Bill Gates & his 12 Steps 291
It takes a certain amount of shamelessness to be a monomaniac billionaire dwarf. But even by Bill Gates' standards, excerpts from his new book Business - The Speed of Thought, gracing this week's Time magazine, set new records for gall.
Bill Gates, you may remember, hasn't had a good year. Business Week described one competitor, open source operating system Linux, as Microsoft's "Vietnam." 3Com has snatched the bulk of the handheld computer market right out from under Microsoft's nose. Apple's new open source operating system OSX is on the way. Sony is coming after Microsoft with new operating systems that run personal computing and consumer electronics. And then there's the trial, so far at least, powerful reinforcement of the notion that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
When Gates appeared as a witness in the Microsoft trial he was shockingly arrogant, and - to put it as generously as possible - forgetful. Meanwhile, complaints about MS software bugs have hit record levels on MS bug websites, and IBM's middleware software is taking off. A number of state attorneys general are licking their chops over expected settlements in the Microsoft anti-trust trial, which the company's leading execs are skewered weekly and reminded what they wrote in e-mails months and years earlier. Beyond that, Microsoft's insanely hyped new media properties - the online magazine Slate, MSN.com, and local Sidewalk entertainment and information sities - are all still struggling, all still losing vast sums of money.
Is Bill Gates chastened? Humbled? Don't be silly. He's written yet another vapid tome, the banal sequel to the much-hyped "The Road Ahead," his first best-seller, which accomplished something few authors could have achieved - making the future of the Internet so boring as to be unreadable. By and large, the press treated that book as if it were the Koran, personally delivered by the Prophet himself. Again, the mainstream media are slobbering over their favorite Millenial visionary. In this sequel, does Gates have a single word to about the many challenges facing his company, and his multiple mis-steps of l998? For that matter, does Time ask him? Don't be foolish. In his new book, gushes Time in its cover story, "Microsoft's chairman says that only managers who master the digital universe will gain competitive advantage."
Duh. This is how Gates made billions?
"To function in the digital age," writes Gates the author, "we have developed a new digital infrastructure. The successful companies of the next decade will be those that use digital tools, he continues. And to make "digital information flow an intrinsic part of your company," he offers a number of key steps.
If you're planning on reading this book and getting rich off of computers, go gamble on some e-stock instead, or play your local lottery. You'll do better. Gates' "Steps" are true yawners, either so obvious as to be useless, or full of the kind of incomprehensible cyber-jabberwocky news organizations like Time drool over. Like "Insist that communication flow through e-mail"; "Study Sales Data Online to Share Insights Easily"; and "Use Digital Communication To Redefine the Boundaries." (My personal favorite is: "Transform Every Business Process Into Just-In-Time Delivery." Everybody must realize, Gates cautions, that "if you don't meet customer demands quickly enough, without sacrificing quality, a competitor will.) Talk about vision.
And those are the best and most provocative ideas. It's hard to know which is dumber, Gates "steps" or Time's incomprehensible decision to air them on its cover.
Clearly, the Gates comeback is underway, the manipulable media ready for one more go at presenting this remarkably unremarkable man as a millenial wizard, and for the second, or is it the third, time? Modern media has no memory when it comes to fawning over the rich and powerful, and falling for hype is sure no vice in that business.
Imagine what Gates's true steps might be if we didn't live in so hype-heavy and world and if journalism told the truth. They might go something like this:
l. Destroy Competitors.
2. Discourage competition.
3. Be arrogant and evasive, even under oath and before a federal judge (this isn't really a new idea).
4. Build a digital castle for hundreds of millions of dollars and stuff it with Leonardo DaVinci's sketchpads, Napoleon's trinkets and other memorabilia. Make it so awe-inspiring that visiting journalists are dazzled and cowed forget to ask any tough questions, and continue to bally hoo even your dubious accomplishments.
5. Refuse to answer questions, anyway, except in carefully selected and protected environments - book excerpts, pre-arranged and carefully screened interviews.
