Microsoft’s low-octane swan song was nothing if not symbolic of more than a decade littered with errors, missed opportunities, and the devolution of one of the industry’s innovators into a “me too” purveyor of other companies’ consumer products. ... How did this jaw-dropping role reversal happen? How could a company that stands among the most cash-rich in the world, the onetime icon of cool that broke IBM’s iron grip on the computer industry, have stumbled so badly in a race it was winning? [more inside]
posted by Egg Shen
on Jul 26, 2012 -
124 comments
Bill Gates May Blog. Always
ahead of the curve, the astute visionary's groundbreaking foray into the virginal internet territory, known by computer hackers as "web logging,"
won't be all business, either. He's expected to share personal details such as tidbits from recent vacations. I for one am trembling on the edge of my seat.
1.0 lacks that special something.
posted by scarabic
on Jun 26, 2004 -
18 comments
Bill Gates proposes an end to free email If the U.S. Postal Service delivered mail for free, our mailboxes would surely runneth over with more credit-card offers, sweepstakes entries, and supermarket fliers. That's why we get so much junk e-mail: It's essentially free to send. So Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates, among others, is now suggesting that we start buying "stamps" for e-mail.
posted by wsg
on Mar 5, 2004 -
46 comments
Is Bill Gates behind the times? (NYT link - reg req'd) Microsoft today introduced designs for "a new class of watch" which can "provide weather information, text messages and other data." The simplest versions "will cost less than $150," the story says.
But Timex currently offers its own, cheaper version:
the Internet Messenger Watch for only US$50, and a year's free service, for almost the same features.
Is Microsoft actually
behind the times with their 'innovation'? Is this embarrassing for the software giant?
posted by busbyism
on Jan 9, 2003 -
33 comments
Guttenberg, Babbage...Gates? [via Techdirt] Reading this caused me to question what caused Salon.com to publish this glowing valentine/commercial endorsement for Microsoft's .NET (a general catch-all marketing phrase covering MSFT's implementation of a number of standards supporting web services). Ignores most of the security shortfalls of .NET and compares Gates to Guttenberg. Should this bear the title "Paid Advertising"?
posted by O Boingo
on Feb 14, 2002 -
20 comments
Microsoft announced a month long moratorium on new coding in order to fix bugs. Purcell,their privacy chief is
quoted as saying Gates "is really annoyed by the incredible pain we put everyone through in computing" . Microsoft's bug problems and security vulnerabilities have lately been getting out of hand. There has also been rumours last month that Gates wants the entire company reoriented towards ..well providing bug free products. Do you think that serious changes are underway in Microsoft? What does it really take for an sofware development enterprise the size of Microsoft to have to provide secure, reasonably bug free products? (via
GMSV)
posted by justlooking
on Feb 6, 2002 -
23 comments
Microsoft to make products more "trustworthy." A lot of buzz words floating around here, like "trustworthy" and "security." Does this mark a true sea change in Microsoft strategy, or is it just a PR stunt, too little, too late? One thing I'll say, though - I never thought I'd hear this coming from Bill: "Users should be in control of how their data is used... It should be easy for users to specify appropriate use of their information, including controlling the use of e-mail they send." (from the
AP report)
posted by topolino
on Jan 17, 2002 -
14 comments
Microsoft, DOJ settlement close... but the deal apparently would not place significant limitations on functions that Microsoft could "bundle" into its Windows operating program. The judge is said to be concerned about the "national psyche," but will slapping Bill on the wrists really help things?
posted by tranquileye
on Nov 1, 2001 -
6 comments
Microsoft vs. AOL Gee, who do you root for in this one? Personally, I'd love to see a Pay-Per-View kickboxing match between Steve Case and Bill Gates.
posted by Rastafari
on Jul 30, 2001 -
3 comments
Bill Gates' dad in NY Times Mag Q&A on bequests, estates, philanthropy and work ethic. (He's involved in administering his son's charity activities.) NY Times link, so free registration or your own personal backdoor required.
posted by jhiggy
on Mar 21, 2001 -
1 comment
Is Bill Really that bad? Giving away money steadily, tens of millions of dollars at a time, Mr Bill Gates has become the single most influential force trying to reverse the growing health crisis afflicting the world's poor. With his wife, Melinda, he outspent the United States Government last year by nearly $US300 million ($538 million), to fight global health threats such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
posted by murray_kester
on Dec 25, 2000 -
52 comments
Read the truth behind what actually happened the day the Bill Gates was assasinated.
(via memepool)
posted by o2b
on Dec 12, 2000 -
11 comments
Ever wondered how much it would cost to have your listing pop up on a particular MSN search? According to Micros~1's
keywords.com (as of a few minutes ago), you can get
sex for $795.20/month,
mp3 for $175.66, and
Bill Gates for a mere $8.96 a month!
posted by tregoweth
on May 23, 2000 -
3 comments
the bill gates makeover "He is the father of the future, the symbol of a new generation, and he really needs a makeover. Bill Gates as you've never seen him before; it's almost as if he were an entirely different person."
posted by palegirl
on Feb 23, 2000 -
5 comments
