Will Microsoft Still Be Microsoft Without Bill Gates? | eWeek

Will Microsoft Still Be Microsoft Without Bill Gates?

Written By
eWEEK EDITORS
eWEEK EDITORS
Jun 15, 2006
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Now that Microsoft chairman Bill Gates officially has begun decoupling himself from the company he founded 31 years ago, it seems like a great time to ask what the Microsoft of the future —sans BillG—will look like.

Will Microsoft still be Microsoft without Gates? Or will it be as lame as Apple Computer without Steve Jobs, the Trump Organization without the Donald, or Martha Stewart Living without the queen of perfectly folded napkins?

Sure, Gates is planning to stay on as chairman, though not chief software architect, starting in 2008.

Without its competitive, hard-core leader involved in daily decisions, will Microsoft still be the bold and brash company that forced competitors out of business; incurred the wrath of government investigators worldwide; and earned the nickname “The Evil Empire”?

I say it wont.

/zimages/2/28571.gifRead the full story on Microsoft Watch:Will Microsoft Still Be Microsoft Without Bill Gates?

/zimages/2/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for Microsoft and Windows news, views and analysis.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.