6. Create unnecessary software and hype it beyond all reason, forcing hundreds of thousands of helpless and unknowing people to spend millions or even billions of dollars unnecessarily. Then charge them extra for "incident" help when they call up trying to get help they deserve for the products they bought.
7. Seek to dominate an entire culture.
8. Amass tens of billions of dollars, even though you could give ever poor kid in America his or her own computer without evening touching your capital. Give some money to charity, but require most of the recipients - libraries, for instance -- to buy more of your products to use the free stuff they get.
9. Be obnoxious, surly and arrogant.
10. Be sure to make friends with important people in media and have them over to your house. jonkatz@slashdot.org
Stating FACTS (Score:1)
SO to state the facts, Bill was at the right moment at the right place. Does he deserve anything for this ? I think, maybe yes. After all, he went on with the PC idea, made it or made his company go the win3.x and then the jump to win95.
Of course Windows is not stable, of course the whole thing is probably the crapiest thing to ever exist on the surface of the globe! BUT, no one else was there, to promote cheap PC's, to build software so that average Joe's and Janes get to press and then click some buttons.
Apart from Linux, there isn't and never was anyone who tried to make something that normal users would afford. Like it or not, it's because of DOS, then Windows that we (normal people) could afford to buy computers.
Yes, I think he deserves that money, and I don't think IBM or Apple are to be thought of as poor innocent souls. Both have showed they could be worse than Microsoft. They just never could really do it as Bill did.
However, now is the time for people not only to use computers in a dumb way. It is the time where more and more people are trying to go further while using their machine, and they discover that even though Windows was and still is the best choice for average user with no idea, the OS just doesn't cut it when it comes to true use.
And they at Linux, as I did and discover an alternative than shares with windows the fact that normal people can get it. I can't buy SCO Unix. I can't buy Sun sparc, or even SGI machine.
My choice goes to PCS, and I definitly ditch Apple. They are the worst, but without the cash or the power!
And for a good affordable, BUT STABLE PC, I have one choice: LINUX
So this is Linux's time, Bill won't lose any money though. Good for him, he was there!
Don't respond to this either (Score:1)
Re: word was bought and so is powerpoint (Score:1)
As far as I know, the only actual code that Bill Gates worked on was MS-BASIC, and even that one was mostly done by Paul Allen.
Re: What has BGates done? (Score:1)
As far as what has his company developed themselves, while Windows (I'm talking versions 1 and 2 here) was mostly other peoples ideas, I think it was coded by Microsoft. For Windows 3, 95 and 98 they contracted out a lot of it.
Windows NT 3.5 was just OS/2 and VMS run together really fast with a Windows 3 GUI put on it, in fact the developers, and much of the code, were grabbed from the OS/2 design team and Digital.
TrueType was a purchase from Apple (they developed it and were discarding it in favor of Adobe Type1). I think Word, PowerPoint and Xenix were purchased, I don't know from who.
I think Microsoft Bob was written by them, I'm not sure. I also think the eariler versions of Masm and Microsoft C were written by them. Microsoft BASIC was written by them, and I think its decendants: BASICA, QBASIC and Visual Basic.
You said "the Internet he did legitimately add to his OS, even if it was around for ages before". They didn't write their internet stuff. Winsock (i.e. "the Internet") was a kludged port of the same BSD networking stuff used in most Unixes. The same thing with most of the "standard" internet tools, Telnet, FTP, Ping, Traceroute. And, as you've said, Internet Explorer was purchased from SpyGlass.
Hey! (Score:1)
Let's see his innovations:...the Internet
That's just not true! Everyone knows that Al Gore made the internet personally.
This (Score:1)
Published by Warner Books (Score:1)
Did any of you actually READ this? (Score:1)
Stating FACTS (Score:1)
Bravo -- Vitriol is becoming more impt than truth (Score:1)
True. It's easy to get caught on the anti-MS bandwagon (its so easy!), but then it's also easy to get caught on the Linux hype bandwagon. You can't win either way!
I'm one of these people who is pissed off with MS, their software and their practices. But I'm not the kind of person that Jon was addressing; the religious zealot. Yes I could just ignore his postings, but I thought this one might actually be witty and not just ranting and raving.
