For Bill Gates, the next phase begins

The Microsoft co-founder takes the spotlight this week as he puts in his final days of full-time work for the software company.

Gates' big send-off

special coverage As he steps down from full-time work, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates reflects on almost three decades at the software company he started.
June 24, 2008 4:00 a.m. PDT

Gates delivers farewell speech

In an emotional speech to Microsoft employees, he bids farewell to his full-time day job at the software company he founded.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)
• Video: Ballmer's tearful good-bye to Gates
June 27, 2008 12:49 p.m. PDT

Marking Gates' last day--with videos

To mark Bill Gates' last day as a full-time employee of Microsoft, we'll have plenty of coverage all day. First up, videos from over the years.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried)
June 27, 2008 9:28 a.m. PDT

Bill Gates bows out (mostly) at Microsoft

He's cutting back, for sure, but his tenacity, intellectual intensity, passion for tech, and competitive drive will now be applied more fully to saving lives.
(Posted in Outside the Lines by Dan Farber)
June 27, 2008 7:48 a.m. PDT

Microsoft A.B. (After Bill)

Microsoft has a huge problem: Steve Ballmer. He's shrewd and intelligent, but he's so obsessed with the past that he's bound to miss the train to future opportunities.
(Posted in The Open Road by Matt Asay)
June 26, 2008 2:40 p.m. PDT

Microsoft founder shifts roles

video News.com's Ina Fried and Kara Tsuboi take a look back at Bill Gates' career and serve up some highlights from his recent speeches.
June 24, 2008 5:52 p.m. PDT

Tech luminaries' good-byes

Technology insiders say their good-byes as Bill Gates steps down from full-time work at the software giant he founded.
• Jerry Kaplan on Gates' transition
• For Bill Gates, only the hyper-critical survive
June 24, 2008 4:00 a.m. PDT

Bill Gates in transition

video Gates will soon be a part-timer at Microsoft, but News.com's Ina Fried says he'll still be involved with search and pet projects like tablet PCs.
June 24, 2008 12:33 p.m. PDT

Bill Gates' last day

video Bono, George Clooney, and Steven Spielberg get some laughs at Gates' expense in this spoof video shown at CES 2008.
June 24, 2008 4 a.m. PDT

A Bill Gates retrospective

photos Through the years, Microsoft's leader has hobnobbed with everyone from the Queen to Bono--and the Albuquerque police.
June 15, 2006 4:17 p.m. PDT (updated June 23, 2008)

Sounding off on Gates' farewell

audio As Bill Gates wraps up his last few days of full-time work at Microsoft, three industry pioneers reflect on Gates' early days and his legacy in the technology world.
(Posted in Beyond Binary by Ina Fried) June 24, 2008 3:49 p.m. PDT

previous coverage

Will Microsoft be directionless without Bill Gates?

Mary Jo Foley predicts that "a Gates-less Microsoft is going to be a directionless Microsoft--at least for the near term." I disagree.
(Posted in Outside the Lines by Dan Farber) May 21, 2008 5:17 p.m. PDT

Newsmaker: With Vista, seeing is believing, says Gates

In the first part of a CNET News.com interview, Microsoft chairman says that a short demo of Vista is all that's needed to convince doubters.
January 29, 2007, 1:10 PM PST

Newsmaker: Bill Gates' to-do list

In the second part of a CNET News.com interview, the Microsoft co-founder discusses Vista, the Xbox 360, and Windows Live.
January 31, 2007 4 a.m. PST

The end of the Gates era

Microsoft and Bill Gates have long been nearly synonymous. That's about to change, as he looks to 2008 as the end of his day-to-day involvement.
June 16, 2006 11:30 a.m. PDT

Gates stepping down from full-time Microsoft role

Sets 2008 date for transition out of day-to-day role as chief software architect at the software giant.
June 15, 2006 1:35 p.m. PDT