Not that Harvard holds it against him. The university has invited the Microsoft chairman to be principal speaker at its 356th Commencement day in June, returning Gates to the halls where he met his friend and current Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.
Gates had already founded for-profit businesses in software and consulting during his during his junior year, so by the time he had met and befriended Ballmer, his work at Harvard was probably done. (Harvard says Ballmer lived “down the hall at Currier House” when the two were undergrads.)
Well, that and forming a friendship – and a lot of computer code – with the other Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Gates is a member of the Harvard College Class of 1977, which is to celebrate its 30th reunion at the Commencement.
Having arrived as a freshman at Harvard in 1973, Gates was to have graduated in 1977, but famously dropped out in 1975 to focus with Allen on building the Microsoft into the US$44 billion (A$55 billion) revenue business it is today.
For more Business Software news, click here.
