The author of this book about the future, Bill Gates, is the Harvard dropout who founded Microsoft based on his vision of a personal computer on every desk and in every home. Focusing on the so-called "information superhighway", Gates describes the breathtaking changes that will affect us all, and how emerging technologies will transform human existence in unprecedented ways. Written in a personal style, free of jargon, this book ushers in the world of tomorrow in broad and confident terms. It debunks certain notions that have gained attention in the media, and makes projections grounded in the realities of today. Gates describes how the tools of the future will change the way we make choices about almost everything, from which toaster we buy to who our friends are and how we spend time with them; from how we earn and invest, to where we live and how we protect our families in an increasingly complicated world.
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Amazon Review
Love him or loathe him, Mr Microsoft is certainly an influential voice in the modern business world and The Road Ahead is definitely an important addition to any business library. Gates's description of the beginnings of the information age, while somewhat over-emphasizing his own contributions and downplaying those of his competitors, is nonetheless as clear and enlightening as any in print today. Likewise, his view of the digital future--from hardware to software and education to entertainment--should be read and studied by all who use technology in their business today or plan to use it on the road ahead.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
I wrote my first software program when I was thirteen years old. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I wrote my first software program when I was thirteen years old. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Superb, excellent, this book really captures the mind. Gates shows how intelligent he is with some of his predictions, which will make our lives easier and safer. May of his predictions are suddenly creeping into the market place.In the book Gates describes how technology has advanced, and of course how he thinks it will further advance. He explains things simply and clearly. The beggining of the book is not to great, but the rest of the book is excellent. As gates says at the beggining of the book, ' anyone who is expecting a biography of Bill Gates has choosen the wrong book'.This is true, Gates is simply acting as a philiosopher in the technological world.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Well worth a read for anyone who is interested in the possible future of technology and how it will be used. Great value too.
By Paul Collins
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read Hard Drive in the past and wanted to read it again but ordered this in error. However it is great and interesting to read this from Bill Gates own perspective. Have also now ordered Hard Drive to read again.
By Sam
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A nice little read which gives insight into Gates and his early work which is both inspiring and amazing. Would 100% recommend
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. A. Kalam
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had assumed this was the full book - it's only the Pre-Intermediate level book and so this was only 48 pages long. It's an extremely short version; this was my own fault for not checking but I thought I should just give you a heads-up.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I feel almost embarrassed now when I think of how I paid twenty-pence for this book in a charity shop, as it is easily my best read this year. Would I have paid full price for it in a book shop? Most likely not, as previously, I was never too interested in Gates as a person and since this book is neither a personal biography nor a fully fledged academic source, I wouldn't take the risk. In part, I wish I had earlier.
'The Road Ahead' may not fit precisely into either of the former categories, but what it does provide is a wonderful series of accounts from a man who was so positive about the future that he decided to outline how he thought it would all pan out. His authorship is more often than not effortless, and this helps for an incredibly enjoyable read - surprisingly, I might add, given that Gates is not someone you wouldn't normally associate with being a competent author.
Of course, in order to look to the future, Gates refers to his own past and creates a nice groundwork with some insight into his own youth and the efforts that he made to take his work from a computer school terminal to a fully fledged company called 'Microsoft'. As I stated earlier, this isn't a full autobiography, but it lays down some nice facts about the computer business in general and how Microsoft came to being. From this, I ultimately felt a lot of respect for the guy and he too appears incredibly down-to-earth and shows mutual respect for other entrepreneurs in the 1980's, such as the late Steve Jobs. It was warming to read of how the two were actually very good friends, which leads the whole 'Microsoft vs Apple war' as something of a mediated frenzy that people love to stoke.... Read more ›
'The Road Ahead' may not fit precisely into either of the former categories, but what it does provide is a wonderful series of accounts from a man who was so positive about the future that he decided to outline how he thought it would all pan out. His authorship is more often than not effortless, and this helps for an incredibly enjoyable read - surprisingly, I might add, given that Gates is not someone you wouldn't normally associate with being a competent author.
