digg

Join DiggAbout

Bill Gates Explains Difference Between Microsoft and Apple watch!

gizmodo.com — In the first segment of our Bill Gates CES 2008 interview, we asked the difference between Apple's approach and Microsoft's approach when it comes to product releases. Apple steers clear of products that might be iffy in their first iteration —portable music rentals; DVR—whereas Microsoft rolls out stuff that may not be quite ready. Bill's...

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • etruscan, on 01/07/2008, -24/+382It's refreshing to hear Bill talk frankly and humbly about the real differences between MS and Apple without resorting to bashing or marketing-speak.
    • TGMD, on 01/07/2008, -27/+480Bill Gates never really resorted to bashing, Steve jobs on the other hand ALWAYS resorts to bashing
      • crzdmn, on 01/07/2008, -82/+8I wouldn't call what Steve does "bashing" more like swatting with a feather duster.
      • snypa, on 01/07/2008, -38/+1Why I'm bashing right now so to speak!
      • robojerk, on 01/08/2008, -72/+10I think Steve Jobs is allowed to bash to Microsoft a little. Watch "Pirates of Silicon Valley" and see why.
        • Butros, on 01/08/2008, -14/+69You mean the part where he stole the UI from Xerox? Or the part where his ego got so big it eclipsed the sun? No saints in silicon valley my friend...
          • mikesum32, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2from the WOZ

            "Steve Jobs made the case to Xerox PARC execs directly that they had great technology but that Apple knew how to make it affordable enough to change the world. This was very open. In the end, Xerox got a large block of Apple stock for sharing the technology. That's not stealing outright."
        • JorgeGT, on 01/08/2008, -7/+22The part when he has a funny trip? Orthe part when rejects his girl and children?
          • mrsteveman1, on 01/08/2008, -13/+10No, the part where Microsoft swoops in with crap products and locks the market illegally while Apple ***** itself into a backflip.
          • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -5/+15The child part holds an extra special place in my heart. What a scumbag.
        • Jeffler, on 01/08/2008, -5/+19Robojerk, believe it or not, watching that movie is what made me dislike Apple.
          • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -12/+1So many reasons to dislike Apple, and I certainly do. I just wish the bastards would stop being so successful.
        • keyboardduder, on 01/08/2008, -5/+7It's called pirates of silicon valley cause they were all pirates. Jobs stole from xerox, Bill stole from jobs.



          Apple sucks. (now digg me down)
        • widgetmaker, on 01/08/2008, -3/+1Is this another ***** internet film going OMG business evil etc etc? (not seen it)
      • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -50/+7Jobs rarely bashes Microsoft. Apple ads poke fun at Vista, sure, but when Jobs speaks about Microsoft's role in the market, he recognises the instances in which Microsoft has been very productive and a great asset to the community and rarely dwells upon the cases in which they haven't. The Apple-Microsoft relationship is far more cordial than the Apple fanboy-Microsoft fanboy relationship would have you believe.
        • ricodued, on 01/08/2008, -3/+58Have you SEEN a Steve Jobs keynote?
        • truspect0r, on 01/08/2008, -16/+8Steve: Introducing Leopard! (Vista looking)
          Audience: HAHAHAHAHA
          Steve: ???
        • thedragon4453, on 01/08/2008, -3/+31Its not necessarily the "hit you in the face with it" bashing. But seriously, watch a keynote or two. When introducing Leopard, Jobs took several potshots at Vista, its delays, etc. Or the smug little way that the PC icon is a BSOD. I've seen Jobs acknowledge MS as the leader it is, but for every time he does that, there are 10 more shots at MS.
          • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -10/+11Yeah nice way to speak about a man/company who pretty much pulled their fat out of the fire. Apple would have gone belly up had Bill Gates not stepped in. The Apple fanatics like to ignore this fact.
          • LeeSoong, on 01/08/2008, -6/+7Apple wouldn't have driven itself into the ground if they opened up the platform for other people.

            Two things Apple needs to do:

            OS X 10.5 for PCs - sell it for install on any PC hardware.

            OpenSource Darwin continual development - basically offer a free, slightly less eye-candy version of OS X, without the iLife stuff...

            Any type of program you find for Apple OS, you can find two dozen variations for windows - Microsoft owns the software market space...
          • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -5/+4@Lee:

            This is a case of too little too late. Linux is already a nice OS which installs on pretty much any PC. Thing is it suffers from the same major setback that OSX does. The lack of major software vendor support. It will take Apple MANY years, if not decades, for apple to gain enough market share to make developing for their platform worth while to the majority of software vendors.
          • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -7/+1PC people don't want OS-X. It won't run their software!
            So why should Apple let Apple fanboys buy the software separately? It doesn't make sense from any angle.
          • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1As I said, Jobs pokes fun at Vista quite a bit. Everyone in the industry does. However, I challenge you to find one single keynote in which he implied that Microsoft is a negative force in the industry overall. He COMPETES WITH THEIR PRODUCTS in the same way Microsoft attempts to take pot shots at the iPod, but he does not bash them in the way that fanboys bash each other. I guess this distinction is too nuanced for Digg.
      • schneidafunk, on 01/08/2008, -41/+14"bill gates doesn't resort to bashing" no he just steals other people's ideas or bullies people out of business. Honestly, name 1 thing microsoft has done that is truly innovative. It's great he's a philanthropist (following the footsteps of carnegie) but you also have to keep in mind he's destroyed many people's lives through his aggressive and (in my opinion) unethical business strategies, just as carnegie did.
        • bencefeher, on 01/08/2008, -10/+14Not sure if this endorsed by Apple, but commercials like this are still really, really immature. Apple is the one resorting to poor business strategies:

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LuzAGwlbVk&feature ...
          • ShrimpCrackers, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1I have to agree, although I use some Apple computers (typing this from a MacBook in fact) I don't understand why Apple fails to make the same business relationships that Microsoft does to ensure that your product works. Microsoft does tons of programs, freebies, and other stuff with programmers, IT people, small PC builders, while Apple just shuns them. Microsoft will come within 30 miles of your area and hold free programs for you to tell you how to tell, how they can benefit your business, everything. Apple doesn't care, they want to be a end-market retailer and they don't want any real retail competitors. That's why Apple has low market share.

            Even last year, HP outsold Apple units over 20 times! Dell did so to a similar degree. Acer managed to sell more computers than Apple did in the same period.
        • ZPWeeks, on 01/08/2008, -9/+4Dugg up, I totally agree with you. Apple, too, does this- their most breakthrough products have been done before- MP3 players, smartphones, their GUI.... The most original success they've had is with "all-in-one" PCs, both the Macintosh in 1984 and the iMac in 1998. Everything else has been maybe an improvement of competing products, or a change in marketing.
          I don't think this says anything *bad* about MS or Apple.... We're in a capitalist economy where competition is key. If either company were violating patents and "stealing" ideas involving protected Intellectual Property, that would be bad. Improving upon products is totally fair game because other companies can and have become successful in this environment (Google, anyone?)
          • RogerStrong, on 01/08/2008, -0/+7And there were many "all-in-one" PCs long before the Mac too - even *popular* ones like the Kaypro and Osborne. My favorite was the Hyperion.

            Really, by any standard that Microsoft "isn't innovative", neither is Apple.
          • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -1/+7I think it's cute that many people actually think the iPod is innovative.
        • schneidafunk, on 01/08/2008, -8/+7I don't really care you guys are digging me down, but to better support my position, I'll provide a few examples for all you fans of Gates:

          http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0 ...
          "documents introduced in court this week was a letter from June 1990 in which Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman, told Andrew S. Grove, the chief executive of Intel at the time, that any support given to the Go Corporation, a Silicon Valley software company, would be considered an aggressive move against Microsoft."

          "Microsoft overcharged Minnesota customers from 1994 to 2001, seeks almost $500 million from the company"

          "new documents show that Microsoft violated nondisclosure agreements with Go, and then used that information to build PenWindows, a competitor to Go's PenPoint operating system... documents also suggest that Microsoft sought to pressure Intel to cancel its plans to invest in Go. On June 28, 1990, Mr. Gates wrote a letter to Mr. Grove trying to convince the Intel executive that he should back a version of Windows for portable computers, then code-named Windows-H, rather than Go's PenPoint software"

          Obviously this is just a short list, recently microsoft has been "bashing" the open source community spreading filthy filthy lies in the name of business.