I know all good causes and movements need a loud voice to carry the message to the world. But with postings like this we're posting the wrong message.
Please just calm this hysteria. Be sensible, be mature, be intelligent. The more it occurs the more I'm tempted I am to walk away from Linux.
The Road Ahead? (Score:1)
About Bill:
I got "The Road Ahead" as a Christmas present a while back from some relatives that thought it was "computery" enough to interest me. I read it, and now it servers a very important place in my life....it's helping to hold up one end of my battered old orange couch!
About Katz:
He could say ANYTHING on slashdot and over half of you would piss and moan! Makes me wish Rob could come up with a "filter all bitching" option for
"Insist that communication flow through e-mail" (Score:1)
Hahaha. You mean "Insist that communication flow through e-mail, but make sure you delete the dodgy ones that might come back to haunt you in court"??
Read Mr. Kaczynski's New book instead and learn... (Score:1)
That the thoughts of a man who totaly denies his insantiy, is several times more interesting than a tyrant who denies his tyranny. Or somthing like that... At least all sales of Mr. K's book will go to the families of his victims (according to USA Today)
cynics win (Score:1)
give the people the least possible technology at the highest possible price. thats it...look at most technology-related empires (microsoft, tci...) and you will see this formula at work - this is why steve jobs will never win, he's obssessed with product quality and style.
Haha, sweet! Nice work (Score:1)
To anyone who railed about Jon having no place at
Hitler...created volkwagon! (Score:1)
that was taken word for word from some article in ZDNet. At least be original
Not really (Score:1)
This wasn't really an anti-MS thing, as much as an anti-Bill thing. And come on. This is no mindless bandwagon. How can you tell me that there is merit in Bill Gates' shameless self-promoting tripe?
The road ahead ... (Score:1)
... doesn't run through Redmond.
Btw, last year the local Borders had scores
of copies of TRA stacked on the floor like
cordwood, selling for $2.95. Is that how it
managed to become a "best seller"? I wouldn't
take a copy free if they were giving them away.
Execs ought to be reading Guy Kawasaki's standby,
_The Macintosh Way_, instead of anything by BG.
Do you have any idea of what a cretin you are? (Score:1)
A "sick bastard and a troll" I may be, but never an AC. It looks like things are highly "alpha" right now. This is just to let you know It's me.
P.S: this is the 5th time that I have tried to make this posting under my nick! What the hell is happening around here? Every time I try to post, It comes out as "Annonymous Coward" instead of "AnnoyingMouseCoward". Has Rob converted to NT or what?
Who is Bob? (Score:1)
The teriffically horrific attempt to make Microsoft's point-and-drool OS even more point-and-drool. MS Bob was supposed to be a sort-of helping hand to new users of Windows 95; your digital friend to this brand new world of incompatibility and crashes. Or something like that.
It ended up being even more annoying than that paperclip from Microsoft Orofice..er..Office and bombed despite the fact that it was widely touted as being next generation stuff--at least, it was here in Bill's home town. Of course, at the time, Bob required top of the line, super expensive hardware to even run properly. Come to think of it, Microsoft Office is similar in that respect. At least you can shut the more annoying ``features'' off though...
Very Deceptive, Shane (Score:1)
Bull. What he said was that Bill's money was obtained through luck, not that money in general is obtained through luck.
You'd make a good politician with your talent for twisting words. I hope you're proud.
The Edsel. (Score:1)
No Subject Given (Score:1)
Hmm, looking at Microsoft's stock price, he's probably increased his net worth since January by more than the combined lifetime earnings of everyone who has read this article. I wish I could have that sort of bad year...
Yadda Yadda (Score:1)
'Nuff Sed
You hear the dry click, too late you realize there is a gun in this house that you tried to rob!...
