Bill Gates - Man of the Year

[Surtt]

Bill Gates mocks MIT's $100 laptop project

By Joel Rothstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates on Wednesday mocked a $100 laptop computer for developing countries being developed with the backing of rival Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The $100 laptop project seeks to provide inexpensive computers to people in developing countries. The computers lack many features found on a typical personal computer, such as a hard disk and software.

"The last thing you want to do for a shared use computer is have it be something without a disk ... and with a tiny little screen," Gates said at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum in suburban Washington.

"Hardware is a small part of the cost" of providing computing capabilities, he said, adding that the big costs come from network connectivity, applications and support.

Before his critique, Gates showed off a new "ultra-mobile computer" which runs Microsoft Windows on a seven-inch (17.78-centimeter) touch screen.

Those machines are expected to sell for between $599 and $999, Microsoft said at the product launch last week.

"If you are going to go have people share the computer, get a broadband connection and have somebody there who can help support the user, geez, get a decent computer where you can actually read the text and you're not sitting there cranking the thing while you're trying to type," Gates said.

Gates described the computers as being for shared use, but the project goes under the name "One Laptop per Child." A representative for the project did not immediately reply to an inquiry seeking comment.

Earlier this year, Google founder Larry Page said his company is backing MIT's project. He showed a model of the machine that does use a crank as one source of power.

"The laptops ... will be able to do most everything except store huge amounts of data," according to the project's Web site.

[rkmsuf]

A lot of people have been critical of this project.

I thought I heard at one point that there wasn't as much interest in this as they initially thought there would be.

Either way there was no reason for Gates to trash it. It's a noble pursuit.

[Franklinnoble]

Of course he's bashing it. He won't even sell you a license for Windows for $100.

[jeff061]

http://news.com.com/Five+countries+to+get+cheap+Windows+XP/2100-1016_3-5304023.html

ilderotter said final pricing for Starter Edition has not been determined but noted that it will be the company's "most affordable operating system in the market." Reports have pegged the price of the Thai version at about $36 (http://news.com.com/Thailand+to+get+slimmed-down+Windows/2100-1016_3-5246415.html?tag=nl).

cough

[rkmsuf]

doh!

[oliegirl]

I'm all for helping developing countries, but I find it hard to believe that crank powered laptops are truly going to help anyone. It seems that in most of the countries the literacy rate is incredibly low and that these people could use help in a lot of other ways besides crank powered laptops on which they probably can't even type b/c they don't know how to read, let alone spell.

Maybe I am wrong, and if proven so, I will change my mind, but until then this seems like an effort in futility that will give the companies involved a big fat tax deduction.

[Surtt]

I agree it is (probably) a waist of time and effort.
The money would be better spent on buying goats
(or what ever else is needed).

It just seamed like a "Let them eat cake" response after being named Man of the Year for his humanitarian work.

[Axxon]

I'm all for helping developing countries, but I find it hard to believe that crank powered laptops are truly going to help anyone. It seems that in most of the countries the literacy rate is incredibly low and that these people could use help in a lot of other ways besides crank powered laptops on which they probably can't even type b/c they don't know how to read, let alone spell.

Maybe I am wrong, and if proven so, I will change my mind, but until then this seems like an effort in futility that will give the companies involved a big fat tax deduction.

I agree but now that I work for an ISP I am amazed by the literacy level of those who sign up for service in this country. I'm not talking slow here, I've dealt with those who simply can't read or write but want their internet.

*shurg*

I guess you don't need to read to view porn. ;)

[Axxon]

Dola, but it would be interesting cranking two cranks at once. :D

[rexallllsc]

I wonder exactly what they think these people are going to be doing w/ these laptops?

[Franklinnoble]

That's the problem. A laptop is highly impractical in most parts of the third world.

$100 goes a long way in an impoverished nation. That money could be better spent providing food, clothing, and medical supplies.

[Riggins44]

I wonder exactly what they think these people are going to be doing w/ these laptops?

After they learn to read by staring at the keys and using the crank.... they'll probably start a disturbing fetish-oriented porn site.

[DaddyTorgo]

That's the problem. A laptop is highly impractical in most parts of the third world.