          Carnegie destroyed his competition in similar manner, not publicly but behind the scenes and then would buy them up as they went out of business. He also had the equivalent of slave labor to build his fortune, look up the homestead strike.
          • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -3/+2Anybody else you'd like to defame? Only 2?
          • HonoredMule, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Defamation of character implies intentional lies. Relaying documented information to back up an opinion doesn't quite qualify.
          • tdous, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Haha, "filthy filthy lies"? Does this stuff keep you awake?
        • boflaade, on 01/08/2008, -2/+3Writing a letter asking someone to go with your product rather then the competition, is bad? Selling a product for more then you charge another, is bad? Filthy lies about open source but open source isn't striking out at Microsoft? You aren't by any chance bias, are you?
      • actorboy, on 01/08/2008, -2/+16Marketing 101. The leader advertises its product while the underdog advertises why its product is the better then the leader's. If the market shares were reversed, MS would probably be bashing Apple.
        • corkster, on 01/08/2008, -5/+1Yeah, I don't think you quite understand marketing....
          • actorboy, on 01/08/2008, -0/+6Yeah, I only worked in advertising as a writer for 6 years.
          • krahzee, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3He's absolutely right. Look at any major product out there, and #1 never bashes #2 it's always the other way around. Why? because if you are on the top of the heap, giving the other guy free press and making yourself look bad at the same time is the worst thing you can do. For every customer that finds your ad bashing the competition as a motive to try or stay with your product, there are others, on a subconcious level turned off by it.
        • jakem1, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3The only problem is that Apple ads don't bother to point out how they are better than Microsoft. All their ads do is criticise - I've never seen one that says, "buy a Mac because we do x, y & z better than Microsoft do."
        • SpectralSounds, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Yeah, the problem with that is..... If I have to hear in commercials how product B is better than product A, then I become that much more aware of the fact that product A is probably a much better product than B.

    • supermanred, on 01/08/2008, -55/+11iPod - Zune
      iPod Multi-Touch and iPhone Multi-Touch - Microsoft Multi-touch coffee table

      They always copy wrong... whats not to bash?
      • wontstoptalking, on 01/08/2008, -23/+9I disagree with you there, but I do remember that the first thing that I thought when I saw the Microsoft surface was "It's just a big iPhone!"
        • timjim31, on 01/08/2008, -7/+33Then you are an idiot.
          • creoderiot, on 01/08/2008, -1/+11dugg up - not because i agree with you or not, but because milk shot out of my nose.
        • solidsnake1298, on 01/08/2008, -1/+7A computer on a big-ass coffee table != iPhone in anyway shape or form.
      • saleem, on 01/08/2008, -2/+55no, clearly you're right. MS put together the Surface in the month span after Apple's announcement.

        please. Apple has innovated a lot in their focused domains, Microsoft has also innovated and tried to widen their target to a LOT of different realms. They haven't always been successful, and they haven't always polished/perfected ideas as well as Apple, and Bill admits that. Grow up fanboy.
        • wphj, on 01/08/2008, -17/+4Why ruin your own intelligent comment with something childish like "grow up fanboy."?
      • davidrools, on 01/08/2008, -2/+43the ipod was NOT the first mp3 player
        • naonao, on 01/08/2008, -17/+7First well implemented one though.
          • strangewill, on 01/08/2008, -5/+13Thats debatable, it's the most popular one.
          • GliTCH82, on 01/08/2008, -4/+2There were other MP3 player successes before the iPod, such as the Rio and others, but it took a combination of a music store and awesome marketing campaign to really push the mp3 player forward as a legitimate contender to portable CD players.
          • alecks, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Ugh.. The inovation about the iPod when it first came out was this:

            The only other MP3 players with HDs out there on the market were extremely bulky and had HORRIBLE battery life. Apple was the first to cache an mp3 file to flash ram and keep the disk from spinning the entire time. That's how they were able to gtive you 5 or 10 hrs battery (whatever it was back then) when the RIO or whatever other HD based player could only do 2 or so hrs
    • SuperMoses, on 01/08/2008, -14/+161Steve Jobs responds with a new commercial making fun of Vista. How mature
      • doshindude, on 01/08/2008, -23/+4Steve Jobs=t3h gh3y.
        He reminds me of a 10 year old.
        • Jeffler, on 01/08/2008, -1/+23You remind me of a 10 year old with your "t3h gh3y"
      • konspence, on 01/08/2008, -2/+13This will probably be the only anti-Steve Jobs/Apple comment to be dugg up, ever.
        • konspence, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Another "bury me" comment. I thought I had submitted it, edited and it said "Your comment does not exist", and refreshed twice and it didn't appear. Digg is odd, I guess.
        • widgetmaker, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1dunno lately alot of apple fanboy stuff gets dugg down very very fast it seems like digg is almost turning against Apple.
      • konspence, on 01/08/2008, -5/+4This is probably the first and only anti-Steve Jobs/Apple comment to be dugg up, ever. Talk about right place at the right time.
      • outsid3rNo17, on 01/08/2008, -3/+2PC: Hi, I'm a PC.
        Mac: ***** You!
    • i208khonsu, on 01/08/2008, -33/+45You see Apple goes like: ding ding ding din-din-ding ding;;;;ding ding ding din-din-ding ding;;;;ding ding ding din-din-ding ding
      Where as Microsoft goes like: ding ding ding din-din-ding ding;;ding ding ding ding din-din-ding ding;;ding ding ding ding din-din-ding ding. It's not the same
      • cloak419, on 01/08/2008, -0/+29...What?..
        • Archeologist, on 01/08/2008, -0/+15Just smile and nod.... smile and nod....
        • kretik, on 01/08/2008, -1/+23Vanilla Ice.
          Oh god I feel old now.
      • zizzo, on 01/08/2008, -0/+60It was an attempt to recreate the Vanilla Ice argument that "Ice, Ice Baby" didn't rip off the music from Queen's "Under Pressure". Maybe it's sad that I understood this.
        • kcdstudios, on 01/08/2008, -3/+5it's sad that most diggers don't. come on guys, before the internet didn't anyone else watch VH1?
          • offwithyourtv, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5It's sad that as digg has grown, it has caught on with a much younger demographic than it was in the early days. Today's college freshmen were infants when Vanilla Ice was big.
          • keviniskool, on 01/08/2008, -0/+6Yeah, but translating text to sound without proper notation isn't the easiest thing in the world.
          • GliTCH82, on 01/08/2008, -1/+7@offwithyourtv
            Dude, quit talking like you're 60 when you're probably only 25.

            Edit: Okay, checked your profile, you're 24. So I'm older than you with a year. Come on!
          • revenge7, on 01/08/2008, -0/+7I'm still in high school and I got it.
          • tomwhughes, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1same here I got it and i'm officially 18 - thats right, officially.
      • johnnycheeks, on 01/08/2008, -3/+10I see what you did there. Referring to Vanilla Ice defending his classic hit 'Ice Ice Baby' on how it was different from it's sampled counterpart of 'Under Pressure' by Queen. But I cannot see the humor or relevance in this. But I do see the absurdity so....do I digg?
      • Laxaloot, on 01/08/2008, -1/+4i dugg you up in order to get it to confuse others
      • Papajohn56, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2that made perfect sense holy *****
    • davidrools, on 01/08/2008, -6/+7It would be quite a discussion to see bill and steve talk face to face, actually being able to defend/counter each others' arguments, rather than egregiously the one-sided apple ads.
      • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -5/+7Well the reason for the ads is the Apple actually needs them. How many Windows ads do you see? Besides the few Vista ads that were out during Vista's launch. How many "buy a Windows PC" ads do you see? It's a nice game Apple is playing. Pretend to be something they are not which is dominant in the computer market.
        • WiseWeasel, on 01/08/2008, -1/+5I see ads for PC vendors daily, and they all tout Vista...
          • WhipTail, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2The difference is its other companies. Dell, Compaq all that stuff. there are remarkably few if any adverts directly linked to microsoft besides the xbox that i've seen. Atleast in the UK. Compared to apple which advertise in every ad break with the ipod/phone/touch or some mac book. Its fair enough to market a product but as a comparison microsoft is virtually silent.
        • Laxaloot, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1I'm sorry, I can't help but ask, are you sure you watch tv?
    • AZooYorkMystery, on 01/08/2008, -2/+8See, I can almost see where it comes from while simultaneously recognizing that jobs is childish at times. Back in the days of pre OSX, when it looked like Apple didn't have a chance in the world to get on top, the file formats forced Apple computers to be able to read Microsoft files/documents, so exchange of files between mac/pc users involved lots of hassle for the PC users to read whatever file it was, and constantly stood back on, "Silly apple users, if you just used a PC, we wouldn't have this issue."

