Bill Gates: meglamaniac or hero
Discussion
Microsoft are forever blasted for anti-competitive activity but I find it hard not to like Bill Gates because he puts his money where his mouth and heart are. On the radio yesterday he said that if the big phrama companies won't take up his anti-aids microcidal spray he may have to throw shed loads of money at it to make sure it was produced. I know he has $25 billion and a few hundred million won't leave him penniless but it is extraordinarily generous.
Should I love him for what he does for world health or hate him for Microsoft?
Should I love him for what he does for world health or hate him for Microsoft?
shirepro said:Not going to get into the Microsoft thing simply because the majority of people that knock him are probably jealous of his success. If you gave one of them the choice of being in his position tomorrow I doubt many would turn it down.
Should I love him for what he does for world health or hate him for Microsoft?
If he is willing to use HIS money to do some good then he should be applauded, he certainly does not have to.
JagLover said:
Interesting enough they have a culture in America that those who make alot of money should then give alot of charitable donations-far more so than here.
I wonder if it is because of the smaller government and so lower taxes stateside.
IIRC the tax benefits in some circumstances be well worth it in the US.
JagLover said:
Interesting enough they have a culture in America that those who make alot of money should then give alot of charitable donations-far more so than here.
I wonder if it is because of the smaller government and so lower taxes stateside.
In the UK we have a culture of our government giving charitable donations to anyone who wants some.
I wonder if it is because we have a larger government and higher taxes.
Hero. Genius and visionary.
There are countless anecdotes but until relatively recently he always flew economy class (now has his own jet but that is just a cost effectiveness thing) the M$ execs competed to see how close to a flight departure time they could leave the office and still make it.
He is egalitarian and for instance had no reserved parking spaces on the campus. For years his 928 would be in pole position because he was first in. Problem was there was always a small crowd of beggars after hand outs so now he has special parking. Most people with his sort of money would have helicoptered in. Also with share options he has rewarded his staff. There are literally hundreds of millionaires at M$, when the 456 came out there were rows of them in the car park.
I love some of the incisive things he says. For instance: People always overestimate technological advance in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. (paraphrased)
There are countless anecdotes but until relatively recently he always flew economy class (now has his own jet but that is just a cost effectiveness thing) the M$ execs competed to see how close to a flight departure time they could leave the office and still make it.
He is egalitarian and for instance had no reserved parking spaces on the campus. For years his 928 would be in pole position because he was first in. Problem was there was always a small crowd of beggars after hand outs so now he has special parking. Most people with his sort of money would have helicoptered in. Also with share options he has rewarded his staff. There are literally hundreds of millionaires at M$, when the 456 came out there were rows of them in the car park.
I love some of the incisive things he says. For instance: People always overestimate technological advance in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. (paraphrased)
He's an extremely shrewd operator.
After all the hoohah about anti-trust and anti-competitiveness on the business side, Miscorsoft have systematically hired the largest number of top, top people they can in hardware/software/systems, and let them run loose with large R&D budgets.
Not many other companies can even try and compete on this scale - so Microsoft products will not need to worry about anti-trust, they will be the only game in town.
IBM probably run in second place, but still a way back from Microsoft.
Waiting for someone to mention Linux...
(BTW I'm not a Microsoft devotee, and frequently curse their products, but they do relentlessly get better and better. I remember using Word 2.0...)
After all the hoohah about anti-trust and anti-competitiveness on the business side, Miscorsoft have systematically hired the largest number of top, top people they can in hardware/software/systems, and let them run loose with large R&D budgets.
Not many other companies can even try and compete on this scale - so Microsoft products will not need to worry about anti-trust, they will be the only game in town.
IBM probably run in second place, but still a way back from Microsoft.
Waiting for someone to mention Linux...
(BTW I'm not a Microsoft devotee, and frequently curse their products, but they do relentlessly get better and better. I remember using Word 2.0...)
Slamming Microsoft is an easy way for a weak person to have a pop at someone. Most of these people use MS software.
The fact is, Bill Gates is a clever man, he worked his arse off and was extremely lucky to be in the right place at the right time to exploit his ability and get rich.
