Bill Gates pays homage to Steve Jobs in a statement rounded up by AllThingsD. "Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives," writes the former Microsoft CEO. "The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely." (More Steve Jobs dead stories.)