      It maybe the longest whiny comeback ever, but don't says it's unwarranted.
    • JettaMan, on 01/08/2008, -9/+9Bill Gates is a major investor in Apple. He bailed them out in 1996 when they were going down the drain. Why would he bash them?
      • ronfez, on 01/08/2008, -1/+8He bailed them out so MS would have competition.
      • CraigJ, on 01/08/2008, -0/+9was. Microsoft hasn't owned Apple stock in a long time...
      • RetroEvolute, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2And actually it was in 1997... So... Good Game.
    • laelfrog, on 01/08/2008, -6/+3What do you mean no "marketing-speak"? Every time he talks about Microsoft its marketing. He clearly painted a picture of the future making Microsoft a large player. Just because he is level-headed about it doesn't mean he wasn't marketing. There were many things that were said that were shape the way we view Microsoft. This ultimately ends up translating into how and how much we use their products.

      I'm not a Microsoft Basher, I'm actually a .NET developer. This stuff is pretty standard in the way of marketing. I just don't buy that this video isn't about marketing. Did you hear the CES opener? It is full of subtle and not so subtle marketing -> http://microsoft.com/ces
      • Menoats, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Are you kidding me? He mentioned the iPhone, as well. Which is more than Apple has done in one of their openings.
    • rpgmaker, on 01/08/2008, -10/+1*****, I hate how Bill Gates looks like a 'nice guy'...
      • max420, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3I bet he looks like a nice guy because he IS a nice guy...
    • stackered, on 01/08/2008, -6/+7Bill Gates: Yeah, Microsoft has some problems... blah... humble stuff... blah

      Steve Jobs: Microsoft poops... in school.
    • sauron256, on 01/08/2008, -2/+34Amazing to see the difference between the two. In 1997 Steve Jobs said:

      "So, the era of setting this up as a competition between Apple and Microsoft is over as far as I'm concerned. This is about getting Apple healthy, this is about Apple being able to make incredibly great contributions to the industry and to get healthy and prosper again."

      Now look at Apple's marketing strategy. My friends, Bill Gates is not the evil one.
      • kjm16, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Well, Apple did get healthy... so, I guess the competition's back on.
        • JeffD, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Not really, until apple allows OSX to work on not apple hardware there is no competition. Unless your talking about MP3 players and not operating systems, in which case Apple has clearly won..
    • smek2, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1You mean that without irony? Do you even know that most of it were scripted propaganda like rhetoric?
  • CraigJ, on 01/07/2008, -19/+125"Microsoft rolls out stuff that may not be quite ready." This is why I always wait for SP1... (at least)
    • supermanred, on 01/07/2008, -54/+10I was surprised to see him admit it they put out crap with promises to fix it later.

      WIndows has never worked. I used it for 20 plus years and it never worked right.
      • Derelict267, on 01/08/2008, -8/+48I don't think you ever learned how to use it then...
      • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -3/+23Sounds like you're getting those PIBKAC errors...
      • Nidy1, on 01/08/2008, -4/+26Ever think it may have been the monkey behind the wheel?
      • tnoy, on 01/08/2008, -4/+35Weird. I've used windows for 20 plus years and its always worked great.
      • Rodalli, on 01/08/2008, -3/+8It's simply business strategy. Be the first to market and you've got the best chance of establishing a user base and brand recognition. Good business is why Windows originally became the powerhouse it is today.

        Apple on the other hand has a different approach. Let someone else get to market first, tough it out and work out the big kinks. Then when a market for the product is established, deliver your own device/solution/etc., but do it better and with more polish, as Bill said.

        MP3 players had been around for years before anyone at Apple had even thought of an iPod. I remember I owned one back around 96 or so. It was crap...it could store like 20 songs and after a few months of use it just ceased to function at all.

        Anyway, neither approach is wrong, they're just different. Both are sound business strategies, obviously.
        • ShrimpCrackers, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2You remember wrong. In 1996 most computers didn't even have the power to play back MP3s. The first device was from Saehan, they were a limited liability subsidiary of Samsung for legal purposes. It was in 1997 with the 8MB MPMan. By 1998 a 16 MB version was out and by 1999 they had a 32 and 64 mb version. By 1999 they marketed their "third MPMan MP-300" to Rio, of which it was licensed and produced as the Rio PMP 300.
          Even the early Creative models were all licensed from Saehan. Soon of course Samsung closed down Saehan as soon as it became clear that MP3's weren't illegal and rebranded everything into the YEPP line. To this day Samsung or its partners create the majority of flash memory in MP3 players, including iPods like the Nano.
      • Y0tsuya, on 01/08/2008, -2/+8@supermanred

        There's a product out there just for you. It's called the "Video Professor" or something like that. Sorry I don't know more about it because nobody I know needs it to get their PC's running well.
      • kretik, on 01/08/2008, -2/+9Well then, it's true that time does not cure stupidity.
    • damnyooneek, on 01/08/2008, -9/+16Microsoft products never seem polished. You always have to wait for an update or hack it to get it working right to the way you like. this is my experience with windows mobile.
      • jerrylin, on 01/08/2008, -5/+21Have you bought the iPhone? Do you know how much of a community there is revolving around just hacking it? Open source software is no different, if not worse.

        I'm no MS fanboy, so don't go yelling about that. I'm a linux user (and own the iPhone)
        • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1Linux is a trip. But at least you don't have to steal software for it, just so you won't feel like a fool. I mean who could feel good about buying commercial software when other people download it for free?
      • posure, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Leopard's initial production copy is pretty piss-poor as well. Large scope products are never going to be 100% when they come out the dates.
    • jerrylin, on 01/08/2008, -1/+10All companies do this. The thing is Microsoft has so many projects, many of the very complex, and thier customers have a lower tolerence for error. From software engineering: reliablility is a user preception/expectation. I really don't think a company like Microsoft, even if it restructured its business or had different leaders could always release software that is "ready".
    • antdude, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1Even on his own company's products?
    • johnbellone, on 01/08/2008, -9/+25Obviously you aren't a Leopard user like I. This damn operating system has crashed more than the whole five years I used Windows XP.
      • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -5/+3Wow! Did you really say that? Congratulations.
        The main problem with XP (and Vista) is Windows Genuine Advantage. Hell, I was happy to pay for XP until I found out that after a certain undisclosed number of hardware changes I would have to get permission from someone in India if I wanted my system to work again - every time I switch hard drives or re-install or make any other significant change to my PC.
        So long Windows. Hello Linux. Apple's not even on the radar.
      • tzon, on 01/08/2008, -3/+10Leopard user here. No system crashes ever. Previously a Tiger user. Again, no system crashes.
      • CraigJ, on 01/08/2008, -4/+1my iPhone has never crashed... Does that count? I don't currently own a Mac, but it's on the list to accompany my various Windows and Linux boxes...
    • battletrax, on 01/08/2008, -3/+2Xbox 360 anyone? Don't get me wrong i love the console, but test it out for a year next time. Or put the best cooling you can find in there.
    • dn11, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Apple never rolls out software that isn't ready... would never happen....
  • zeptobyte, on 01/07/2008, -20/+246There's nothing at all wrong with what Bill says here, but I'm sure the blind anti-Microsoft trolls will complain about it anyway.
    • yoshifan, on 01/07/2008, -2/+68Yep, even if they don't watch it.
    • wigren, on 01/08/2008, -33/+4***** MICROSOFT!!!

      I'm sorry, I had to.
      • romistrub, on 01/08/2008, -4/+8lame
      • solidsnake1298, on 01/08/2008, -2/+5No.....you really didn't.
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Please refrain from bad language. No one wants to see a troll eat you alive and poop you into large lumps of doo doo...

        Sorry, I really had to....?

        whatever.
        • wigren, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1Well, it was a joke. Maybe you just weren't supposed to get it. The intelligence on Digg is suffering.
    • mywhitenoise, on 01/08/2008, -4/+66I'm an Apple fanboy, but even I can admit that Gates is pretty cool. I always get pissed off when Jobs bashes Microsoft (even though I agree with his points), it's just immature and doesn't get your point across. Hate those Apple ads.
      • zmjone2992, on 01/08/2008, -1/+21the latest one (referee) is especially horrible
        • Gregus1032, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5yea, i was really surprised they sunk that low. they usually use PC, but to actually say vista in it...
      • spudnic, on 01/08/2008, -1/+9They tried them over here in the UK, but they used characters from the programme Peep Show.
        Kinda backfired though, because the uptight nervous guy in the sweater they used for the 'PC' is actually the character more people relate to and like, the 'Mac' guy's character in the show is a trendy moron (for the most part).

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXLlhNsbncI - clip for those interested, guy in the yellow t-shirt was the Mac, guy in the suit was the PC
    • iiBeLiEvE, on 01/08/2008, -4/+21He even gives his biggest rival props, something Jobs would likely never do.
      • EarendilStar, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Of course, uneducated ignorant and inflammatory comments like that are soooo awesome.

