Gates exit will have little impact

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.

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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.