Gates at WinHEC 2006

Editors' note: This gallery was originally published June 15, 2006. It has been updated with additional images from subsequent events.

As the most public embodiment of Microsoft, Bill Gates has trod many a stage to deliver keynote speeches and otherwise evangelize his company's technology. That role will start winding down soon: Gates on Thursday announced the start of a transition out of his day-to-day role at the software giant.

In this photo from the WinHEC conference in May 2006, Gates introduces the first public beta version of Microsoft's upcoming--and critical--Windows Vista update.