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Bill Gates a Geek's Geek

Bill Gates on the Second Age of Technology



You may have something against Microsoft – let’s be honest, who doesn’t? – but you have got to admire and love their soon to be ex-boss, Mr. Bill Gates.

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He’s that lovable nerd that no doubt got picked on at school, but now has a childish giggle that somehow still endears him to the ladies. And he’s your geek’s-geek, and thus every geek’s favorite idol! And seriously, who else can pull off wearing a mauve wooly sweater for a keynote speech at the biggest technology show of the year. But 14 years after making his first CES keynote address – a highlight of CES for most for many years – Bill Gates is saying goodbye. When July comes and goes, so will Bill Gates from Microsoft, ending a career that has lasted him since he was 17, working at the same company (it’s kinda cheating though, considering it is his company). And though he will still remain as part of the board, the day to day life he has become so used to will change. (Gates has announced that his time will be redirected to working for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.) Gates’ first keynote was given in 1994, just after Windows 95 was released. “Windows 95 was just coming together, the internet was just getting started,” he said. “Soon after that we entered our first digital decade.” Thus it was that, at the end of his career as Microsoft’s top dog, he announced that he believed we were entering the second digital decade. A man who is not to be ignored when it comes to predicting the future (though, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and blindly follow like Microsoft fanboy-like sheep) believes that the next decade of the digital age will see a growth in gadgets, and in functionality. Simpler control and integration with our speech, movements and gestures is what Bill sees in our future. He added that he saw in the future a camera that, without intervention, automatically sent the captured photograph to your computer. Of course, this is no surprise considering Microsoft’s Surface, a device which allows people to use touch sensitivity and wireless connectivity as their interface. “The second digital decade will be more focused on connecting people,” the soon to be ex-Microsoft chairman. “Those applications will run on the Internet, in the cloud as we say, and use the best of software services." Of course, no CES visit would be worthwhile without at least one or two announcements. And thanks to the continual growth of the internet, and the demand for on demand media, Microsoft – in partnership with British company BT – would begin providing over the air downloads through the Xbox 360 of internet based TV services. But, in reality, the highlight of CES will probably also go down as a bittersweet moment for many attending. Gates, though the head of what is often considered the technical or literal antichrist, is still a beloved member of the tech world, and he will be missed (as much as someone who isn’t dead can be missed). Joshua Hill, a Geek’s-Geek from Melbourne, Australia, Josh is an aspiring author with dreams of publishing his epic fantasy, currently in the works, sometime in the next 5 years. A techie, nerd, sci-fi nut and bookworm.


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Guest Column Joshua Hill -- Bio and Archives

Items of notes and interest from the web.


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