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Microsoft moves beyond the Gates era

Staff ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 16 Jun 2006 16:20 BST

Since founding Microsoft in 1975, Bill Gates has led the company to world domination in the IT space. His decision to step down from day-to-day management in 2008, announced late on Thursday, will allow him to devote more time to his charitable foundation.

This means that Ray Ozzie, Steve Ballmer and Craig Mundie will all play a greater role in Microsoft's future -- battling Google, pushing Vista, and coping with lingering antitrust concerns and the spectre of open source.

Ballmer claims the move is part of a wider transition within Microsoft, while Gates says he will continue scanning the horizon for the latest technology trends. But, after 30 years with Gates at the helm, it is hard to see this as anything but the end of an era.

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