Leading article: Computer power

The last day in the office is an emotional time. But how much harder must it be if you founded the company yourself? And what if that company is one of the largest and most profitable in the world? That is how Bill Gates will be feeling today when he says goodbye to his full-time role at Microsoft.

We should not buy into the corporate spin about the saintliness of Microsoft's founder. Mr Gates demonstrated a ruthless streak when he was building his empire, and some of its steam-rollering of rivals has been rather dubious. But none of that detracts from the brilliance of the achievement. When he founded Microsoft in 1975, his unlikely goal was "to put a computer on every desk and in every home". In the developed world, at least, that has been achieved.

Now Mr Gates turns his attention to the other half of the planet, working for his charity foundation. If he can achieve as much in the world of philanthropy as he has in business, Mr Gates might even find that the second half of his career will be as significant as the first. Now there's a source of motivation for him as he clears his desk today.

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