Bill Gates of Microsoft loves to be seen as the generous Uncle Bill. However, his true self was revealed recently. We had the biggest, most destructive natural disaster in decades – and Uncle Bill, the richest man in the world, can be only bothered to donate US$ 3 millions.
Compare this to Mr Schumacher, who donated US$ 10 millions straight away.
I think I’ll be watching F1 more often now then buying Microsoft software.
Source: [ Wikipedia ] (see near bottom of the page)
What if Bill Gates donate 20 more millions without public knowledge? And who the fuck are you to judge based on figures? No comment on say, Steve Jobs, Sir Richard Branson, Donald Trump, what about them?
This post is a disgrace.
Highly unlikely, after seeing how they done things – donated software and claimed tax deductions with the cost of its retail price, instead of hardware which will really cost them more, making their customer hostage in too many occasions already, becoming their cash-cow and milked to their heart’s content, etc.
Just another nobody that have seen enough bloodsucking done by Microsoft empire.
They are so NOT the RICHEST man in the world.
Thanks.
#1, bill, don’t you have work to do? ™
With all due respect Harry, I think you are bitter and biased with your hatred.
If you get all the facts right, Bill Gates has indeed been generous with helping other people.
Let me do part of it for you…
From wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates
“In June 1999, Gates and his wife donated US$5 billion to their foundation, the largest single donation ever by living individuals. He has donated more than 100 million dollars to help children suffering from AIDS.”
From ctv.ca (Associated Press related) http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1064227844040_11/?hub=Health
“Bill Gates donates $168 M for malaria research”
From people.com http://english.people.com.cn/english/200106/20/eng20010620_73041.html
“The Microsoft founder has also donated $126 million to an earlier AIDS initiative and $750 million in the past five years to boost global immunization efforts and to research new medicine. Some 3 million children a year die from vaccine-preventable diseases”
I’m sure you’ve heard the U.N press release that donations are overpouring for the Tsunami affected areas, what they really need now are transportation to distribute the logistics.
And that is coordinated by the governments, he or his foundation can’t just buy or rent helicopters and send them to the other countries.
I’m not trying to defend him, I’m just trying to correct your post with fair and balance facts.
Your argument and your hatred are not objective at all.
Your accusation is immature and purely blinded by your belief that Microsoft is an evil empire.
#4, by that logic, Al Capone or even Hitler (yeah, I had to hit Godwin’s law so early) was a generous and good person. I’m sure there are plenty of other examples. But the point is, do you want to disregard a person’s criminal activities, just because he/she contributed to something good?
First of all, I’m just pointing out that what Harry did by comparing donation figures is ridiculuous.
Specially when he didn’t seem to know all the facts.
And second of all.
Priyadi, you came up with an even more questionable comparison.
Hitler? Al Capone? it’s like comparing apples to oranges.
Gosh, you must have something against Bill Gates to put him at such low level.
Hitler is associated with genocide. Al Capone is associated with a particular organisation that clearly
violated law and order.
>But the point is, do you want to disregard a person’s criminal activities,
>just because he/she contributed to something good?
No. Did I say I do want that?
Did I say I think Bill Gates is a good or bad person?
Read between the lines carefully.
you don’t think microsoft has not clearly violated law and order? 🙂
> you don’t think microsoft has not clearly violated law and order?
If they do, don’t you think some authorities in some countries have already shutted them down by now? And their fate should’ve ended like Enron.
I’m not a Microsoft fan, I despise some of the things they did, the decision they came up with.
Microsoft bashing is just plain childish, why don’t you do something else useful instead of bashing to no end?
ANd Priyadi, stick to the original topic of the post please.
The keyword here is “should” – however, with US gov’t already bowing to their businesses’ will for decades, this is very hard to happen. Only the most extreme cases will be followed-up, and even then it’s usually already to late / the damage has been done.
For more details, read books such as Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, etc.
I’m doing whatever I could, however people like you are taking my time away (which I can use for those instead) because I had to respond.
