At the age of 19, Gates founded (1974) the Microsoft Corp., a computer
software firm(empresa
de software para ordenadores), with Paul Allen. They began by
purchasing(adquiriendo,
comprando) the rights(derechos)
to convert an existing software package. In 1980 they agreed(aceptó,
acordó) to produce the operating system for the personal
computer being developed by International Business Machines (IBM). That
system, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System), and subsequent programs
(including the Windows operating systems) made Microsoft the world's
largest producer(mayor
productor del mundo) of software for microcomputers.
In 1997 the U.S. Justice Dept. accused Microsoft of violating a 1995
antitrust agreement, because the Windows 95 operating system required
consumers to load Microsoft's Internet browser(navegador)—thus(así,
de esta manera) giving Microsoft a monopolistic advantage over
other browser manufacturers. In late(finales)
1999 the trial judge decided that Microsoft was a monopoly that had stifled
competition(ahogado,
reprimido a la competencia), and the following June he ordered
the breakup(ruptura)
of Microsoft into two companies, a decision that Microsoft appealed(recurrió).
Although the appeals court overturned(anularon)
(2001) the breakup, it agreed that Microsoft had stifled competition and
returned the case to a lower(de
más bajo nivel) court for resolution. Subsequently the
government and the company agreed to a settlement(solución,
acuerdo) that placed some restrictions on Microsoft but would
not essentially diminish(disminuir)
the advantage its operating system monopoly gave the software giant.
Gates, who is chairman(presidente)
of Microsoft, is the wealthiest(más
rica) person in the world. He founded (1994) the William H.
Gates Foundation (focusing(enfocándose)
on health issues(temas,
asuntos) in developing countries) and the Gates Learning
Foundation (1997), renamed the Gates Library Foundation (providing(suministrando)
education assistance). In 1999 he merged(fusionó) the foundations into the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a philanthropy that was worth(tenía
un valor de) more than $32 billion by 2003, making it the
world's wealthiest foundation. It emphasizes grants(becas)
for projects relating to(relacionadas
con) global health care, education and
libraries, and the Pacific Northwest.
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