Alibaba is about Alibaba.com and its founder Jack Ma, China's Bill Gates. Ma's story is remarkable: despite growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution, in a period of total state control of the economy, he developed keen entrepreneurial instincts that would eventually allow him to recognise the Internet's ability to transform the way business is done around the world. He realised that an 'ecosystem' had to be built on the Net in order to create a standard way for businesses to operate and then set about creating that ecosystem; with Alibaba.com, the world's biggest business-to-business Web site, you can buy and sell everything, from acrylic blankets to acoustic components, air beds to air-separators, abrasive tools to anchors - and that's just the first letter of the alphabet!Unlike Gates, Ma recognised the potential of the Internet early on, and at critical times made strategic decisions that allowed him to leverage his company to rapid growth. From an initial investment of $60,000 in 1999, Alibaba is now worth around approximately $26 billion and is one of the most acclaimed Internet companies out there. If Microsoft is successful in buying Yahoo (which owns 39 percent of Alibaba), the long-term visions of Bill Gates and Jack Ma may join forces - a scenario to watch.