Sympathy for Bill Gates

[gazebee_]

Microsoft originally started as a BASIC writing company, then it took the world by storm..

[TheDogsBed]

You people keep speaking of a level playing field

Well, I just did, which I suppose almost constitutes repetition...

it's the nature of our economy to give someone the advantage

It's also the nature of our economy to expect everyone to play by the rules (the law).

you guys would be slamming someone else

If they blatantly break the law and use the fruits of that to their advantage, yes, I would and I make no apology for that.

The real comedy value of course, is that many of those who seem blind to the illegal methods used by MS in their climb to the top, are also the ones who then have the hypocrisy to decry those who download warez or rip an mp3 or two.

It's as simple as that.

If only we all had your mystical insight into the world of economies and market issues.

[markwolfe Veteran]

What is with all this "jealous" rubbish? I haven't heard that sort of response since my school days. For example, I struggle to believe that Linux users who get sent a .doc file instantly think "Oh, I am so jealous of that Bill Gates chap." as opposed to cursing another user for assuming that everyone uses the doc format. To just brush everyone off as being jealous is a blinkered and childish response.

:huh:

I was the one who mentioned receiving emails as a .doc attachment, but I never said anything about being jealous.

[Mike Douglas]

Yes. They know how to utilize and capitalize and market thier products...something no other company has been able to do.

you do know they are a CONVICTED monopoly. How is that a level playing field when they have contracts that specify that department stores cannot sell a computer with MS Windows on it?

[Mister Lamar]

That fuker has too much money to need sympathy fuk i wouldnt give a **** bout it

im sure uncle bill can care less about needing sympathy. He has more than enough money to make anyone jealous, and that makes envy. he does have a lot of money and doesn't have to brag about it.........other people like myself do it for him

[scoobydoobie]

you do know they are a CONVICTED monopoly. How is that a level playing field when they have contracts that specify that department stores cannot sell a computer with MS Windows on it?

look people...ANY company would trade places with Microsoft in a heartbeat. Wether they admit it or not.

You seem to think that Microsoft is the only company practicing outside the law....get a clue...I would venture to guess that any significantly large company would break the law over and over again if they could get away with it or get away with it cheaply...take your blinders off and look at the real world of business. it's cutthroat. simple as that.

But where's the pride in that if you've had to break the law to do it?

is that suppose to be a joke? It's big business...pride has nothing and I mean nothing to do with it. It's all about money, capatalism and marketshare.

[Lomex]

Break the law? Give me a freakin' break. Look at the real world! Why do people start up businesses? To earn money. Why do companies advertise? To get as many clients as possible. Why does Microsoft have such a huge clientele? Because they knew how to advertise and get their products out there!

Any other company could of done the same thing. They just weren't as fast as Microsoft.

The end, case closed. Get off the breaking the law crap because of monopoly bull****. They're not holding a gun to any other person or threaten somebody of bombing their offices if they develop a product. Microsoft was smart in the early years, now companies can't catch up and they try to sue them and stop them with lawyers.

So if you are a software developer, I will sue your ass because I couldn't get my stuff out there sooner then you did.

[TheDogsBed]

That has to be THE biggest cop-out response I've read in this thread.

ANY company would trade places with Microsoft in a heartbeat

Where did that little gem come from? Your specialist insight into the mind of the modern businessman?

You seem to think that Microsoft is the only company practicing outside the law

We do? Where did that get stated? You'll excuse me if I read the thread as relating to MS and Bill Gates. I didn't see the "and all other companies" tagline.

take your blinders off and look at the real world of business. it's cutthroat. simple as that

And for your next cliche?

It's all about money, capatalism and marketshare.

Again, I bow to the superior insights of the modern business venture. I am but a mere mortal, and don't have access to the voodoo like skills of your good self.

But at the end of it all, while you throw cliche after cliche, the fact remains that MS, and so by association, Bill Gates, have been found GUILTY of illegal trading practises. So please, spare us the excuses and the idle cliches, because, call me old fashioned, but I'm more inclined to think that the law has more of an idea of what they are talking about than you do.