It's not really propoganda if it's true... (Score:1)
Who's becoming "closed-minded?" I think it was an accurate analysis of something that had me puzzled as well. I saw this magazine in a bookstore yesterday and wondered why anyone would listen to the guy. Yes, I realize he has more money than anyone else in the country, but that didn't come through his savvy business sense. A review of the events that got him to where he is today shows that there was at least as much luck as skill involved. Now the media goes and ignores all the trouble his vaunted business sense has gotten him into and publishes a puff piece on him. Are they even the slightest bit critical? Nope. Do they even question anything he says? Nope. Why not? That's all I want to know.
I agree that maybe the "pseudo-steps" at the end were going a bit far, but that's the kind of reaction that irresponsible media produces sometimes. I can't defend Jon for crossing the line either, but I can see why he did.
I'd rather not be written off as another jealous Bill-hater. Money is not that important to me and I don't let it color my perceptions of people. It's not the fact that he has money that makes me not like him. It's just him. His attitude. His business practices. His lies. His arrogance. Tell me what there is to like about him. I can't think of anything.
You misinterpret what I said... (Score:1)
I'm not saying that money has no importance. I work full-time to support myself and pay my way through college. I understand the importance of money very well. I just don't make it the goal of my life or assign the kind of importance to it that would make me jealous of Bill Gates' money. I only said this because I hate being accused of being jealous off Bill's money anytime I say something critical of him. Some people can't seem to see past the money issue.
Re: What has BGates done? - not much (Score:1)
Bad day ... (Score:1)
Here is a link to the OTHER article .. (Score:1)
Did any of you actually READ this? (Score:1)
Well, yes, of course. That's the marketing goal of any company. What I meant was that these goals are applicable to any computing organization -- especially Free Software.
Did any of you actually READ this? (Score:2)
Insist communication flow thru email
Study sales data online to share insights easily
Shift "knowledge workers" into high-level thinking (ie, freely distribute company data)
Use digital tools to create virtual teams
Convert every paper process to a digital process
Use digital tools to eliminate single-task jobs
Create a digital feedback loop (ie, re-evaluate your processes frequently)
Use digital systems to route customer complaints immediately
Use digital communication to redefine the boundaries (ie, re-examine what your business does, what it can do, and what it should do)
Transform every business process to "just-in-time delivery" (ie, keep low inventory/overhead; speedy delivery)
Use digital delivery to eliminate the middle man
Use digital tools to help customers solve problems for themselves Admittedly, none of these are brilliant breakthroughs (it's all stuff various tech visionaries have been saying for years). However, behind the corporate double-speak, there's still a solid plan for 21th-century business. Ironically, notice that the Open Source community follows every one probably better than any corporation. When was the last time Alan's diary contained the entry "spent all day in a meeting with Linus" or Miguel wasted half a forest on yet another "GNOME is almost finished" memo? Don't be so quick to dismiss ideas just because they came from mouth of the Devil of Redmond.
11 & 12. (Score:1)
12. Lie, Lie, Lie! (Most people then become so used to the lies that they stop even trying to question them, and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lie divert attention from the 1st)
Media? What about industry? (Score:1)
Retraction... (Score:1)
Is There A Chapter Missing, Bill? BY CHRIS TAYLOR [pathfinder.com]
--
W.A.S.T.E.
Hitler...created volkwagon! (Score:1)
Hmmmm.... (Score:1)
That is all I have to say about that.
-Derek
Try selling the Edsel in the 90's... (Score:1)
Stock price =/= reality (Score:1)
Example one: Amazon.com, whose market cap is billions, and whose profit is miniscule.
Example two: Dell recently released an earnings report with double-digit growth, and their stock FELL.
I could go on, but why?
Bad year (Score:1)
So long as there's a POSSIBILITY of dividends, investers will buy the stocks. From there, it's simple maths:
You buy stocks, the price goes up. You sell stocks, the price goes down. More stocks bought than sold, the price rises by more than it falls.
You also have to consider that tech stocks are largely regarded as hyper-inflated, anyway. For the reason given above - people buying promises, not goods. Actually, that, in itself is a good indicator - other tech stocks more than doubled in the year - I believe Amazon.com did very nicely for itself.
