BILL GATES, the software entrepreneur who is the richest man in the US, set his sights yesterday on becoming its greatest philanthropist. He created a $200 million foundation to equip public libraries with computers and the Internet.
Mr Gates's North American initiative comes just three weeks after he announced a British plan to set up an information technology campus in Cambridge. The two projects mark an attempt to finally reverse the Microsoft founder's reputation for keeping his $35 billion fortune to himself.
The foundation, which will begin by giving computers to 8,500 of the poorest libraries in the US and Canada, is believed to be the brainchild of his wife, Melinda.
The Gates Library Foundation, created from his personal wealth, will be backed by a $200 million donation of software from Microsoft. The dollar-for-dollar match is in keeping with his company's policy of matching charitable donations by his staff.
Even though sceptics said Mr Gates's library foundation was a ploy to outdo Netscape Communication's domination of the Internet market, it was compared by others to the action of one of the most famous American philanthropists.
"This is Bill Gates becoming the 21st century's Andrew Carnegie," said Ms Elizabeth Martinez, executive director of the American Library Association.
Microsoft, which makes Windows 95 and Word, has so far donated and spent more than $10 million on hardware and software for libraries in the US.
Libraries which bought equipment with Microsoft grants claim their visitor numbers have increased substantially.
Mr Gates said the foundation would provide training for librarians and, after its initial five-year programme, could be expanded to all 16,000 public libraries in the United States.