        Obviously you missed the interview done last year around NES and MWSF between Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
        The two strike me as opposing coaches that, at the end of the day, can go home and not be enemies.
        http://youtube.com/watch?v=6G3Vcy7u8Gs

        And FYI, since Microsoft got their start and fame building GUI applications for Apple computer, of course Bill has to give Steve some props.
    • chrisxkelley, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2***** THE RIAA!!!111!!one
  • TopDerek, on 01/07/2008, -15/+293Why did this guy have to retire for me to start liking him?
    • boozedrinker, on 01/08/2008, -1/+38I couldn't agree more.
    • nowherekido3, on 01/08/2008, -11/+38its just been cool to bash him even though he donates a lot more money than steve jobs ever will.
      • romistrub, on 01/08/2008, -1/+15In hindsight, I have no idea what started the bashing. I used to do it, too.
        • mumblyjoe, on 01/08/2008, -9/+8Could it have been the crappy OSes and the scummy business practices?

          In any case Melinda seems to have been a good influence on him!
          • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -4/+5Please. Before OS-X, Apple was a total loser in the computer business.
            Win XP is a superb OS.
          • dementedd, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1@CoolWind
            Come on, really? Apple II?
      • Chirp08, on 01/08/2008, -18/+4WTF donating money doesn't make one guy better then another, nor is it a reflection of character. I bet Bush donates money too, guess that makes him "cool" too?
        • Frogee, on 01/08/2008, -0/+8are you srsly comparing Bush to Gates?
        • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -0/+10"donating money doesn't make one guy better then another"
          in my eyes it does.
      • SPARTACVS, on 01/08/2008, -0/+8He probably donates more money than Steve Jobs even HAS, let alone will donate himself.
    • darklights, on 01/08/2008, -8/+20Why do you like him only once he retired? Because its too easy and fun to bash Microsoft. This guy isnt so bad, and neither is the big M$ really.
      • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -6/+6Wrong. MS is bad for a lot of reasons, and getting worse with the departure of Gates.
    • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -4/+6Because before he retired, he had to resort to marketing speak and couldn't, say, admit honestly that a major competitor has been cleaning MS' clocks in the area of user experience polish. Rather than "we recognise that we need to work on this area but we do all this other cool stuff and have a unique role in the IT community," he had to say things like "Vista is the pinnacle of user experience polish."
      • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -2/+3Not really. I remember something he was while addressing a crowd which sent the PR folks tripping over themselves. He actually said he didn't like Windows all that much and actually prefered and used Linux. That was priceless.
        • krd1979, on 01/08/2008, -0/+8Source? I would really like to see that quote or preferably video...
    • asurroca, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1...because you weren't paying attention
    • tian2992, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2I have always liked him, it's Microsoft the one I dislike...
  • Dylson, on 01/08/2008, -66/+662Bill Gates is a very humble person who does good for the world. That has always been Bill Gates' goal, is to do good for the world. Steve Jobs is a arrogant prick who is selfish and runs a company that basically says "ITS OUR SOFTWARE, NOT YOURS!" He hasn't contributed anything that even comes close to the scale of what Bill Gates has. Digg me down but its true.
    • wontstoptalking, on 01/08/2008, -12/+121A truer comment I cannot find.
      • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -4/+552+2=4
        • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -1/+33That's truth under given assumptions.
          • strictnein, on 01/08/2008, -4/+1That's we're not using a ternary system, for one thing.
        • bencefeher, on 01/08/2008, -2/+18What base are performing that calculation in?
        • Sigma0, on 01/08/2008, -1/+3If 4 is in use then the base must be greater than 4 in which case it doesn't matter. Seriously though, who really cares.
        • manitoba98xp, on 01/08/2008, -2/+212+2 is 10......IN BASE FOUR! I'M FINE!

          (a more obscure quote for those who actually played a certain game...)
        • LiquidFusion, on 01/08/2008, -1/+5THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!!!
        • tian2992, on 01/08/2008, -1/+3If the party says 2+2=5 then 2+2=5
        • cyberoidx, on 01/08/2008, -1/+4actualy 2+2 = 42.

          42 is THE answer, to everything.
        • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4I'm so proud to be a geek.
        • grumpyrain, on 01/08/2008, -0/+12 + 2 = 5, for sufficiently large values of 2.
    • Katarn, on 01/08/2008, -49/+4Are highly popular computer devices not considered big contributions?
      • sgtpppr, on 01/08/2008, -1/+29Rehashing existing mp3 players? Using those mp3 players to push one online music store out of many? Making blind consumerist marketing look like a lifestyle and give it acceptance among the masses? Being the unchallenged king of proprietary hardware and software?
        • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4I keep waiting for an anti-trust case against Apple, like what the feds did to IBM, and MS.
      • Dotmeister, on 01/08/2008, -1/+17No, if you have to pay for them. I think Dylson was talking about all the money Bill Gates has donated to various institutions around the world, to help fight malaria and aids and his own Foundation.
    • soopafly, on 01/08/2008, -35/+8Oh please... Apple's software is closed, just like Microsoft's software.
      • WiZZLa, on 01/08/2008, -4/+18This went way over your head soopafly (it normally does for a fanboy); it's bigger than just software. Here's a hint, a philanthropic foundation that has a $38 BILLION endowment.
        • eerbin13, on 01/08/2008, -15/+4Dude, he's making a comparison that MS and Apple are both closed source. Open source is much more kickass. Ubuntu blows Vista out of the water in everything except for games.
          • norman619, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6Kick ass? you sure? Most open source apps I have tried have been pretty much substandard.
          • effedup, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2I agree. There's thousands of programs that all do one simple thing poorly. Christ, I have to re-enter my wireless password everytime I turn on my laptop in Ubuntu. For this simple fact, Ubuntu is gone. Pain in the ass to have to reconfigure it everytime. Yes it remembers it, but.. doesn't reconnect. I shouldn't have to screw around with it for 15 minutes.
          • eerbin13, on 03/14/2008, -0/+1And there are tons of closed source programs that are utter crap too. So don't generalize... I mean have you ever used Norton GoBack?

            AND PEOPLE PAY FOR THAT PROGRAM!!!!
        • darklights, on 01/08/2008, -1/+7Or install base or support base. Just sayin.
        • gn0stik, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6eerbin13: Or hardware support, or industry specific software support, or. . . Don't get me wrong, I like ubuntu, but that was an ignorant statement. I can match vista, at many things, but it doesn't really beat it at much, except for the fact that it's free.
      • novask, on 01/08/2008, -2/+7But Microsoft lets me (a Computer Science major) download their software for free. I have yet to see anything from Apple.
    • sirflibble, on 01/08/2008, -34/+5I'm more an Apple fanboy than a MS one (owning 2 Macs and all) but I have to disagree here. IMO Apple's approach is more about the total solution, that is they offer the computer and software, where as MS just do the hardware side. Hence why Apple's approach is like what you describe. That being said Windows is more a proprietary system then Apples. Mind you this is partially to do with market share. To survive Apple have to be able to run all formats where as MS doesn't need to as their formats tend to become standard by sheer force of users.
      • Pelapp, on 01/08/2008, -1/+17WTF ?
        "MS just do the hardware side" ??
        "Apple have to be able to run all formats where as MS doesn't need to as their formats tend to become standard by sheer force of users." ???
        • thesonofdarwin, on 01/08/2008, -1/+11WTF indeed. He could have infallible proof of the creation of the universe, but I stopped reading after the MS just do the hardware comment.
          • CoolWind, on 01/08/2008, -1/+3What do you expect from an Apple fanboy?
        • sirflibble, on 01/09/2008, -1/+0apologies for being a fallible human and typing "hardware" instead of "software" I hope that the gods of Digg will forgive such a ignorant mistake on my part.

          and yes when referring to file formats Macs will ready pretty much every type of file around (with the exception of executables obviously without the help of bootcamp). Windows tends to accept a lot, but not as many formats. As I said this has to do with when being a smaller market share you have to make sure that your customers can communicate with the larger segment of the market.
      • airmann90, on 01/08/2008, -0/+7You know, admitting being a fanboy (of any kind) on digg isn't the best thing you can do if you want people to even finish reading your paragraph.
    • GAMEFURY, on 01/08/2008, -29/+1You completely repeated your first sentence twice. Was this due to another glitch in the Vista software?
    • TheWorm, on 01/08/2008, -0/+33It would seem as though it should be the other way around, with Jobs' fascination with zen and his hippy roots you would think he would be the humble philanthropist while Bill Gates, being the richest businessman in the world, would be the self absorbed *****.
      • ubrikkean, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2I agree, but I'm pretty impressed by Gates's recent activity, I have a generally favorable opinion of him now. I don't know very much about Jobs, so correct me if I'm wrong (or just digg me down), but I feel like the "hippy roots" might be more for the sake of marketing, even if there is some truth. In any case, he does come off as a jerk in comparison.
      • NSResponder, on 01/08/2008, -4/+1If Steve Jobs called his publicist every time he gave some money to a charity, he'd be far from humble.