Of course, in order to look to the future, Gates refers to his own past and creates a nice groundwork with some insight into his own youth and the efforts that he made to take his work from a computer school terminal to a fully fledged company called 'Microsoft'. As I stated earlier, this isn't a full autobiography, but it lays down some nice facts about the computer business in general and how Microsoft came to being. From this, I ultimately felt a lot of respect for the guy and he too appears incredibly down-to-earth and shows mutual respect for other entrepreneurs in the 1980's, such as the late Steve Jobs. It was warming to read of how the two were actually very good friends, which leads the whole 'Microsoft vs Apple war' as something of a mediated frenzy that people love to stoke.... Read more ›
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Bill Scrotes
Format:Hardcover
I love this book and have re-read it a many times since I first got my copy in 1995. Basically it's Bill Gates predicting the future and getting it rather wrong. The chapter about the `wallet PC' that opens doors and lets you walk out of shops with stuff without paying for it is priceless reading in 2010.
And the section on portable telephones that one day could have cameras in them is like listening to your Nan talking about `horseless carriages'.
Most of all it's the neutral, obedient, sanitised world that he describes (and patently longs for) and his blythe confidence on it's eventual arrival that is most telling and worrying. You read it in 2010 and thank God that his predictions were so wide of the mark.
The fact that he was prepared to go on the record and predict the future shows what a cock-sure fool he was back at the height of his powers in 1995.
I thank the lord that his grip has relinquished since these heady days.
(BTW: The guy who says that this is the abridged version is wrong. This is the full version. ie, not only did he buy the abridged version by accident but he then wrote a review on the wrong edition...)
And the section on portable telephones that one day could have cameras in them is like listening to your Nan talking about `horseless carriages'.
Most of all it's the neutral, obedient, sanitised world that he describes (and patently longs for) and his blythe confidence on it's eventual arrival that is most telling and worrying. You read it in 2010 and thank God that his predictions were so wide of the mark.
The fact that he was prepared to go on the record and predict the future shows what a cock-sure fool he was back at the height of his powers in 1995.
I thank the lord that his grip has relinquished since these heady days.
(BTW: The guy who says that this is the abridged version is wrong. This is the full version. ie, not only did he buy the abridged version by accident but he then wrote a review on the wrong edition...)
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By T. White
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I ordered this book from an Amazon seller for £1.29 used with free delivery. I have to say. The book came within a few days and was in good condition.
So Gates' 1995 'predictions' at the moment seem pretty accurate. I'm only a chapter in and he's already mentioned applications' which will act as tools to help us in our everyday lives. An example of this could be Iphone of Blackberry apps.
But I really like the balance between biographical elements and the message he is trying to convey. Certainly 'the information highway' he describes is much like today's internet. Although some ideas seem strange, others are perfectly accurate.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the future of technology. As other sellers have said, if you're looking for a biography, you won't get it, but something so much more inspiring and uplifting. It feels great to be reading the words (and thoughts) of the second richest man alive and I defy all people to read this, because, as Bill says, the future of technology, and technological advances will affect all of us.
So Gates' 1995 'predictions' at the moment seem pretty accurate. I'm only a chapter in and he's already mentioned applications' which will act as tools to help us in our everyday lives. An example of this could be Iphone of Blackberry apps.
But I really like the balance between biographical elements and the message he is trying to convey. Certainly 'the information highway' he describes is much like today's internet. Although some ideas seem strange, others are perfectly accurate.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the future of technology. As other sellers have said, if you're looking for a biography, you won't get it, but something so much more inspiring and uplifting. It feels great to be reading the words (and thoughts) of the second richest man alive and I defy all people to read this, because, as Bill says, the future of technology, and technological advances will affect all of us.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent foresight into the future.
Bill Gates is not one to stay stuck in the present. His foresight into both technology, and the societey and technology is stunning. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2000 by c.neale@ntlworld.com
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Insight to a wrongly potrayed man
Bill Gates tells his story about how he founded the multi-billion pound Microsoft Corp. and also of the personal traumas and experiences that he shared while achieving this, the... Read more
Published on 20 Nov 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
Superb, excellent, this book really captures the mind. Gates shows how intelligent he is with some of his predictions, which will make our lives easier and safer. Read more
Published on 24 Nov 1999 by andy352@hotmail.com
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