Good for him.
If he wasn't the way he was, then we'd all be complaining how Apple have such an unfair monopoly on home computing. And even worse, we'd all have to use MACs!!!!
The fact is, Bill Gates is a clever man, he worked his arse off and was extremely lucky to be in the right place at the right time to exploit his ability and get rich.
Good for him.
If he wasn't the way he was, then we'd all be complaining how Apple have such an unfair monopoly on home computing. And even worse, we'd all have to use MACs!!!!
While you may not wish to, I find it so very difficult to do anything other than admire what he has done.
He worked his nuts off. He pioneered. He revolutionised.
I guarantee people will spark up on this thread and say "he bought out XXX so they could not compete, he stole these people's software etc. etc. etc.". So what? His goal was to be the best, and he did it. There is not one person who would not want to be in his position now - and if you say otherwise, you are deceiving yourself.
While I like everybody curse Microsoft products every now and then, we could refer it to the case of TVR. Everybody moans when it goes wrong...nobody praises when it goes right.
He worked his nuts off. He pioneered. He revolutionised.
I guarantee people will spark up on this thread and say "he bought out XXX so they could not compete, he stole these people's software etc. etc. etc.". So what? His goal was to be the best, and he did it. There is not one person who would not want to be in his position now - and if you say otherwise, you are deceiving yourself.
While I like everybody curse Microsoft products every now and then, we could refer it to the case of TVR. Everybody moans when it goes wrong...nobody praises when it goes right.
tonyhetherington said:
While you may not wish to, I find it so very difficult to do anything other than admire what he has done.
He worked his nuts off. He pioneered. He revolutionised.
I guarantee people will spark up on this thread and say "he bought out XXX so they could not compete, he stole these people's software etc. etc. etc.". So what? His goal was to be the best, and he did it. There is not one person who would not want to be in his position now - and if you say otherwise, you are deceiving yourself.
What utter rubbish, stealing other peoples ideas is neither pioneering or revolutionary.
The man is a hypocrite a liar & thief.
With all Microsofts resources what did they do when they had to finally do something about IE security ? Couldn't do it themselves so they bought Giant (good job too its good softwrae)
If he gets his way in Europe over software patents, then perhaps you will understand why he gets under many peoples skin.
I find myself agreeing with many of the points made by both sides of the argument.
However, one fairly recent event that sways my opinion was when billg went on one of his "selfless" trips to donate money to Indian causes to help with health treatment over there.
Strangely enough, several days later, Steve Ballmer secured a software deal with the Indian government...
Coincidence...?
Makes me wonder how many more of the "charitable donations" are actually just sweeteners for MS deals.
I do, however, find it extremely amusing how annoyed his kids got when they recently found out they were "only" to get $10million or something inheritance each.
However, one fairly recent event that sways my opinion was when billg went on one of his "selfless" trips to donate money to Indian causes to help with health treatment over there.
Strangely enough, several days later, Steve Ballmer secured a software deal with the Indian government...
Coincidence...?
Makes me wonder how many more of the "charitable donations" are actually just sweeteners for MS deals.
I do, however, find it extremely amusing how annoyed his kids got when they recently found out they were "only" to get $10million or something inheritance each.
GMan 2112 said:
While you may not wish to, I find it so very difficult to do anything other than admire what he has done.
He worked his nuts off. He pioneered. He revolutionised.
I guarantee people will spark up on this thread and say "he bought out XXX so they could not compete, he stole these people's software etc. etc. etc.". So what? His goal was to be the best, and he did it. There is not one person who would not want to be in his position now - and if you say otherwise, you are deceiving yourself.
What utter rubbish, stealing other peoples ideas is neither pioneering or revolutionary.
The man is a hypocrite a liar & thief.
With all Microsofts resources what did they do when they had to finally do something about IE security ? Couldn't do it themselves so they bought Giant (good job too its good softwrae)
If he gets his way in Europe over software patents, then perhaps you will understand why he gets under many peoples skin.
Talking of hypocrites...
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff