At the beginning of 1996, what Gates said at a meeting in Seattle remained a mystery to outsiders.
But after the meeting, the executives at Microsoft were extremely secretive about the content discussed.
It seemed there was some secret or significant change brewing quietly.
However, the overcast skies of Seattle did not affect the brilliant sunshine of Silicon Valley.
With the internet boom heating up, the area was brimming with young entrepreneurs "panning for gold" everywhere you looked.
Walking the streets of Mountain View, you'd often see groups of youngsters in plaid shirts, engaged in heated debates as they walked.
Don't be surprised; they might just be disagreeing over the valuation of their first round of funding.
Yes, this is Silicon Valley. Waves of entrepreneurship following the internet have swept across all of California.