He was right, I'm afraid (Score:1)
Most people, and almost all businesses, in the mid-seventies thought that microcomputers were toys, a complete waste of space. But Gates made the company motto 'A PC on every desk and every home all running MS software' (I paraphrase). It seems obvious now, but it wasn't then.
Secondly, whether or not the hackers were improving the software, they *were* in breach of the licence agreement. If they didn't agree with those conditions they should not have used the software.
Gates *has* been very lucky, but I don't think MS would be as successful as they are if that was his only skill.
As has already been established, one skill he *doesn't* have is writing. Read 'Being Digital' or 'Release 2.1' instead. They're definately worth looking at.
Did any of you actually READ this? (Score:1)
How Intellectual Revolutions are Lost (Score:1)
computers! They make software which is of high
quality and which increase work efficiency. A
multi-billion dollar corporation has nothing but
our best interests at heart. Anyone who doesn't
agree with them is obviously spreading propaganda
and should, therefore, be ignored."
Quick...Which one is the REAL propaganda?
You're eating right out of his hand (Score:2)
As Mae West said, "I don't care what you say about me, as long as you spell my name right." It's the same concept as when a web site such as CNet publishes a story titled something like "Does Linux Suck?" because they *know* it's going to draw the attention of the exact group of people they want to advertise at.
The greatest danger in this is that Joe Sixpack may read his copy of Time and think that Unca Bill is really a pretty nice guy, and then he sees all of these SlashDotters foaming at the mouth and he decides to keep away from whatever they're selling.
Come on... (Score:1)
1) Lie.
2) Cheat.
3) Steal.
4) Repeat as necessary.
That about sums it up, don't you think? By the way, some people are talking about how M$ has done good things. Frankly, I'd like to see one good thing MS has done which a) was actually good and b) was actually done by M$. I can't think of any off the top of my head.
slashdot to come (Score:1)
Katz has his place.... I for one would think he would be more at home @ LinuxWorld or someother Linux-oriented webzine. They seem to revel in bashing MS more than anyone else.
Slashdot is my homepage, and for good reason. It has all the news that's fit to print and then some. It has a nice mix of linux, hardware, software, open source, and everything else. Sometimes MS-rants are more obvious, at other times its the Star Wars info. Live and learn, use the spanking-new customizable Slashdot feature.. (should we call it CustomDot?)
can't we all just get along?
come on, people (Score:1)
Anyway Katz did a good job writing a hint sheet of what to say about Mr. Gates' new masterpiece.
I like having Microsoft around (Score:1)
Personally I find Microsoft a great challenge, and that motivates me and the people who work with and for me to be smarter and to work harder at finding a niche where we can beat them. Who knows? We may even win. We try not to waste any time on whining about Big Bad Bill. That energy is better employed on other things.
Finally, I have a problem with point 8 in the essay. Why is it that so many people feel so free to give other people's money or things away?
What Mr. Gates wants to do with his money is his business. Nobody has to right to tell him what to do with it.
Eugene
Wrong (Score:1)
Interesting, how anti-trust laws penalize those who are successful. Is success in the scale of Microsoft's a crime?
Gravity is my enemy and my friend. -- E. Sakumoto
Eugene
Jon Katz AND Microsoft bashing?!?!?!?! (Score:1)
Troll heaven on Slashdot!!!!!! ;)
===
Old Fart!!! Of tha SENIOR DADS!!!!!
Bad year (Score:1)
Even better... (Score:1)
-----
Who is Bob? (Score:1)
Imagine a children's game interface pitched to adults.
It was incredibly insulting and required more resources than most novice users had. (As well as hoping that their video card was set to something more than 16 colors.) If they needed it, they could not install it. If they could install it, they did not need it.
True Story about MS Bob:
There is a program locally called "Town Hall". They have an audience and guests and try to stir up what passes for controversy in this town.
They had a show on computers. One of the guests was a marketing flack from Microsoft promoting MS Bob.
At one point the MS flack said (and I am *not* making this up) "The reason the name 'Bob' was chosen was because it was a sexually ambivelent name". I immediatly asked in a very loud voice "How many drag queens do you know named Bob?". They whole audience broke up laughing. Not to anyone's surprise, they deleted my comment from the program.
