Bill Gates & His Father (gettyimages)
Interview with William Henry Gates The Father of The Microsoft Founder, Bill Gates
The father would be proud if their children succeed. Especially, if his son became the richest man in the world and also philanthropist. Introducing, William Henry Gates the father of the Microsoft founder, Bill Gates.
Bil Gates, founder of Microsoft is still the world’s richest man with a fortune of USD 79 billion. At the age of 90 years, William still looked healthy and participate busy with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He tells the fascinating story of raising Bill Gates, as revealed in the following interview which we have quoted from Forbes.
How was Bill Gates childhood ?
He likes almost all kinds of books, encyclopedias, science fiction, and others. I’m glad my son is diligent in reading, but he did read too much so his mother and me make the rules, he should not be read at the dinner table.
What was Bill’s wanted to be when he was child?
As part of the homework in class five, Bill must fill out the list of wanted to be when you grow. There is a list such as a doctor, fireman or a cowboy. Students are asked to just pick one. Bill crossed astronaut, but he also wrote the scientists.
When growing up, he was very curious about how the world works and he has the own ideas about business, life, international relations, and what the future held. At that time, it was hard for me to believe that this child will one day be the boss, but it’s happening now.
When was the first time he knew the computer?
The opportunity came in the school when the mothers raise money to pay for a device that is connected to a computer via telephone. The goal is that teachers use it, but they made some mistakes and even afraid to used it. Bill included in a group of math students and invited by him to use the system and learn how it works. When the 13 years he has been infatuated with the computer.
Does Bill have a job before college?
When high school, Bill doing programming at a power plant in North Bonnevile, Washington. Me and my wife spoke to the principal and we all agreed that the work is a practical way to practice skills. Bill told me that he and Paul Allen, who worked with him, waking up nights to work on the electrical code management system.
How did you feel when he would drop out of Harvard?
I can not say if I was not worried. But I was not a big factor in his decision. Bill has his own ideas about how he wants to achieve the objectives and the computer business that he founded with Paul Allen really makes busy. Being a college drop out clearly undesirable my wife and me happened to our son, but Bill seemed to know what he is doing.
How Bill be generous?
My wife believed the words of You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others. From the beginning, he put it as an important value in the family. Well, when the Bill and Melinda increasingly prosperous thanks to Microsoft, Bill received many letters of support request. But it is still difficult for them to divide their time having to raise a family and run Microsoft.
Their plan is serious when Bill retired from Microsoft. That changed when my wife Mary had cancer and died in 1994 and I retired as a lawyer. A few months later, I was told that maybe I could help them about humanitarian activities. I think it would be a fun job for me.
A week later, Bill said that would set up a foundation with initial capital of USD 100 million. I was surprised and proud. Shortly thereafter, I first wrote a check donation of USD 80 thousand for the program to overcome cancer.