$100 goes a long way in an impoverished nation. That money could be better spent providing food, clothing, and medical supplies.

ding ding!! we have a winner.

and hey you realize...if everyone here on FOFC did the "Chrstian Children's Fund" or whatever other "support a kid" charity we all decided on, we could all make a huge difference in the world of a bunch of kids as an online community...hmmm...something for me to think about...wonder how much interest there'd be

[oliegirl]

I agree it is (probably) a waist of time and effort.
The money would be better spent on buying goats
(or what ever else is needed).

It just seamed like a "Let them eat cake" response after being named Man of the Year for his humanitarian work.


I think that was kind of the point Gates was trying to make...basically saying - yeah, these guys are trying to help, but come on, at least give them something that is actually useful and has a chance at improving the quality of life in these underdeveloped countries. Gates has given SO much money that I think he takes it almost personally that these people are giving laptops as aid, getting media coverage b/c of it, and he is pointing out ridiculous the whole idea is.

[st.cronin]

I think that was kind of the point Gates was trying to make...basically saying - yeah, these guys are trying to help, but come on, at least give them something that is actually useful and has a chance at improving the quality of life in these underdeveloped countries. Gates has given SO much money that I think he takes it almost personally that these people are giving laptops as aid, getting media coverage b/c of it, and he is pointing out ridiculous the whole idea is.

Bill Gates really IS a humanitarian. It's not just the money he's given (which is an absolutely astronomical amount) - it's the time and energy he's devoted to figuring out the best use for his money.

[Franklinnoble]

ding ding!! we have a winner.

and hey you realize...if everyone here on FOFC did the "Chrstian Children's Fund" or whatever other "support a kid" charity we all decided on, we could all make a huge difference in the world of a bunch of kids as an online community...hmmm...something for me to think about...wonder how much interest there'd be

We're doing something like that. My wife and I have sponsored a child through Gospel for Asia (http://www.gfa.org). It's $28 a month.

For that sum, a 9 year old boy named Gurvinder Singh in Haryana, India receives food, clothing, medical care, and an education.

[DaddyTorgo]

We're doing something like that. My wife and I have sponsored a child through Gospel for Asia (http://www.gfa.org) (http://www.gfa.org%29). It's $28 a month.

For that sum, a 9 year old boy named Gurvinder Singh in Haryana, India receives food, clothing, medical care, and an education.

that's awesome FN. I always intend to sign up for one of those programs, but I never do.

Wouldn't it be awesome though if we had some sort of organized FOFC doing of that, complete with like a dynasty thread where we could share the news that we get about our kids and stuff?

[Franklinnoble]

that's awesome FN. I always intend to sign up for one of those programs, but I never do.

Wouldn't it be awesome though if we had some sort of organized FOFC doing of that, complete with like a dynasty thread where we could share the news that we get about our kids and stuff?

I'll tell you what... start the thread at SportsDigs.com, and if we can get at least three people to contribute, I'll sponsor an additional child.

[Franklinnoble]

FYI - 100% of the money that you give to sponsor a child through GFA goes directly to the child. They take no administrative overhead - they raise that money separately through grants and such.

[rexallllsc]

ding ding!! we have a winner.

and hey you realize...if everyone here on FOFC did the "Chrstian Children's Fund" or whatever other "support a kid" charity we all decided on, we could all make a huge difference in the world of a bunch of kids as an online community...hmmm...something for me to think about...wonder how much interest there'd be

Yeeep. Here's my favorite one: http://www.feedthechildren.org

Love their breakdown: http://www.feedthechildren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=org_financial_accountability

Found this after Katrina.

[rexallllsc]

that's awesome FN. I always intend to sign up for one of those programs, but I never do.

Wouldn't it be awesome though if we had some sort of organized FOFC doing of that, complete with like a dynasty thread where we could share the news that we get about our kids and stuff?

I'd like to trade you one Harishankar for a child to be sponsored later ;)

[rexallllsc]

FYI - 100% of the money that you give to sponsor a child through GFA goes directly to the child. They take no administrative overhead - they raise that money separately through grants and such.

That's amazing.

[Franklinnoble]

I'd like to trade you one Harishankar for a child to be sponsored later ;)

You'll have to do better than that. The kid's profile indicates his favorite sport is soccer, and we think he has tremendous upside.

[oliegirl]

Bill Gates really IS a humanitarian. It's not just the money he's given (which is an absolutely astronomical amount) - it's the time and energy he's devoted to figuring out the best use for his money.