To make it even more fun, the local station delayed airing the show for a couple of months due to a flood or storm or something of the sort. By that time, the local software stores were remaindering Bob at discount prices. (The local Egghead Software claimed that they only sold four.)
You would think that someone responsible for such a fiasco would be fired or worse? Nope.
The manager responsible for Microsoft Bob is now Mrs. Bill Gates.
Shows how much attention Bill pays to quality...
Re: heaven forbid... (Score:1)
Fortunately, I don't think that's a scenario we have to worry about :-)
stunning (Score:1)
IMHO it's only question of time for M$ to cease to exist. but mr. gates alredy have a lot of money so he can start another "successful business". god save us (or whoever :) or better: save ourselves from such "visionaries"!
killer bill strikes again (Score:1)
not a tree hugger...
pete
GODWIN'S LAW!! GODWIN'S LAW!!! (Score:1)
Repetition in America.
Wrong there, slick... (Score:1)
Bravo -- Vitriol is becoming more impt than truth (Score:1)
MS has gotten away with developing mediocre software for *years* and it's finally coming around to bite them.
Truthfully, it doesn't matter to me what happens to MS, I haven't used *any* of their products in well over 3 years and don't intend to go back *ever*. I know I'm a minority, but I stick with stuff that I like, stuff that works.
MS holds no place in my life and I try to convince others of the same thing.
Cheers,
Hawkeye...
Oh well. (Score:1)
Yes, but it is fun.
Business idea to annoy Microsoft (Score:1)
1) Setup and support servers for businesses that don't want to have there own IT department.
2) Develop and deploy custom *nix applications.
3) Replace crappy MS installations with *nix.
There are not enough bugs or problems with Unix to make money doing what the above poster describes.
Don
Sidewalk (Score:1)
Waldenbooks is going to love this one! (Score:1)
Not even Newt Gingrich's book went that cheap!
SHUT UP, JON KATZ HATERS! (Score:1)
I went down to the local eatery this afternoon for lunch, saw the top 2 inches of Time, pulled it out and staggering back in shock and disbelief. We NEED someone like Katz to answer back on behalf of all of us. No, I take that back - I can't speak for everyone. I need him to answer back on behalf of ME.
And guess who bit? (Score:1)
(Man I love writing this drivel!)
It's sometimes hard to classify the occasional pro-Microsoft comments that appear around here. I see four categories:
- Astro-turf (as in, fake "grass-roots" support, i.e., MS people trying to make it look like MS has more supporters than it does)
- Flame-bait (possibly some from MS, trying to provoke us so they can show how immature the responses are, but probably mostly just for fun)
- Honest Microsoft support (I guess it's conceivable that someone would actually believe this stuff. Takes all kinds.)
- Sarcasm (He doesn't mean it, and he doesn't expect anyone to be fooled -- he's making fun of anyone who would say these things seriously)
However, in this case, it's not too hard to guess which category we're in -- he acknowledged it right at the bottom as "drivel". He was being sarcastic. He wasn't even trawling. You just jumped into the boat and impaled yourself on a hook.David Gould
no! its AOLS! (Score:1)
Who is Bob? (Score:1)
MS Bob was a poor attempt at a bad idea. The idea was to have a cute little guy follow you around on your computer and provide help when you need it. Kinda like that jumping paper clip in Word. People heralded it as an (probably the only) example of Microsoft innovation. No one liked it or bought it and it's fallen into the annals of history next to the Edsel.
The Edsel was a car that didn't sell.
Name one thing (Score:1)
>than any other language (ref: DevX). It brought
>programming to the masses.
Eh?
You must surely mean HyperCard, right? Programming to the masses indeed.
- Darchmare
- Axis Mutatis, http://www.axismutatis.net
He is, I swear! (Score:1)
TrueType? Ever hear of Apple?
By the way, Office and Windows are hardly innovations. Innovating is doing something that has never been done before, or doing it in a way that has never been done before.
