The Bill Gates Exit Strategy BS

The idea that Bill Gates is going to run that foundation of his full-time is a joke

This week, every media outlet has an article about Bill Gates with the words "Swan Song" in the title. Apparently these people actually think there is a swan song taking place, as Bill once again announces his final retirement from Microsoft. When I started to see these articles, I said to myself, "Exactly how many times is this guy quitting?" He's turning into the Cher of high tech, with never-ending serial retirements. All that is missing are the final-tour T-shirts.

The idea that Bill Gates is going to run that foundation of his full-time is a joke. First of all, he doesn't have to lift a finger for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It was created carefully and could run itself if Bill never showed up. Everyone knows that. And Melinda could run it just fine without him, thank you.

Bill does provide the important figurehead and strategist, and surely his focus and basic ability to cut through crap is valuable. But not that valuable. It's a charity, for gosh sake. Why would a business icon have to do much more than sit in on a few meetings and carp at the management?

That's not what this is all about. I, for one, am not buying any of it. And I actually think I know what Bill is up to: It should be interesting, since his possible plan is not trivial, if it's going to work.

Let me explain.

Bill would like to extract himself completely from Microsoft, so he can let the company drift. If Ballmer quits, and they don't promote from within by letting Jeff Raikes or some other trained clone of Gates take over, then the company is doomed to follow the path we've already witnessed with Apple.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2246365,00.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/jeff/default.mspx

Not germaine to the point of the article, just noting it.