That was my point, that he has earned the right to be critical of other peoples/companies efforts (or lack thereof) at helping these countries.

[Franklinnoble]

That's amazing.

It is amazing. All of their missionaries are volunteers, and they raise their own funds to cover their travel and living expenses.

[Marc Vaughan]

I'm all for helping developing countries, but I find it hard to believe that crank powered laptops are truly going to help anyone. It seems that in most of the countries the literacy rate is incredibly low and that these people could use help in a lot of other ways besides crank powered laptops on which they probably can't even type b/c they don't know how to read, let alone spell.

Maybe I am wrong, and if proven so, I will change my mind, but until then this seems like an effort in futility that will give the companies involved a big fat tax deduction.

I think the project is a very noble one and can potentially definitely make a difference in those countries in many ways.

For instance having access to these computers will give those people a chance to gain skillsets which they might not normally obtain, they'll generally be likely to be more literate because computers encourage reading (in order to utilise a computer its rather essential in most cases).

In the long term as the project gains momentum (hopefully) they'll get better and more improved computers and possibly funding for teaching people to utilise them.

In short while there are obviously flaws in the project, its a noble ideal and hopefully they can be ironed out once its running - sometimes you have to just jump in and try something ... otherwise everyone just stands around talking and nothing gets done imho.

[Marc Vaughan]

Bill Gates really IS a humanitarian. It's not just the money he's given (which is an absolutely astronomical amount) - it's the time and energy he's devoted to figuring out the best use for his money.

Just an honest question - do you really think he knows and spends a lot of time on these sort of decisions or does he employ a bank of people to wisely invest in humanitarian causes which they believe would be beneficial to the world (and Bill Gates image obviously ;) ).

Just wondering - as he's presented as being very influential throughout Microsoft itself AND also spending huge amounts of time being a great human being, something which I find a bit of a stretch (ie. something has to be 'spin' because he physically doesn't have time to do everything).

[st.cronin]

Just an honest question - do you really think he knows and spends a lot of time on these sort of decisions or does he employ a bank of people to wisely invest in humanitarian causes which they believe would be beneficial to the world (and Bill Gates image obviously ;) ).

Just wondering - as he's presented as being very influential throughout Microsoft itself AND also spending huge amounts of time being a great human being, something which I find a bit of a stretch (ie. something has to be 'spin' because he physically doesn't have time to do everything).

Well, who knows. What I have seen is testimony from people who don't work for Microsoft, but work with groups like Doctors without Borders, who speak to the amount of sheer work Gates does for philanthropic causes - and not the sort of work that 'celebrities' typically do, but actual research into actual problems.

[Crapshoot]

We're doing something like that. My wife and I have sponsored a child through Gospel for Asia (http://www.gfa.org). It's $28 a month.

For that sum, a 9 year old boy named Gurvinder Singh in Haryana, India receives food, clothing, medical care, and an education.

That's a good gesture Franklin. I'm a firm believer in putting the money in charities I believe in - like Doctors Without Borders, my personal favorite.

[ISiddiqui]

Just an honest question - do you really think he knows and spends a lot of time on these sort of decisions or does he employ a bank of people to wisely invest in humanitarian causes which they believe would be beneficial to the world (and Bill Gates image obviously ;) ).

Just wondering - as he's presented as being very influential throughout Microsoft itself AND also spending huge amounts of time being a great human being, something which I find a bit of a stretch (ie. something has to be 'spin' because he physically doesn't have time to do everything).

According to the Time Magazine, Gates puts in a LOT of time in humanitarian work and goes to 3rd world countries to see how these people live. If you can, Marc, I think you should read the article. It made me think much more highly of Gates (I didn't hate him or anything beforehand though).

[Solecismic]

Gates gives back quite a bit, in fact he's so sanctimonious about it, I sometimes want to vomit.

But I think he's right to dismiss this project as absurd. If you can feed and educate a child in a third-world country for $1 a day, then how in the world are they going to justify three months of support for a computer that won't do anything useful? If the kids can't read, they can't even use them for that limited communications "mesh" network. And wait until the spammers get ahold of that network.


Furthermore, there are many reasons it is important for a child to "own" something—like a football, doll, or book—not the least of which being that these belongings will be well-maintained through love and care.