- Darchmare
- Axis Mutatis, http://www.axismutatis.net
Preaching to the choir, but good! (Score:1)
This is the first Jon Katz article I really liked and had no problems with.
He presents the media the way it is, and it shows how the entire power structure is so bent on money they will sacrifice every ideal to get there.
I'm glad Open Source is getting some recognition, because the ideals it is based on are intrinisically more sound than something based on the whims of a corporation that wants to own everything that is the computer industry.
Hitler...created volkwagon! (Score:1)
I think your comments say more about your own... (Score:1)
I guess the terms "earning money" and "making money" mean the same to you as "stealing from someone else" or "winning the lottery." Maybe if you understood the meaning money a little better (or had to _earn_ it yourself), you would have more respect for it.
Are you out of college yet? Do you live with your parents? Have you had to earn your own money to survive? Maybe money would be more "important" to you if you did.
shane
Cool! I started a flamewar! (Score:1)
I have read one of his biographies (_Gates_) and, yes, I am aware that:
1.) He was born into a wealthy and well-respected Seattle family.
2.) He went to an exclusive prep school (Lakeside), and later to an exclusive university (Harvard).
3.) He is fairly smart (800 on math SAT, upper 700's on verbal, 800 on three Achievement tests)
Which of these three does he truly "deserve"? If you agree with John Rawls, you would say none of them. If you agree with me, you will say he deserves all of them. His father (Bill Gates II) has the right to spend his money any way he wishes, including his son's education. And he is just as deserving of his IQ as you are of yours.
shane
Who shout's loudest is correct !!!!!!!! (Score:1)
Who else could have made such statements with this many bug's in their products. Definitely not the ones who deliver good products !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12 Steps... (Score:1)
12 Steps. Sounds like something to do with Alcoholics Anonymous. I know... Microsoftics Anonymous!
The first step: Admission.
"Hi, my name is John Doe, and I'm a Microsoft user."
"Hi John!"
--
Agreed (Katz flames Gates for being a poor writer) (Score:1)
I wonder if the same folks who have been defending Katz during the flame wars are going to stick up for Gates <smirk>
If you don't like Gates, don't read the book. That's the logic you folks use, right?
Katz's article was a flame. (Score:1)
Waaahhhh.
Microsoft's 12 Steps (Score:1)
2. Never waste money on research. You can save money by letting others innovate for you.
3. Never compete on the basis of quality. FUD and customer lock-in are cheaper and easier.
4. Never allow your products to become compatible. If others manage to adopt your standards, change them. This will ensure customer lock-in.
5. Never wait until your product is stable before releasing it. By releasing early, you save money on development, while ensuring extra cash for the "upgrade" (e.g. Windows 98).
6. Never provide full backward compatibilty with your own products. Provide just enough to claim compatibility, while ensuring that your customers will eventually be forced to pay you for the upgrade.
7. Ignore your competitor's protocols. If a competitor's protocol looks like it will succeed, embrace and extend that protocol until you destroy it or control it.
8. Never lie about your competitor's products--unless you can get away with it.
10. If a competitor's product runs on your platform, never use a false error message to discredit it. Use an incomprehensible message, and allow the user's doubts to do your work for you.
11. Never publish a complete spec for your platform. Always leave enough undocumented to ensure that your competitor's products can be made incompatible on the next release.
12. Never provide your customers with complete documentation for your products. Complete documentation leads to customers being in control of their systems, and the resulting confidence will interfere with your ability to control their decisions.
How Intellectual Revolutions are Lost (Score:1)
I think YOU double clicked on the submit button... (Score:1)
Nhaa!
Business@ the Speed of Drool- 3/15/99 (Score:1)
Bill's Luck - Wrong QDos (Score:1)
Bill's Luck - Wrong QDos (Score:1)
Anyways still two diferant QDOSs
Name one thing - the movie (Score:1)
Monty Python movie "Life of Brian" where the Israel zealots were having an underground meeting and John Cleese shouts, "Name one thing that the Romans have ever done for us!" and one by one people get up and say, Roads, the Aquaduct, currency, sanitation, military security, etc
The Holy Sandal! [virtualave.net]
flames galore.. why? Becayse... (Score:1)
I know.
