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17 surprising facts about Bill Gates

Most people know three things about Bill Gates:
  1. He's the richest man in the world
  2. He cofounded one of the most successful tech companies of all time in Microsoft
  3. He's an extremely generous philanthropist through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
But despite his philanthropic efforts and online presence, there are a lot of things about Gates that many are unaware of.
Here are 17 facts you probably didn't know about Bill Gates.

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1. As a teen at Lakeside Prep School, Gates wrote his first computer program on a General Electric computer. It was a version of tic-tac-toe where you could play against the machine.

1. As a teen at Lakeside Prep School, Gates wrote his first computer program on a General Electric computer. It was a version of tic-tac-toe where you could play against the machine.
CBS/YouTube
Source: Science Museum

2. Once his school discovered Gates' coding abilities, they let him write the school's computer program for scheduling students in classes. Gates slyly altered the code so he was placed in classes with a "disproportionate number of interesting girls."

2. Once his school discovered Gates' coding abilities, they let him write the school's computer program for scheduling students in classes. Gates slyly altered the code so he was placed in classes with a "disproportionate number of interesting girls."
Doug Wilson/CORBIS
Source: Science Museum

3. Gates also read the entire "World Book Encyclopedia" series during his teenage years.

3. Gates also read the entire "World Book Encyclopedia" series during his teenage years.
ScrapeTV

4. Gates scored a near-perfect 1590 out of 1600 on his SATs.

4. Gates scored a near-perfect 1590 out of 1600 on his SATs.
AP
Source: Science Museum

5. Like many other successful tech entrepreneurs, Gates was a college dropout. He left Harvard University in 1975 to fully devote himself to Microsoft.

5. Like many other successful tech entrepreneurs, Gates was a college dropout. He left Harvard University in 1975 to fully devote himself to Microsoft.
William B. Plowman/Getty Images
Source: The Week

6. Two years after he dropped out of Harvard, Gates was arrested in New Mexico. He was driving without a license and ran a red light.

6. Two years after he dropped out of Harvard, Gates was arrested in New Mexico. He was driving without a license and ran a red light.
Wikimedia Commons
Source: The Telegraph

7. At Microsoft, Gates used to memorize employees' license plates to keep tabs on their comings and goings. "Eventually I had to loosen up, as the company got to a reasonable size," he said.

7. At Microsoft, Gates used to memorize employees' license plates to keep tabs on their comings and goings. "Eventually I had to loosen up, as the company got to a reasonable size," he said.
Associated Press
Source: BBC

8. Speaking of cars, Gates has quite the Porsche collection. The headliner is his Porsche 959 sports car, which he bought 13 years before the car was approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Transportation.

8. Speaking of cars, Gates has quite the Porsche collection. The headliner is his Porsche 959 sports car, which he bought 13 years before the car was approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Transportation.
Dave Smith/Tech Insider
Source: Wired

9. For air travel, Gates used to fly coach. Nowadays he gets around in the plane he's owned since 1997, which he calls his "big splurge."

9. For air travel, Gates used to fly coach. Nowadays he gets around in the plane he's owned since 1997, which he calls his "big splurge."
Wikimedia Commons
Source: Reddit

10. Besides his plane, one of Gates' biggest splurges was the Codex Leicester, a collection of writings by Leonardo da Vinci. He acquired it at a 1994 auction for $30.8 million.

10. Besides his plane, one of Gates' biggest splurges was the Codex Leicester, a collection of writings by Leonardo da Vinci. He acquired it at a 1994 auction for $30.8 million.
Wikimedia Commons
Source: Fast Company

11. Despite his immense wealth, Gates says his kids will only inherit $10 million each — just a fraction of his $81.1 billion net worth. "Leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them," he says.

11. Despite his immense wealth, Gates says his kids will only inherit $10 million each — just a fraction of his $81.1 billion net worth. "Leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them," he says.
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Source: Reddit

12. Though he spends most of his time with his foundation, Gates says he is still working with Microsoft on its "Personal Agent," which will "remember everything and help you go back and find things and help you pick what things to pay attention to."

12. Though he spends most of his time with his foundation, Gates says he is still working with Microsoft on its "Personal Agent," which will "remember everything and help you go back and find things and help you pick what things to pay attention to."
P Yim / Getty
Source: Reddit

13. Gates says if Microsoft hadn't worked out, he probably would've been a researcher for artificial intelligence.

13. Gates says if Microsoft hadn't worked out, he probably would've been a researcher for artificial intelligence.
oninnovation/flickr
Source: Reddit

14. Despite his interest in AI, Gates says he is "in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence." That camp also includes notable leaders in science in technology, like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk.

14. Despite his interest in AI, Gates says he is "in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence." That camp also includes notable leaders in science in technology, like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Source: Reddit

15. Bill Gates' favorite band? Weezer. He also calls U2 a "favorite" and says he's still "waiting for Spinal Tap to go back on tour."

15. Bill Gates' favorite band? Weezer. He also calls U2 a "favorite" and says he's still "waiting for Spinal Tap to go back on tour."
Associated Press
Source: Reddit

16. Gates says he reads 50 books a year. "Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding," he says.

16. Gates says he reads 50 books a year. "Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding," he says.
GatesNotes.com

17. Gates doesn't know any foreign languages. That, he says, is his biggest regret in life thus far.

17. Gates doesn't know any foreign languages. That, he says, is his biggest regret in life thus far.
Vincent Kessler/Reuters
Source: Reddit
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