The biggest reasons for Gates being so well known have to do (in reverse order of relevance) just how rich he is, how prevalent his company's products are, and how much he pushes himself into the limelight whenever possible. Of course, it also helps that he is the poster boy for the exploding importance of information technology in the modern world (both corporate and home) and the "computer nerds" behind this phenomenon. After all, look how "computer geeks" were portrayed in Revenge of the Nerds (1984) compared to now in popular media. He's often talked about as "the guy who dropped out of uni, started a business in his garage and made himself a billionaire and head of one of the best known companies ever". Who wouldn't want to follow that? How much less interesting does....."He worked hard, went to uni and studied business, joined Flibble Industries in 1907 as a teaboy. Through years of buttkissing and corporate politics he slid into management like a large hand in a one-size-fits-all glove. After spending 40 years in middle management, Mr Nakamura saved the company ?73 in the failed carpet-fired oven debacle and was elected CEO for life, where he disappeared behind a force-field of paperwork". Which would you rather hear/talk about?