Yahoo echoes an article from The Telegraph (U.K.) in which Microsoft founder Bill Gates is quoted as saying that if he had been born recently he would be diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. In another interview with Fortune he called what he has Asperger's syndrome.
Wikipedia defines Asperger's thus.
Asperger's is a diagnostic label that has been used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.
The DrsC have a friend with Asperger's syndrome who has made his living writing code and doing systems analysis. We've known him for forty years. He has had a decent life and career. Unfortunately his kids and grandkids have inherited the trait with very mixed results, some okay, some pretty grim.
Gates and my friend were among those who found ways to make Asperger's work for them while still being a social hindrance. Others are less fortunate.
