Everybody knows Bill Gates: the genius, the philanthropist, the tech mogul. But people have yet to see Mr. Gates as a friend, up close and personal.
In an exclusive interview with CBS' 60 Minutes, the Microsoft creator showed a softer side of him hidden from the public eye for much of his career. When Charlie Rose asked him about the deceased Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, Gates got emotional.
In the interview, he told Rose of how they both "grew up together," being nearly the same age in the same field. Being "naively optimistic" about building their big companies, the two brought the computer industry to life.
Gates also talked about visiting Jobs in his death bed and how he was "very forward-looking" despite his condition.
"We talked about what we've learned, about families--we talked about anything," a teary-eyed Gates shared to 60 Minutes. "He showed me the boat he was working on and talked about how he's looking forward to being on it, even though we both knew there was a good chance that wouldn't happen."
While both Steve and Bill have become household names, especially in the computer industry, people have often pitted them as rivals. However, despite having competing brands, the two have kept a relationship that went beyond their competing companies.
"Every fantasy we had about creating products and learning new things--we achieved all of it. And most of it as rivals. But we always retained a certain respect and communication, including even when he was sick," explained the Microsoft pioneer.
Gates also noted that Job's "sense of design" had overshadowed his own ingenuity, saying that the Apple founder's works "always had to fit a certain aesthetic" and this trait "shows that design can lead you in the right direction."
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chairman also applauded Jobs' work on tablets.
"We [Microsoft] did tablets, lots of tablets well before Apple did, but they put the pieces together."
Bill Gates entire interview with Charlie Rose, including him talking about his future plans, can be seen on 60 Minutes on CBS this week.
(Video Courtesy of CBS)
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