Even though we’ve known for a while that Bill Gates has been gradually distancing himself from Microsoft and would eventually sell all his shares, seeing this news still feels quite emotional. This time, it’s not a sudden personal sell-off, but rather the final step in the foundation’s years-long process of reducing its holdings. The main goal is to provide liquidity for charitable donations (the foundation plans to donate about $9 billion annually by 2026 and gradually deplete its endowment fund). So, this isn’t a bearish outlook on Microsoft’s future, but it’s true that his connection with Microsoft is becoming more distant as he focuses entirely on philanthropy. When I was a kid, reading his *The Road Ahead* inspired me to dream about the information society and decide to study computer science. I started with his DOS, then Windows, and now I’m still holding their stock because of AI. Gates may not be as dazzlingly legendary as Jobs, but he’s definitely an iconic figure of an era and one of my life mentors. A person’s value isn’t just about how much money they make, but also about what they create, what they influence, and what they leave behind.