When will people cut Bill Gates some slack?

Question

It's always "He's too rich", "He ripped off Apple", "Windows is full of bugs", "He has a monopoly - it's not fair", "He's just a marketing guy" etc etc. Is it not possible that he was the right guy with the right product at the right time and he (with help, and drawing on available ideas at the time) did it well?

Does anyone realise that for all his success, he's the most philanthopic person who has ever lived? For example, I'm willing to bet that in percentage terms (let alone absolute terms) he has donated WAY more to charity than Steve Jobs ...

Answer 1

I agree. Many charities will be hard hit when he retires, I bet Microsoft's new owners will never be a generous as he has been!

Answer 2

James Dyson had a good idea and eventually its time came. But there's no way I'll ever spend £300 on a vacuum. I don't get why Dyson is a hero and Gates a villain. They're both businessmen.
Frankly, with Linux I wouldn't have a pc at all. I just don't know enough to keep it running and haven't been able to find a good source of info for beginners.
I say that Linux will suit people like me when they bring out Greenhorn...

I agree that the products are overpriced, I use Open Office because I don't have £300 for an office suite either.
Before you make him out to be some kind of saint, remember that Microsoft have blatantly ripped off other peoples software and been caught. (the writers left an easter egg in their program). Plus they were the company responsible for changing the licence agreement and getting it backdated; which if you did it would be breach of contract. I was amazed when they won that case.
But it doesn't surprise me - the blokes a clever businessman and they run an aggressive company. They'll do what they can get away with and what the market will tolerate. I really don't care about the philanthropy bit, all that money came from consumers who would probably have appreciated a drop in price.
You can get XP OEM on disc for £60 which isn't too bad.

As for Windows being full of bugs, it definately has some security issues which the average user can't sort out, such as;
All the ports open by default!
Messenger active by default.
All new accounts admin accounts by default.
Explorer able to connect to the internet.
Internet Explorer has actice X on by default.
Remote Desktop active by default.
Windows Firewall as effective as a wet sponge.
File extensions hidden by default.

The bloke is neither a saint or a sinner. Nice idea, shame about the company.

Answer 3

Weel you know that smoke never comes out without fire. Windows has bugs? Of course it does. Nothing is perfect! He has a monopoly? Why yes. Just look at how many are using Microsoft products all over the world, how many pc manufactures include windows as the default operating system, nevertheless the fact that a large number of software are compatible only with windows platforms. It's not fair for those who want to make their own software (so called non-Microsoft).
I wouldn't go that far as saying he was the right guy with the right product at that time! What sort of products? He put in practice an operating system that would be easy to understand and use for a large majority of users! That's why windows is so popular! Did he invented DOS?
I don't see the connection with how much he donated to charity... For me it doesn't represent a thing, considering how much he's earning! I respect those that donate from the little they have!

Answer 4

The only reason he has the money is because he ripped off Steve Jobs and Apple. It's fact. I don't care how much money he gives away. He should give it all away. He's been a thief from the very beginning. He wasn't even the one who created DOS. It was originally called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System). Every negative thing said about him is true. He doesn't innovate, he imitates. He's always wanted to BE Steve Jobs. He just wasn't cool enough. He did steal from Apple. He threatened to pull out of the Macintosh project unless Apple gave him the right to use some of Mac's programming. Look it up, get an education. I used to use Windows, but now I refuse.

You want proof? Do a Google Image search on Windows 1.0 and Macintosh System 1. Do that, and tell me you don't see that Windows is a BLATANT, yet sad, copy of Mac. (And yes, Mac was first.) Better yet, I'll include them. Yes, that IS Windows 1.0. It isn't even a good copy. Take a look at the menus at the top of the screen. File, View and Edit...

Answer 5

I will start cutting him some slack when the prices of his products come down. When he stops charging an arm and 2 legs for a piece of software that doesn't even do what it says it is supposed to do, when there are people making FREE software that works better than the POS that microsoft shoves out. AND I will start cutting him some slack when I see proof of his so called philanthropy! Anyone can call themselves a philanthropist, but not many actually back that with real actions.

Answer 6

Although you are correct with your assertion that Bill Gates is history's biggest philanthropist (though he looks a regular size to me), we are all philanthropists on here. We give of our time and expertise to answer other people's questions.

I agree with others that if he were to reduce the prices of Microsoft products he would come in for less criticism.

If he were truly philanthropical, wouldn't he give to everyone rather than a few select causes that gets his name in the papers?

Answer 7

If he's such a nice guy he can lend me his bank account for a week.

I'll give it all back less the interest I'll earn.


He's just too big a target to not have a go at.