Here is your chance to ask Microsoft Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates a question. What's the catch? Well, there are a few, indeed, but in the end you will get a chance to do just that. Have none other than Bill Gates answer your question. And you'd better believe that you won't get many more of these chances until mid 2008, as Gates will complete his two-year transition out of his day-to-day role at Microsoft. But for approximately half a year, Gates will still live and breath Microsoft, and at the end of the month, he will be visiting the U.K. for a Server and Tools partner pre-launch event on 30th January.

The event is of course connected with the upcoming world-wide availability of Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 on February 27, 2008 with the Heroes Happen Here launch in Las Vegas. At this point in time registration for the U.K. pre-launch is opened in the "Heroes Happen Here" area of the Partner Portal, to all Microsoft partners looking to attend.

"The Server and Tools Partner pre-launch is happening on the 30th Jan to let our partners know all about Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008, the event was fully booked after just a few days and we have a very special guest...Bill Gates," revealed Charlotte Duffy, Visual Studio Product Manager in the UK. "We will be showing partners why Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008 are products they should be making themselves familiar with, whether it be creating solutions with the new products, selling the value of the new products or providing customers with relevant information."

Microsoft is currently working toward the RTM milestone of Windows Server 2008. Although the Redmond company has failed to offer any confirmation in this regard, Windows Server 2008 is expected to be released to manufacturing in early 2008. If you are indeed a Microsoft partner, (here comes the catch part!) you will be able to send you question to the Redmond company, and hope it will be selected and presented to Bill. Good luck with that!

"We would love to pass your questions onto Bill, so if you have a burning question about what's in store for Microsoft in the future, his thoughts on the IT industry, future technologies or how many friends he has on Facebook (!) then email askbill@microsoft.com and we will pick the best ones and ask him on the day," Duffy added.