        -jcr

    • nmeadata, on 01/08/2008, -9/+4How can you be one of the richest people in the world and be humble. Altruism is not what drives bill due to the monopolistic buy or destroy competition exhibited by MS, The forging of this monopoly was not built on anything but profit.
    • lul101, on 01/08/2008, -3/+24when I look at Bill Gates I see is a true nerd/geek. When I look at Steve Jobs all I see is a business man.
      • ligyron, on 01/08/2008, -3/+2I see the exact opposite. After all, Bill Gates is richest man in the world
        • lul101, on 01/09/2008, -0/+2Of course Bill Gates is a business man, no arguments there, but what i meant was that he also has this awesome geeky nerdy side, which i totally dig :D
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2I see a corrupt business man. Someone who thinks only about profit and gain and nothing about the commonwealth of mankind.

        Bill Gates is a great person. Sometimes I don't think he wants the recognition, but he certainly will always deserve it.
    • djreed, on 01/08/2008, -4/+3Business relies on ownership of the software. If anything, both Gates and Jobs are guilty of profiting from their products. But is that a bad thing?
    • Yeknom, on 01/08/2008, -0/+16Yeah after seeing this vid of bill and some other vids of Steve, I just realized how much of a dick Steve Jobs really is .
    • NSResponder, on 01/08/2008, -12/+5" That has always been Bill Gates' goal, is to do good for the world."

      *****. He only started this charity activity because his wife wanted to buy some respectability.

      -jcr
      • Defuser, on 01/08/2008, -1/+5Dear dumbass: what sort of "respectability" do you think Bill Gates needed to "buy"? He was already the most respected businessman in the world. And clearly, he wasn't trying to impress douchebags like YOU with his philanthropy, since guys like you would bitch about him no matter what he does.
        • NSResponder, on 01/09/2008, -1/+1"He was already the most respected businessman in the world. "

          Guess again He was known as the luckiest businessman in the world, after he caught IBM's fumble.

          -jcr
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5Something I've learned very well. You can buy many things. Respect is only earned.

        Another thing. If he was trying to buy it, he would give up a little money here and there etc. Where as he actually spends a LOT of time in his foundation and works constantly at improving ways he can contribute and find ways to contribute more often to things that will have long lasting effects......yeah, just for respect....

        I'd like to dedicate billions and billions and half of my time just to looking good.....

        Whatever... and besides... you haven't even met Bill Gates...Who are you to judge him.
        • CookieTrain, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1You Off course mean, You can buy many things, Respectability, is only earned.
    • battletrax, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/ ...
      Just read, it made me like the guy.
      Not that hes perfect.
    • vbullinger, on 01/08/2008, -7/+2He does good for the world? Where does he donate his money? To institutions that push some form of eugenics. That's all. Google that: http://www.google.com/search?q=Bill+Gates+eugenics ...

      Bill Gates = evil.
    • gradivus, on 01/08/2008, -2/+5Eugenics will save the world. Did you see idiocracy? We need more smart/strong people,not sickly tards.
      • vbullinger, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Sure did. It was very funny.

        But, uh, we're not talking smart versus dumb. We're talking race/religion. Like Hitler. He was a devout eugenicist.
    • renagadex2, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4Ha I love how when Apple has gained so much popularity, Bill Gates finds a new fanbase.
    • widgetmaker, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1I swear ptting digg me down on a comment means people digg you up. +524 for an anti Apple comment.
  • Skion06, on 01/07/2008, -33/+173Apple- Massive amount of people with massive amount of disposable income to pretend to be unique or different.
    Microsoft- Lots of expensive programs, that are really ***** for about a year or two. And you can actually play the vidya gaem.
    Linux- LOL WE ARE LEET HAXOR TAKING DOWN THE MAN.
    • Lukesed, on 01/08/2008, -5/+63You are right except for the "massive amount of people".
      • mywhitenoise, on 01/08/2008, -9/+4Since when are millions of people not 'massive'? Just because there are a far larger amount of people on Windows PCs, doesn't mean Apples numbers aren't impressive.
        • kretik, on 01/08/2008, -2/+10Impressive compared to what? Linux?
          • mywhitenoise, on 01/08/2008, -7/+2The number of Linux users is impressive as well.
            So if I had a million dollars, that wouldn't mean ***** because of all the other people that have more money than me?
          • Syphon8, on 01/08/2008, -0/+11If EVERYONE had more money than you, no, no it wouldn't.
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -18/+2I laughed. Nevertheless, I have to say that Apple really does supply some rock-solid, "LEET" tools.
    • KeithA45, on 01/08/2008, -4/+20lmao! Dugg for the Linux joke
    • Chirp08, on 01/08/2008, -7/+12I don't have a lot of disposable income, and sure as hell didn't buy a MBP because I wanted to be unique, some of us work for a living and need a machine that is both capable and extremely portable. There are alternatives that offer the same hardware, but not in the same slim/light package. Yeah, guess that makes me a fanboy for making an informed decision based off of my needs..
      • airmann90, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5See, you're a normal person. You went out and bought something because it met YOUR requirements, not other peoples.
      • jhaks, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3There are so many portable and even ultra portable PC solutions out there.
    • aussieNickuss, on 01/08/2008, -11/+5Have you ever considered that people actually buy Macs because they are brilliant, high quality, reliable computers? Not just because they want to be "different or unique".
      • shadowpr0ph3t, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1Of course not. Most of the anti-Apple crowd have never used OSX in there life or linux. How can they possible compare the two together, but they do. Plus they all make out that video games are all they actually do on computers.
      • prammy, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4I have a PC running Vista, a mac running Tiger and a third machine running Linux (which is my primary workstation) and I don't think Apple is all that.
      • SPARTACVS, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4A self-built PC with Vista Ultimate and SP1 RC1 whose components total the amount of a Mac Pro is just as high quality and reliable, except it has way more horsepower and can actually play these newfangled "video games". (sorry except WoW)
    • Spo8, on 01/08/2008, -2/+6The vidya is crucial. Srsly.
    • dadm110, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4I miss the linux comments. Is it just me, or does it seem that they have been all but replaced by ron paul comments.
    • chrisxkelley, on 01/08/2008, -2/+2Dugg for linux.
  • wontstoptalking, on 01/07/2008, -12/+21And here come the fanboy vs anti-microsoft rants:
    • bencefeher, on 01/08/2008, -3/+11So fanboys of one denomination against fanboys of another. I never really like the word, "fanboy."
    • postalblowfish7, on 01/08/2008, -0/+9don't bait the trolls
  • diulei, on 01/07/2008, -3/+126A good businessman always knows and respects competition. One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is brushing off competition rather than acknowledging it.
    • Dylson, on 01/08/2008, -12/+2I see what you did there.
    • nowherekido3, on 01/08/2008, -9/+3which is funny because sony and microsoft both did that to nintendo.
      • mywhitenoise, on 01/08/2008, -0/+16And Nintendo does that more than both of them combined.
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -2/+15That's why Microsoft just absorbs the competition.
      • kretik, on 01/08/2008, -3/+8Not unlike Google, noes? Or why did you think they bought out YouTube? Because of the firesale?
        • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -5/+3I didn't say it was particular to Microsoft. I didn't say it was a bad policy in terms of their goal. Frankly, I don't even like Google or what they produce.
        • gn0stik, on 01/08/2008, -5/+1LV. So it's not bad, but you don't like google anyway.. So there.

    • tuntcickle, on 01/08/2008, -1/+4you're implying that a good businessman has to acknowledge or respect competition PUBLICLY, and that's not true at all. as far as i know Bill Gates is a great businessman without ever having "recognized" or "respected" apple as a serious competitor
      • JohnFrum, on 01/08/2008, -0/+6From the people I've talked to inside Microsoft, Apple is viewed more as a customer than a competitor. MS is Apple's largest ISV. The Apple business unit is one of a hand full of units within MS that is profitable year after year. Sure there are points of direct competition (iPodZune) etc but the real relationship is far less hostile than the fanboys or WWDC posters or commercials would have one believe. Microsoft's biggest competitor for years to come will be itself as it tries to get people to move from XP to Vista.
  • twtmc, on 01/07/2008, -7/+66I think I just gained a lot of respect for Bill Gates. I wish he would do keynotes more, similar to what Steve Jobs does, but where he speaks exactly like this. Realistic comparisons of products, what he feels needs to be done in the future, what he feels needs to be corrected, what they are doing about it, and what they have done right.
    • CrimsonBlur, on 01/08/2008, -2/+49He's been talking like this for decades. You just don't know it because he doesn't have the theatrics of Steve Jobs so no one really talks about it. He's always had a very honest approach to his keynotes, speeches and interviews. Jobs just usually tries to be sly and pump up his ego while finding a way to Jab Microsoft without offending Bill.
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -10/+2I don't think he made any such concrete statements here.
      • boflaade, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4What you might want to do then, is listen to the video. Turned the sound on and the moving picture will have far more value.
  • Wiini, on 01/07/2008, -15/+225No Joke, Bill Gates has for a very long long time been my hero (Probably the last 10-15 years). He's an awesome philanthropist that has truly single-handedly launched the world into a brand new age.

