William Henry Gates

Bill Gates (http://www.oursecrethouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/bill.jpg)

Have you ever wanted to invent something? Something people can use? Like Thomas A. Edison said “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” This quote inspires me because it means you don’t need to be smart or cool, all you got to do is be yourself. Bill Gates, currently the richest man on Earth started his life as an ordinary person like you and me. He was smart, but he ran into a lot of hardships in life. No matter whom you are or what you look like, you can do anything or become anything.

William Henry Gates the Third was born October 28th 1955 in Seattle, Washington. He created a computer company called Microsoft and has made over billions of dollars. Bill Gates was a smart man, but he didn’t fully finish his education career he was aiming for at Harvard University. To start his career for computer software and technology, he decided to quit early getting a jump start on his career. He was heavily judged by that. You don’t have to be a genius to change the world; all you need is a good imagination and a lot of determination: “At age nineteen, after his sophomore year of pre-law at Harvard University, bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, quit academia.” "Gates, Bill (1955-)." Quitting college was a tough decision and he was despised for it. He had it all planned out. He thought quitting would make him start his career at a good time to get a head start quick, or else he would lose his chance. As we all know, it’s hard to start a multibillion dollar empire alone right? Well, Bill needed a partner and quick. Bill needed a person he could trust and help out his company. So he met Paul Allen: “Although Gates’s parents wanted their son to pursue a legal career, he developed an early interest in computer science and began studying computers in seventh at Seattle’s Lakeside School. At Lakeside, Gates became acquainted with Paul Allen, a teenager with similar interests in technology who would become his future business partner.” "Gates, Bill (1955-)." Gates met a friend and he knew that a good trusted friend would commit himself to helping out a friend. And so, later in life, when Gates finally created Microsoft (his company) Paul was his partner then and still is to this day. Bill has had some tough choices to make but at the same time, has made some friends.

Back in school, Bill Gates had run into some trouble as a student. He thought he was able to fully work a computer network. He was wrong: “Discovering that the machine was hooked up to a national network of computers called Cybernet; Gates invaded the network and installed a program on the main computer that sent itself to the rest of the network's computers. Consequently, Cybernet crashed. When it was discovered that Gates was the culprit, he was severely reprimanded and avoided computers for his entire junior year at Lakeside. Without the lure of computers, Gates made plans in 1970 for college and law school. In 1971, however, he was back helping Paul Allen write a class scheduling program for their school's computer.” "Gates, Bill (1955-)." Gates, in his own world, thought he could change the world in a snap. But he found out it doesn’t work that way. Bill Gates, with his longing for building software, learned his lesson. Any successful leader would someday become a famous person. Bill Gates finally became the richest man ever. Creating computers, software, and internet, provided things us humans use everyday of our lives: “Within twenty-five years, Gates grew Microsoft Corporation into a multibillion-dollar colossus whose industry dominance inspired in its competitors a predictable mixture of awe, envy, and bitterness.” Rosen, Isaac. "Gates, Bill (1955-)." After successfully created a company, gathered employees, and set a point on the marketing campaign, Gates finally reached his goal of becoming a successful person. His vision in the future has set a landmark for many other computer and software companies to follow his steps. His life story has encouraged many others to become successful business men.

Bill Gates has encouraged people to follow their goals and to never let them go. Imagine what it would be like to have no computers or internet. What would the world be like? Remember back in the 1980s where there were no cell phones, email or internet? Well, Bill Gates has made the fantasy become reality. I want to be a computer software designer just like Bill Gates when I grow up.

"Gates, Bill (1955-)." DISCovering Biography. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 20 May. 2010 .

Rosen, Isaac. "Gates, Bill (1955-)." Newsmakers. Ed. Louise Mooney. Detroit: Gale Research, 1993. Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 20 May. 2010 .