Bill Gates is leaving the $50 billion monopoly he established in order to work for a non-profit. Sadly, it is to be a long goodbye.

Version 1.0 of Retiring Bill was released on July 15th last week, but the implementation is not expected to become robust until version 2.1 which is scheduled for July 2008. Given Microsoft’s recent track record it is doubtful whether such an early release date will be achieved and whether Retiring Bill 2.1 (code name FTP) will have the same features that Microsoft is currently talking about.

Commentators are already suggesting that July 2010 is a more realistic release date, while cynics are plumping for 2012.

Retiring Bill 2.1 will include the following features:

• The Ballmer control interface will remain in place.
• CTO functionality will be added to the Ozzie wizard.
• Chairman functions will remain with Bill, but will be invoked by RPC.

A Microsoft spokesperson said, “Microsoft is very excited by the benefits that Retiring BG will bring to all our customers.” According to a closed source inside Microsoft, the code name FTP stands for Full-Time Philanthropist.