Poll: silicon.com readers say his influence is overrated...
By Tim Ferguson
Published: 11 July 2008 11:00 GMT
Bill Gates' departure from Microsoft will have no impact on the company he founded despite him being at the helm for more than 30 years.
The Gates era ends for Microsoft
Bill Gates' legacy: A modern day Henry Ford
Photos: Bill Gates through the ages
In his own words: Bill Gates' best quotes
Microsoft's future in the post-Bill Gates era
Photos: Top 5 Bill Gates moments
Bill Gates' legacy hailed by IT chiefs
Five ways Microsoft could change after Gates
That's according to more than half (56 per cent) of the readers who responded to the latest silicon.com poll which asked how Microsoft will fare in the post-Bill Gates era.
In contrast, just under a third (32 per cent) of respondents predicted the company will actually decline without Gates steering the Redmond ship.
As Microsoft's technical inspiration for so many years, some experts have agreed with this, saying the Steve Ballmer era may focus more on sales than developing new technology.
The remaining 12 per cent of respondents argued that Bill Gates hasn't been the true driving force for some time, so the company could well thrive following his departure.
Gates stepped down as Microsoft chairman on 27 June and is now focusing on philanthropic work through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
System Analyst, Swindon, 3 months We are trusted and preferred supplier to this prestigious Retail Banking client. At present we are looking to for a ...
Committee as and when required * Supervision of one member of staff - Billing Assistant * Assisting on Bill and Credit Note Production when required ...
This is an amazing opportunity to join a major force in the banking arena, with a proud heritage, an enduring legacy and a promising future. .NET ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Digg
Slashdot
Del.icio.us
Stumble
Reddit
RSS Feeds
Clive Longbottom Windows 7: Not perfect - but ready for prime time Microsoft's latest OS fixes most of Vista's ills - but still has challenges ahead
Stephen Kleynhans Mind the details with Windows 7 Just because it might work better than Vista, it doesn't mean you can be sloppy