When I look at the field when commercial microcomputing started, it's hard to complain too much about any "permanent damage" Gates' might or might not have made. He was the one who survived, and he was smart, but remember software companies at the time were completely taken over by some of the biggest assholes in modern history. On that topic, "In Search of Stupidity" is a book which is very revealing of the times, and of much worse characters. I completely recommend it for anyone who likes to think Microsoft is especially evil.