    I'd love to meet him, and more so than any of the other drugged out sports stars or wasted celebrities, I think he's a good guy that's worth looking up to.

    Thanks Bill!
    • thephosphorbox, on 01/08/2008, -2/+22I agree with you completely. And I take a lot of flak from colleagues at work for it :)
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -20/+10Those who know the technical world will agree that Microsoft (and by extension, Gates) has held back the industry for decades through wars of format, future [in]compatibility, and backwards-compatibility baggage; first-to-market and fifth-to-quality mentalities haven't been helpful either.
      • strictnein, on 01/08/2008, -2/+18I think you're confusing microsoft practices with industry practices.
        • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -9/+3That doesn't mean Microsoft shouldn't be faulted for it.
          • strangewill, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4Anyone who has knowhow that isn't self-taught knows that it's a lot more than Microsoft, it's the entire way that the corporations worked in the past, and that they're doing A LOT better now in acknowledging the benefits of standards.
      • Wiini, on 01/08/2008, -5/+6"Those who know?".... I'm fairly sure people agree with me.. not you. And I'm a software developer. Nice try, Chief.
    • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Same boat here. I've always kept an eye on Bill. I'm not that old really, but I see him as one of the greatest drives of our time. I get crap from some people. I have a great job with great employees now.... I used to work at "Bad call center"...t.p.u.s.a.....here is a place with nothing but geeks who never leave their rooms and never actually see a real sunrise probably... I got a lot of crap from them..

      Bill Gates does great things. It will be very sad to see him go. I LITERALLY worry about the future of MS and the world without him in the picture. I just hope things stick together like they do now.
    • vbullinger, on 01/08/2008, -5/+1Philanthropist? Where does he donate his money? To institutions that push some form of eugenics. That's all. Google that: http://www.google.com/search?q=Bill+Gates+eugenics ...

      Bill Gates = evil.
    • tanveer, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Wholeheartedly agreed. I'm befriending all you guys for I feel we are a rare breed among geeks: people who had been admiring and looking up to Bill Gates for as long as I can remember (for all the great things he has accomplished and hope to do so and may even top that in future in a way a mere human can only dream of - but never gets to actually live it) - while withstanding craps from all sorts of ignorant people in the tech industry

      I mean just think about it: how may people can you think of who had had this much effect on everyone's lives on such a universal scale?! I only hope for him to keep doing what he is doing/wants to do for many a years yet to come
    • nebion, on 01/08/2008, -1/+0While I like what he does with his money, his (and Microsoft's) attitude in the business world sickens me; more specifically, the winning is everything attitude is disgusting.

      It's nice (and unusual) that Microsoft treats its employees nicely, but it treats its customers badly and partners even worse.

    • MusicalGenius, on 01/09/2008, -0/+1Yes, treating it's partners bad by giving them FREE money all the time just so they can have enough to develop with MS products. MS doesn't need to breast feed people....but they do so that things will work together better. Bill Gates doesn't need to develop a lot of free applications but he does....hmm...yeah treating people SOOO badly.
  • MacGeekGuy, on 01/07/2008, -0/+52I only wish the fans on both sides could speak so casually, objectively and matter of factly as Mr. Gates did here. There is good and bad about both approaches and both are necessary in the market as it is today. Nice interview.
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -8/+2Where was the objectivity? There were no numbers, there were no clear examples... just fluff.
  • dojonz, on 01/08/2008, -16/+198You can admire both Apple and Microsoft at the same time. Some people don't know that.
    • romistrub, on 01/08/2008, -2/+31FINALLY someone admits it!!! Fanboyism makes me sick!
    • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -6/+23Not really...Apple usually refuses to let that happen.
    • doshindude, on 01/08/2008, -10/+14Not really. Apple is more and more arrogant by the day. I hope more people realize that Steve Jobs is an overrated prick.
      • knightboat, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6Steve Jobs's personality should have no effect on the computer purchasing decisions of anyone.
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Uhh, I CARE about who I buy things from. AS SHOULD EVERYONE..

        I don't hope people will stop buying apple though. It gives MS good competition.
    • MacSuxWindozSux, on 01/08/2008, -0/+12In the "Pirates of Silicon Valley" film, Jobs is a huge prick. The job interview where he tears down a former IBM employee is sick.
      But the way he motivates his people later in the film (slave driving) kind of shows why Apple didn't go bankrupt.
    • golfreak17, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4I own a Mac but I enjoy the fact that I can (and often do) run Windows as well. There are a lot of things that windows just does better.
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -4/+1Like what? NOT SARCASTIC.

        I'm just wondering what you would use that you'd say Windows running better.
    • ProfessorFoo, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3No you can only choose one.
    • mowe, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Touché
  • Alix7, on 01/08/2008, -57/+9"BILL GATES FROM M$, time 2 liek bury this feygit's video, how dayre he INSULT teh Steve Jobs and my $600 IPHONE, RON PAUL 4 LYFE REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

    /digger
    • Vector713, on 01/08/2008, -4/+4***** off.
    • wontstoptalking, on 01/08/2008, -6/+3Ron Paul yes, Steve Jobs no.
    • nowherekido3, on 01/08/2008, -2/+4diaf
    • TheSnuffster, on 01/08/2008, -0/+6I was worried for a moment there, I thought some geek/chav hybrid suddenly discovered digg...
    • boflaade, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Are you a glitch in my OS? I can't seem to get any data from what you just spewed.
    • dadm110, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Did you honestly expect that there might be any chance of people finding value in your comment?
  • madk, on 01/08/2008, -4/+56All true. MS needs to focus on a few things and not spread themselves too thin. The new Zune, Xbox and some of their 'Live' services are all outstanding.
    • Gregus1032, on 01/08/2008, -0/+9The zune is an amazing device, but sadly im the only one i know in real life that owns one =/
      • Dylson, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5Yeah, a new zune sighting is, for now, few and far between, but I have faith that it will expand and gain lots of marketshare.
    • stockjones, on 01/08/2008, -1/+3I'll throw C# in the mix. In some ways considering the time they developed C# and the time java has been around, C# is amazing and its only going to get better.
      • CountryBoyRI, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2Don't stop at C#. The entire .NET platform is a great boon to development productivity, regardless of the language your developing in.
  • monkeyrun, on 01/08/2008, -39/+6After more than 20 years, they only get one single OS release (XP) right,
    the rest are simply marginally usable or downright embarrassing.

