Bill Gates remains one of the most relevant figures in the tech industry of his time. The Microsoft magnate may have been around the block a few times, but he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. However, despite the fact that Gates has spent a considerable amount of time in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of the public eye, there are still some things that many people don’t know. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Bill Gates. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Collects Porsches. In fact, Gates owns at least three Porsches. Gates owns a Porsche 911 Carrera, a Porsche 930, and a Porsche 959. The 959 was banned in the United States until 1999 when president Bill Clinton passed a law that exempted certain collectible automobiles from safety-related regulations.
Number Fourteen: Not All of His Predictions Came True. Gates has made many bold predictions that have never come true. He once claimed that PCs would never need more than 640kb of memory, and in 1989, he told Forbes that Microsoft would never make a 32-bit operating system.
Number Thirteen: He Lives in a Theme Park. Gates called his mansion Xanadu 2.0, and it’s no wonder he calls it that because it took seven years and $63 million to build. Xanadu 2.0 features a swimming pool that spans 60 feet, not to mention a locker room with showers and tubs. The property also houses a 2,500 square-foot gym, a giant dining room, and 24 bathrooms.
Number Twelve: He Uses Super Advanced Technology. In his home, at least. Guests who enter Xanadu 2.0 are given a pin that activates sensors in every room to change the lighting and temperature according to the pin holder’s preferences.
Number Eleven: He Pays Insane Property Taxes. Gates pays $1 million every single year in property taxes alone.
Number Ten: He Has Been Arrested More Than Once. In fact, Gates has been arrested three times. Gates was first arrested in 1975 for driving without a license. Two years later he was arrested for running a stop sign, and in 1989, he was arrested on the suspicion of drunk driving.
Number Nine: He Had an Almost Perfect SAT Score. Gates earned 1590 out of 1600 on the SAT. Though he enrolled in Harvard, he dropped out after just one year.