Regarding the donations – you need to put it into the correct context; such as how much are they earning, then how much are they donating – not just focusing on the later.
And that’s only for starters – for example; Microsoft once managed not to pay any taxes, thanks to various tax deductions from its donations and other things (US corporations’ taxes only make up 1.5% of US GDP – it’s us the little people that keep the country going).
We need to be less naive about these things so we won’t get screwed forever like this. I hope I’ve done my tiny part in this.
#8, legal? for now it is, ethical? far from it…
ok, I’ll shut up now to respect harry, I hope you will the same too, and do something more useful instead of childishly defending microsoft to no end 🙂
#10
“ok, I’ll shut up now to respect harry, I hope you will the same too, and do something more useful instead of childishly defending microsoft to no end”
I think you don’t really read other people’s post carefully.
If you read what Hanya Saya wrote, in no way he/she defended Microsoft. He only tried to give a fair and balance view of the facts.
You, on the other hand, does nothing but responding for the sake of arguing.
Your last comment is a clear example.
#9
“I’m doing whatever I could, however people like you are taking my time away (which I can use for those instead) because I had to respond.”
Before you burst out
1. Do you think “people like him/her/me” are doing nothing at all in this matter? Everyone is trying to help with re the disaster.
2. Why do you have to respond at all? If you think those other things are important, then do them, you don’t have to respond.
“We need to be less naive about these things so we won’t get screwed forever like this. I hope I’ve done my tiny part in this.”
I agree. I appreciate those people with real arguments against Microsoft.
I appreciate reading esr, stallman, some open source advocates.
However, this particular post about Bill Gates, especially related to donation is just silly.
Put it this way, even if it’s not Bill Gates, it is still very silly comparing based on mere numbers, without including the fact that the person has actually donated lots of money all the while, not just for this one instance.
In this case, Priyadi’s arguments are completely irrelevant, because he’s missing the point. It’s not about Bill Gates, it’s not about Microsoft.
Whoever the richest person is, it’s silly to compare just based on the fact that one person donates X million, the other Y million, without looking at the complete facts.
This is where, Priyadi, kept on dragging the topic way-off and his comments become dull. I hope Priyadi can learn to read other people’s post better, to stick on the topic, and to respond properly.
Was he ? If he did, would he need to insult people around ?
I welcome objective and cool-headed discussions – however, when someone accused people of being immature / blinded / not objective while doing so in the same time, it does tend to make me think that you’re a troll. And I don’t like trolls because they tend to cause endless, useless debate.
Did I ever said so ? If I did, or seemed to imply so in my previous comments, please accept my sincere apologies.
And let the failed logic / incomplete fact stand as the truth ? I feel really hard to let it so, especially in my own blog.
It’s absolutely true there – and that’s what I already said before.
If you want to complain why I didn’t do so in the post itself, I’m afraid you’ve lost the right to complain so when you instantly swore around instead of starting an objective discussion. Is it that hard to write down your thoughts politely ?
Hopefully we all can learn something from these.
It never ceases to amaze me that people really trying to religiously defend BG/MS with all those lengthy posts. I can only be grateful that MS contribution this time can’t be in the form of software.
Harry,
> If he did, would he need to insult people around ?
Did I insult people? So sorry if anyone felt insulted.
I wasn’t aware the level of sensitivity, obviously a different one than what I’ve been using
all along, where no one has ever felt insulted.
> Is it that hard to write down your thoughts politely ?
Well, again, so sorry if you find the above too harsh. I’ll try to tone things down.
Please accept my sincere apologies.
> Hopefully we all can learn something from these.
Now I learn that you like polite discussions.
I know it’s your blog and it’s really up to you, but some people don’t use the very polite wordings you expect.
Priyadi,
> It never ceases to amaze me that people really trying to religiously defend BG/MS with all those lengthy posts.
It never cease to amaze me that you still don’t get it. It’s not about Bill Gates or Microsoft.
If the richest man in the post is not him, I’m sure I don’t have to read your comments.
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