[diamonds]

Bla Bla Bla, Windows sucks, MacOSX sucks, Linux sucks, AMD sucks, Intel sucks, Nvidia sucks, ATI sucks, Lucient sucks. Logitech sucks, Linksys sucks, Alcatel sucks. Get my point? im so tired of these stupid a$$ arguments made here. One dude says something about feeling sorry for Bill gates and all the asses come out of the wood work.

[TheDogsBed]

Suddenly I feel deprived of an education...

[markwolfe Veteran]

Bla Bla Bla, Windows sucks, MacOSX sucks, Linux sucks, AMD sucks, Intel sucks, Nvidia sucks, ATI sucks, Lucient sucks. Logitech sucks, Linksys sucks, Alcatel sucks. Get my point? im so tired of these stupid a$$ arguments made here. One dude says something about feeling sorry for Bill gates and all the asses come out of the wood work.

If you read through the posts, you will indeed find thoughtless comments...

But, you will also find comments made for reasons and with explanations. You, I and others may not agree with all of the viewpoints here, but such is the nature of opinions.

If you wish to post here, please avoid focusing on useless posts while generating your own uselss posts. It is counter-productive.

[MicroZombies]

I have nothing against Bill Gates Personally. He is Wealthy - good for him, he earned it. I have nothing against Windows. It is simply a piece of software. Like all software the first initial versions were rough - but as it evolves over time it gets refined. What I do have a Problem with is the Tactics & Policies that Microsoft - as a Company - pursues. Microsoft has a History of pulling every trick that it can think of to maintain its Market Dominance. Here are two examples. Microsoft did Not Invent the C++ Programming Language - but they did Assimilate the language into their own Proprietary Product (Visual C++) which is INCOMPATIBLE with the original standard. Microsoft did Not Invent the HTTP Protocol (or many other Internet Protocols) - but they did Assimilate the HTTP Protocol into their own Proprietary Product (Internet Explorer) which they bundle with their Operating System. They never give the originators Credit - they always pretend like they Invented the Technology themselves - when in fact they usually Bought it & Assimilated it. Here is another famous Tactic - VAPORWARE. Oh how they go on & on about Longhorn & 64-bit Windows - will these Products be commercially released any time soon - NO WAY - NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! It took them TWO YEARS to go from Windows XP SP-1 to Windows XP SP-2!!! In terms of how they treat their Customers - I believe that they treat them like Dopes & Suckers that don't know anything about how Technology works - they rarely listen to their Customers Wishes - instead they try to Ram the latest gimmick down their Customers throats - like MSN. Am I wrong or am I correct?!!!

[Mike Douglas]

I would venture to guess that any significantly large company would break the law over and over again if they could get away with it or get away with it cheaply...

and so begins the fall of the Western Civilization

[ootput]

If you read through the posts, you will indeed find thoughtless comments...

But, you will also find comments made for reasons and with explanations. You, I and others may not agree with all of the viewpoints here, but such is the nature of opinions.

If you wish to post here, please avoid focusing on useless posts while generating your own uselss posts. It is counter-productive.

rawr! :D

[Alex Shenoy]

i think it all stems back to the fact that dos was origionally stolen by gates, so his entire buisness and millions is all built on top of stolen software he didnt even write.

im sorry to have to diagree.. but dos was liscenced. Bill Gates didn't steal it. There was even an article in PC World or PC Mag(im not quite sure, which) where the writer talked about the design process. I'll bet you don't know what it was original name was. Q-DOS. You really should get your facts straight before you go accusing someone of theivery.

On a more appropriate note: I think this thread has come a long way. Im glad to see that some of us have a good grasp on the world. Its nice to see that people can have a quality discussion. thanx.

Edited July 30, 2004 by open_coder

[Jessterw]

It was licensed, yes, but there is background to the whole situation revolving around the licensing. Call it an early indicator of later Microsoft deals.