Luck is a factor in many careers, and many other aspects of life. It's what you do with it that counts.

I like to think that Gates and his people have made a few reasonably bright decisions since that first one. It's not like that first lucky break dropped billions of dollars and a huge corporation on his head that afternoon.

Research into the history of Microsoft and competitors reveals that Microsoft's success is often due not as much to radically innovative technology, or even luck, as it is to dogged determination, keeping the eye on the prize, and making fewer mistakes than his competitors. Being tougher than the toughies and smarter than the smarties. Heck, you could probably write a book on just the opportunites squandered by Apple alone.