    That's the problem with Microsoft, they don't know what to do with their "deep stuff".
    • romistrub, on 01/08/2008, -2/+12What's wrong with Vista? I understand that it doesn't live up to expectations, but saying it's not usable?
      • monkeyrun, on 01/08/2008, -5/+1Come on, if you take away everything that failed with Vista, what you get is basically XP with classic theme.
        If that's not embarrassing I don't know what is.
        Maybe it's just me or you have exceptionally low expectations.
        • solidsnake1298, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Yes, Vista WORKS very much like XP, and that is the point. They wanted to make changes without completely changing the way Windows feels to the user. And FYI, however Vista APPEARS to be similar to XP is just that, appearances. The architecture UNDER Vista is quite different then XP. It is more robust and versatile then XP. It is designed to handle program and driver crashes much better without crashing Windows altogether.
    • stinger666, on 01/08/2008, -3/+18Windows 3? Windows 95? Windows 98? Windows 2000? I think they were all good OS.
      • gn0stik, on 01/08/2008, -4/+2And NT. And vista's not as bad as those intellectually dishonest apple ads would have you believe. The only problem I've had with it, was it's out of box configuration. Once I turned off the nagging, etc. it was fine.
      • ElimGarak, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1Personally I would take out 98 but add Server 2k3.
    • solidsnake1298, on 01/08/2008, -0/+7As someone who has experienced both XP and Vista launches, I can say that the Vista launch went smoother then XP. Microsoft, hardware and software developers were ready from the beginning to address issues, that were sure to arise with a new OS release, and fixed them very quickly. By May/June-ish almost all of the major issues with Vista were addressed.
      When XP launched, users were having the exact same issues that people have had with Vista, but the industry wasn't as prepared to address these issues.
      And just an FYI, the myth that Vista was in development for 5 years is false. It was only in development for 3 years. Longhorn was the original project, but was scrapped. Work on Win Server 2k3 began and finished, THEN work on Vista began.
      Oh, and what happened with Leopard? I thought Apple only released fully polished products. They had hardware and software compatibility issues on a product that they have complete control over. You gotta give MS props for making Vista as compatible as it is on the huge range of hardware out there.
    • airmann90, on 01/08/2008, -0/+4You obviously haven't been paying attention to Microsoft OS releases for the past twenty years.
  • rockon4life45, on 01/08/2008, -45/+215Bill Gates > Steve Jobs
    • nubnub, on 01/08/2008, -17/+33Bill Gates > Steve Wozniak > Steve Jobs
      • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -20/+64Bill Gates > Steve Wozniak > Child Molester > Steve Jobs
        • naonao, on 01/08/2008, -17/+4Calm the ***** down, just because Jobs bashes Microsoft he's worse than a child molester? You lot are ***** idiots.
          • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -1/+14Dude, you calm down...you're the one flipping out at a simple little joke. Of course I don't think Steve Jobs is actually worse than a child molester. Just chill the ***** out.
        • joshcxa, on 01/08/2008, -4/+3You calm down
        • PathDaemon, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6Ron Paul > Bill Gates > Steve Wozniak > Child Molester > Steve Jobs > AIDS
          • keyboardduder, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER!
          • DephexTwin, on 01/08/2008, -3/+1Ron Paul > Bill Gates > Steve Wozniak > Child Molester > Steve Jobs > AIDS > PathDaemon
          • outsid3rNo17, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5Ron Paul > Bill Gates > Steve Wozniak > Child Molester > Steve Jobs > AIDS > Hillary Clinton
      • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -10/+11Bill Gates > Woz? WTF? Woz INVENTED THE PERSONAL COMPUTER for christ's sake. He's also one of the coolest people in IT history; after Jobs decided to be an ***** and screw a lot of Apple's early employees out of stock options, Woz donated many of his personal shares to those employees in the Woz Plan.
        • gummialien, on 01/08/2008, -3/+8"Woz INVENTED THE PERSONAL COMPUTER for christ's sake"
          Woz helped develop the first "main stream" PC (Apple II) but he didn't invent the personal computer. The PDP and Altair are among many PCs that predate the Apple II and Apple I.
          • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1Those weren't personal computers. They were computers, yes, but they were marketed for geeks and tech enthusiasts. Woz pioneered ideas like a software-driven platform that created what we now know as PCs.
        • Rikushix, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1And I don't think the Woz is anywhere near the amount of money that Gates has donated through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I'm not one to judge someone by their charitable donations, but in this case, I make an exception.
          • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1Woz donated a far larger percentage of his networth to those who needed it more than Gates ever has. Gates' donations are praiseworthy, to be sure, but if I have to compare good deeds, the ones that involve greater personal sacrifice will always come out on top.
      • gn0stik, on 01/08/2008, -1/+9NubNub: Woz is awesome. Bill is cooler than Jobs for sure, but that's only if you are comparing CEOs. I'd have a hard time saying that Bill is cooler than Woz. Woz is just so ***** smart, he's got a different kind of cool, and some definite street cred that BG doesn't have. Although Bill has been known to sling some code, Woz does it all.
      • celkin, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6Bill Gates > Steve Jobs > Steve Ballmer > ??? > profit!!1!
    • wontstoptalking, on 01/08/2008, -7/+2Well said.
    • soopafly, on 01/08/2008, -18/+7Wow..LOL.. look at the M$ fanboys go!!!!!
    • postalblowfish7, on 01/08/2008, -4/+4woz>the universe
    • dn11, on 01/08/2008, -1/+3I would rather have Bill Gates as a boss than Steve Jobs, that's for sure.
    • truspect0r, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3FAIL > Steve Jobs
    • smek2, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Wow, you really believe that scripted propaganda *****? Look at the situation that Microsoft is in, now that Billy leaves. He is leaving while Microsoft is spiraling downwards. Really great.
  • eyegraphix, on 01/08/2008, -2/+31Wow, I really liked his answer...makes sense to me.
  • Phocion55, on 01/08/2008, -6/+22Tablet not mainstream?

    I have a WinXP Tablet, and it's by FAR my favorite Microsoft product.
    • Shawn4168, on 01/08/2008, -2/+51Might be true, but you liking a product doesn't make it mainstream.
      • Phocion55, on 01/08/2008, -2/+2I guess what I meant was that Gates almost made it sounds like the tablet was a failure. Which it certainly is not.

        WinXP Tablet Edition is THE standard tablet OS.
      • jmlambe, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1not mainstream = failure? or was that just an inference based upon his tone and intonation?
    • vsaint, on 01/08/2008, -1/+10Phocion55 is not mainstream.
    • thephosphorbox, on 01/08/2008, -1/+12I envy you.. I've wanted a tablet PC for soooooo long and I just can't justify it while my laptop still breathes.
      *looks around for a hammer*
      • FoxOrian, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1As a digital artist, I either want a tablet PC or equally a Wacom Centiq...
        But I haven't developed the resources for money to grow on trees yet. Damn.
    • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -2/+2Being popular among those who use it doesn't make a product mainstream. Being popular enough among people who DON'T use it that they might actually go out and buy one does. Also, many tablet users I know complain that the software is still not very polished. Maybe it's due time for Apple to release a tablet? ;)
    • Konstantino, on 01/08/2008, -4/+3The tablet isn't technically Microsoft's, although the OS is.
      • ElimGarak, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Actually, it is. MS concept and stuff. BTW, interesting history note - the guy who came up with the concept showed BillG wooden prototypes in order to get his idea across.
    • jfowler27, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1I like the tablets that are being made nowadays. I bought a nice HP TC1100 a few years back when most of the others were bulky and expensive. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have the power to run WinXP Tablet Edition and all the productivity software I want on it as efficiently as I would like. It runs Xubuntu extremely well, though. I just wish there was a little more tablet support in Linux.

      Oh, and as much as I'd like them to be, tablets are definitely not mainstream yet. When I do use mine, people still ask me questions about it all the time as if it was some foreign object they had never seen before.
  • gimmeslack12, on 01/08/2008, -2/+39I'm an Apple fan.

    But I agree that MS is just a different way of doing it. Who says Apple wouldn't be in a similar position if it had the vast majority of the market. Apple does what it does very well (I'm sure people would beg to differ). And MS has a somewhat responsibility to create products that will work on everything (not an easy task). I don't like Vista, but I don't hate Windows.
    • romistrub, on 01/08/2008, -0/+9I'm both an Apple and a Microsoft fan. They've both done great things for computing, and now that Apple is competing on a much, much grander scale than a decade ago, we can only look forward to the products that these two competitors will roll out.
    • LordVoldemort, on 01/08/2008, -2/+5Actually, this is a fairly easy task, especially when most companies provide their own drivers for their hardware.
      • ElimGarak, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2LOL. You obviously haven't done much dev work with many different types of hardware. Even with one IHV getting a device to work can be a bitch and a half, what with the driver revisions and so on.
    • KeithA45, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Agreed =)
    • BOFH2, on 01/08/2008, -4/+2wish in one hand..... If only..... Please, if Apple tried to get everyone into their market instead of certain people I am sure they would have the market share.
  • Emachine, on 01/08/2008, -35/+2...paraphrasing a bit here, like he said, they should stop making ***** overpriced computer mice and focus on making a less annoying OS.
    • damnyooneek, on 01/08/2008, -7/+4stay in canada we dont like you here anyway. i'm the one that dugg you down.
      • Konstantino, on 01/08/2008, -0/+6He made an idiot comment, but so did you; did it ever occur to you that posting on digg doesn't mean you're posting from the US?
    • bossm4n, on 01/08/2008, -1/+10"***** overpriced computer mice?" I actually think their peripheral hardware has been one of their strongest suits for years. I have loads of MS pieces that have outlasted every other competitor's matching product. In fact I think their mice are among the best available. A hell of a lot tougher than Logitech's.
      • nycmac247, on 01/08/2008, -0/+5I am a Mac network engineer and love MS mice!!!
        (really)
      • solistus, on 01/08/2008, -3/+3I used an Intellimouse for years, and I agree. I scratched off "Microsoft" on the front, but I have to admit that it was one of the best on the market. Other peripheral manufacturers have caught up since.
    • dadm110, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1I agree with bossm4n. I use a MS mouse on my macbook. Sure as hell better than any mouse Apple ever made. (And yes I know about that mightymouse piece of crap... don't start with me.)
  • damnyooneek, on 01/08/2008, -12/+6I'm positive of that stuff Bill mentioned Apple is also researching but unlike Microsoft they usually don't release stuff until they are sure it's going to sell.
    • CrimsonBlur, on 01/08/2008, -1/+12Apple would love you to believe this. The reality is, Microsoft's R&D budget is exponentially larger than Apple's. Microsoft researches technologies that take decades to penetrate the market or to even come up with a prototype. Do you really think it took Apple decades of R&D to create the iPod?