Go figure.
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mphall@cstone.nospam.net
Sidewalk (Score:1)
Jon, good essay, enjoyed it (Score:1)
See above. Got tired of wading through the variations on the theme of all the possible things that can be wrong with an essay, a person, a philosophy, a life, and figured you might appreciate hearing from somebody who enjoys your work.
Rob
Vitriol? Hmmm. (Score:1)
stodge wrote: Um, use Linux if you find it useful. If you're hanging around vitriolic Linux users, find some less vitriolic Linux users.
Personally, I enjoyed the essay. I guess it's a bit irritating that having a few billion dollars means you can keep trying to reinvent yourself as a historic figure till you get it right.... Must be nice.
On the whole, I'm just glad I don't have to use the guy's products. They're okay, but they crash a lot. And he keeps trying to tie people into proprietary standards, a strategy that will make lots of money through other people's misfortune, so I guess that irritates me too.
I guess if you make a lot of money, you are likely to get a lot of people annoyed at you, particularly if you're not that picky in how you go about it. Such is life.
But the next article tears Gates to shreds :) (Score:1)
"Is There a Chapter Missing,Bill?" by Chris Taylor was a pretty good read. He brings up the point that no mention of any of the anti-trust trial are made. And the Gates reflected in the book and excerpt is very different from the Gates seen in the trial, and pretty much tears him and his book into little tiny pieces from there. Fun read, and I was very happy to see it accompany the main article.
My favorite quote from the excerpt:
"The old saying 'Knowledge is Power' sometimes makes people hoard knowledge. They believe that knowledge hoarding makes them indispensable. Power comes not from knowledge kept but from knowledge shared."
This looks like something to be thrown right back at him!
From the article:
"If there was ever was a time for Microsoft employees to slap their boss with a reality check, this is it."
Go get the magazine and give it a read. Lots of ammo, and a good article by Chris Taylor.
(And maybe that plug will keep me out of trouble for posting direct quotes.
Retraction... (Score:1)
Plugging your own company's book as news to generate publicity is a bit sick. Not the first time it's happened, but still.
Don't buy it. Even if the other article is good.
I'm allowed to change my mind, right?
I agree. (Score:1)
But as far as being a visionary, however, he is not.
Gates' shortcomings (Score:1)
IntelliActiveDirectBookX? (Score:1)
Hmmmm..."IntelliActiveDirectCrapX". Works for me.
(With Al Gore as co-author?)
Bill Gates - b*o*r*i*n*g (Score:1)
Hitler...created volkwagon! (Score:1)
I don't understand what this has to do with Microsoft, but...
Hitler has something to do with the _idea_ of the Volkswagon Beetle. He comissioned Porsche to dsesign a cheap "people's" car - which became available as the KdF Wagon (Strength through Joy Car). VW, despite a wartime history of using slave labor, came back as a postwar business with western blessings. The Beetle built until 1970 was essentially the 1930's car without fundamental changes.
Which proves:
*the Nazi regime temporarily benefited some Germans during the first years of their rule
*advertising can sell a terrible car
*nothing whatsoever related to the over-priced products of bland old Microsoft. MS has never sent thugs to kick in any Mac-users teeth (despite what Mac user web sites might claim!), taken over any goverments, attacked ethnic groups, etc.
What has BGates done (Software purchase history)? (Score:1)
http://www.vcnet.com/bms/departme nts/catalog.html [vcnet.com]
This doens't include the Windows-OS/2 forked/concurrent development IIRC.
Bill G's 12 Step Program (Score:1)
C'mon now... Every schoolkid knows that Al Gore invented the Internet!
Drudge Report talks about this (Score:1)
He is, I swear! (Score:1)
DOS, Windows, Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Office, TrueType, the Internet, the Sidewalk, SoftImage, AVI,
Name one thing (Score:1)
How BG made his billions (Score:1)
Here's a link [photo.net] to an amusing little site (albeit biased) about how Bill made his fortune. Enjoy!
Chris