He is the wealthiest person even when including heads of state whose wealth is tied to their position (although the standard Forbes list does not include heads of state, Forbes has released separate lists for the estimated wealth of heads of state; when the lists are combined, Bill Gates still remains the world's wealthiest person).

Related Topics:
Forbes 400 - Forbes - The World's Richest People - Sultan of Brunei - Fall in Microsoft's share price - Heads of state

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Among several high-profile acquisitions Gates has a huge earth-sheltered home in the side of a hill overlooking Lake Washington in Medina, Washington in which his family lives. The Gates home, one of the most expensive houses in the world, is a modern 21st century house in the "Pacific Lodge" style, with classic features such as a large private library with a domed reading room. Electronics is used abundantly: visitors are surveyed upon entrance and given a microchip that sends signals throughout the house to adjust temperature and other conditions according to preset user preferences. According to King County public records, as of 2002, the total assessed value of the property (land and house) is $113 million, and the annual property tax is just over $1 million. Also among Gates' private acquisitions is the Codex Leicester, a collection of writings by Leonardo da Vinci which Gates bought for $30.8 million at an auction in 1994.

Related Topics:
Earth-sheltered home - Lake Washington - Medina, Washington - 21st century - Pacific Lodge - Microchip - King County - Property tax - Codex Leicester - Leonardo da Vinci - $30.8 million

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In February 1998, Gates was attacked by Noël Godin, a Belgian writer, with a cream pie, an apparent demonstration of the limits of his personal power and security despite his great wealth.

Related Topics:
February - 1998 - Noël Godin - Cream pie

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