      Like Gates says, Apple is great at what they do, but they do not have the scope or vision of Microsoft. The only time in recent history they have even shown a glint of that is with their iPod/iTunes strategy, and MP3 players weren't new when Apple joined in, they just streamlined the experience and created a great interface for the player (I own 3 iPods by the way).
    • Brendan371, on 01/08/2008, -2/+2I'm not a corporation and I'm not interested in vision. I like products that work without me having to put any thought into it. I'm not saying Apple's perfect, and OSX is certainly not as scalable as other os options out there, but my house runs all macs now and I don't have to play the family IT role anymore. I'm no fanboi, but I'm willing to pay that extra cash for computers that work out of the box, don't get viruses, and don't require me to put effort into maintaining them.
      • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -1/+2Wow and it is really MS's fault that their machine gets a Virus now? Who makes a virus.... PEOPLE... Your comment is stupid and uneducated... you are no IT, you are a fake.

        I am the Family IT guy really and guess what... I hardly have to do anything but sit here and enjoy my network....oh yeah, I forgot.... I don't have Virus's either.

        Just because some people install Norton and are stupid for it doesn't mean that Windows sucks..... You really need to learn to think realistically.
  • aleksandar, on 01/08/2008, -27/+9Microsoft has ego. Apple has Style
    • ClockworksNine, on 01/08/2008, -2/+14Apple doesn't have an ego?! Mac-heads have some of the biggest egos on earth! Any bigger and they would cause a small black hole with all the ***** and over-inflated ego they spew.
      • aleksandar, on 01/08/2008, -1/+5When I think it over you are right about the ego.
        • pixelguru, on 01/08/2008, -3/+3Mac users took a LOT of abuse back when the platform was in trouble, and Jobs was pulling the company out of the fire. Smug Windows users relished in it - even Michael Dell was throwing jabs. Now that Apple is seen in a different light, and Windows seems to be a barge stuck on the rocks, and all of a sudden Mac users have an ego problem? No no... Mac users are just enjoying a little time in the sun now that we're no longer treated like 2nd class citizens.
  • bunkka, on 01/08/2008, -3/+44Great comments from Bill, what a stand up guy.

    He points out that Microsoft's spectrum is greater, that is probably why they don't have commercials demeaning the competition...yea?
    • PrototypeV, on 01/08/2008, -2/+21Bill Gates is completely selfless. Just look at how many billions of dollars he has donated to various foundations.
  • Holocaust, on 01/08/2008, -29/+147Bill Gates is a Geek.
    Steve Jobs is an *****.

    Geeks Unite!!!
    • rizzo2008, on 01/08/2008, -10/+45 years ago this was the other way around. Remember that for the most part his ideas were built or copied from other people. I don't know much about Jobs's character but you can't deny that he has turned the company around since he took over again in the late 90s.
      • Ub3rg33k, on 01/08/2008, -1/+8Jobs was never a geek. Woz was the geek at Apple.
      • pixelguru, on 01/08/2008, -1/+6Woz is the geek.
        Jobs is the visionary.
        Gates... he's just a nerd.
      • Terrk, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1And I bet you think apple invented the MP3 player?

        Im not a fan boy of either, but they both have had their dark times.
    • nycmac247, on 01/08/2008, -10/+2Good luck getting laid with those Kmart suits, buddy.
      • solidsnake1298, on 01/08/2008, -1/+5.......he had three kids with his wife.
        • YourMaster, on 01/08/2008, -0/+2...Not to mention billions of dollars.
    • SuperNikiD, on 01/08/2008, -5/+1I wish i could get 50 diggs for claiming someone is an ***** and not actually giving evidence that supports your idea.
    • smek2, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Better check the history facts. Steve Jobs actually has a vision and innovate (think NeXT) while Billy Boy had tantrums and aggressively bought competition.
  • rajputwarrior, on 01/08/2008, -8/+26bill gates is one of the most humble people in the business world. As much as i love the Jobs, he needs to take some notes...
  • DeanRed, on 01/08/2008, -0/+73I wish he spoke in Wing Dings
    • bumblefoot, on 01/08/2008, -0/+23bird circle circle star star PLANE!
    • dadm110, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Your comment made me laugh out loud, something that rarely happens on digg anymore.
  • Funpolice2050, on 01/08/2008, -12/+76Bill Gates is a legend. Respect.
    • asurroca, on 01/08/2008, -2/+6BILL GATES AM LEGEND
    • smek2, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Not in my Eyes. He and his company ruined the PC and innovation as a general. They constantly tried (and succeeded) to force their crappy software upon the world and dictate the hardware architecture. That killed innovation in hardware architecture and left us with the inferior PC architecture for decades.
  • zcreem, on 01/08/2008, -6/+6I just like how Bill always manages to come across as a normal guy.
    But I think he finally gets it that MS is to spread out in their focus.
    He hasn't been the best guy to give them direction, for that you need someone with vision who's pushy, selfish, arrogant, etc.
  • Mist0r_Wiggles, on 01/08/2008, -12/+18I LOVE MY 360!

    +1 Digg for Msoft
    • TheReport, on 01/08/2008, -3/+3you don't love Microsoft, you love J. Allard. now you if you said you love Windows Vista then I'd give it to you. its like saying you like family guy so that you digg Rupert Murdoch
    • MusicalGenius, on 01/08/2008, -2/+1I love my 360 and my Wii

      Ah the joys of switching from Call Of Duty to Twilight Princess with such ease and joy...... I'm sighing with joy.
  • iamhumble, on 01/08/2008, -1/+11anyone have the url to the full interview?
  • Error601, on 01/08/2008, -11/+6If Microsoft was really interested in usability, wouldn't they be supporting interoperability which is a huge part of usability? This is the company that recently been in court doing all they can to block samba from improving the usability of integrated systems.
    • ProducedRaw, on 01/08/2008, -1/+1Agreed. Digg seems to be blindingly supporting MS almost as a backlash to all the anti-MS sentiments of recent times. Computing evolved not because of MS but in spite of it. Do I REALLY need to dig up links to prove my point here?
      • yawaramin, on 01/08/2008, -0/+0Yes.
        • ProducedRaw, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Very well.

          http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2005/0 ...

          If DirectX was never released we would see PC games deserving to be called that instead of Windows games. OpenGL is well supported on *nix and Mac OS's. If all windows games were written in OpenGL then porting them to these other OS's would be trivial in comparison to the current state of affairs.

          I don't think that I even need to dig up links on Office's document format. MS intentionally made it difficult to support by changing it contantly.

          Then theres the "extend, embrace and extinguish" tactic;

          http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-512681.html

          Then theres DRM.

          Then theres Vista pushing customers to buy much more powerful hardware than they really need (and really, with the cost of every day living do we need yet more expenses?) for their needs which tend to be some word processing and internet access. Why should you need a dual core system with 2gig of RAM for that!?

          In fact, why am I arguing that MS is bad for computing. Name me ONE innovation from MS.
      • ProducedRaw, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1Nearly forgot to mention the IE and Windows Media Player anti-competetive tactics;

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Micr ...

        I can keep going with this but do I really need to?
  • liquidjamm, on 01/08/2008, -14/+3I wonder what does Bill think about Linux...
    ...Bill: "Hey kid, wadda ya think I am retiring?"...
  • eyegraphix, on 01/08/2008, -3/+35He was right when he said Office 2007 and Xbox Live have been huge successes. For example, when you look at how different Office 07 is from the previous version, you can tell that 07 is quite different visual-wise, but I seriously love 07 now that I've gotten used to it...I'd never go back. Kudos to Microsoft...their Office software is always solid.
    • ravelrm, on 01/08/2008, -0/+3Yeah, the interface seems more solid and other things like shapes are even cooler-looking, but at the same time I don't like the whole tabbing system of each section i.e. paragraph, file, et cetera, it takes me a lot longer to find specifically what I want as opposed to the old interface. You could say that they're not very different but I think the new interface takes more time to learn and is more time-consuming.

      As for the rest, I agree that he seems like a nicer guy in contrast to Jobs and was pretty neutral i