I think you could much more value out of the book, personally.

I saw Larry Ellison speak at a conference about ten years ago. He promised that with a couple of years, computers without a hard disk and with cheap screens would flood the market. Everyone would use network distributed software and pay a lot less. Java was positioned to run those machines, which supposedly were to include telephones, televisions and toasters.

If that's happening, it's happening at a glacial pace.

[Franklinnoble]

Gates gives back quite a bit, in fact he's so sanctimonious about it, I sometimes want to vomit.

But I think he's right to dismiss this project as absurd. If you can feed and educate a child in a third-world country for $1 a day, then how in the world are they going to justify three months of support for a computer that won't do anything useful? If the kids can't read, they can't even use them for that limited communications "mesh" network. And wait until the spammers get ahold of that network.



I think you could much more value out of the book, personally.

I saw Larry Ellison speak at a conference about ten years ago. He promised that with a couple of years, computers without a hard disk and with cheap screens would flood the market. Everyone would use network distributed software and pay a lot less. Java was positioned to run those machines, which supposedly were to include telephones, televisions and toasters.

If that's happening, it's happening at a glacial pace.

Agreed on all points. Ellison loves his Java, but it's not the panacea he made it out to be. For starters, it's a memory and processor intensive language - portability=high overhead.

[Marc Vaughan]

I saw Larry Ellison speak at a conference about ten years ago. He promised that with a couple of years, computers without a hard disk and with cheap screens would flood the market. Everyone would use network distributed software and pay a lot less. Java was positioned to run those machines, which supposedly were to include telephones, televisions and toasters.
If that's happening, it's happening at a glacial pace.

They're not all running Java - but its definitely happening and at a fairly fast pace if you think about it imho.

If you purchase an MP3 player then that will plug into a PC, if you purchase a next-gen console it'll appear on your PC network and allow itself to store files and media etc. ....

As far as the network storage goes - I get people to upload save games to mass-storage websites all the time thesedays, many people use online storage for their home projects (such as the source code storage facilities via. various websites etc.) .... ditto for running programs, how many of you play games on the internet - these are exactly the thing that was talked about here - just in its fledgling form, one day FOF, FM etc. will be accessible in this manner and its not 'so' far away, you can already purchase HalfLife2 online after all ...

[Marc Vaughan]

Agreed on all points. Ellison loves his Java, but it's not the panacea he made it out to be. For starters, it's a memory and processor intensive language - portability=high overhead.
Java's quite a nice language to 'work in' although I miss some of the down and dirty controls in C/C++ at times (feels strange not managing your own memory - its a bit like the difference between an automatic and manual car, you 'know' an automatic is safe - but its nice to be fully in control ;) ).

[Marc Vaughan]

According to the Time Magazine, Gates puts in a LOT of time in humanitarian work and goes to 3rd world countries to see how these people live. If you can, Marc, I think you should read the article. It made me think much more highly of Gates (I didn't hate him or anything beforehand though).
If its online then I'd definitely be interested in reading it .. any links?

[ISiddiqui]

Here:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1142276,00.html

There is one on Bono (the other Person of the Year) easily clickable from that page as well.

[Galaxy]

Bill and Melinda Gates are great humanitarians. I love how people bash him because he is not giving away enough, when he has already given over $20 billion to his charity. Also, why is he responsible for giving away his money? It's his, and he has the right to do what he wants.

[Anthony]

we're all born equal. why should one person have so much when so many people have so little?

[Galaxy]

we're all born equal. why should one person have so much when so many people have so little?

Because some people work harder or smarter to be successful? That's free market capitalism at its finest.

[Anthony]

Because some people work harder or smarter to be successful? That's free market capitalism at its finest.


if working harder and smarter were all that you needed to succeed there'd be a hell of a lot more millionaires. a lot of people are born in this world and the second they leave the womb they've already lost the game. everyday till the day they die they're fighting a lopsided, losing battle and there's nothing about working harder or smarter that will get them out of their situation.

[Solecismic]

Then they're not born equal, are they? I think you just answered your own question.

[Anthony]

Then they're not born equal, are they? I think you just answered your own question.

we're all born equal in the sense that if you take two babies coming out of the womb at the same time - no one baby is any more special than the next. it's only when you throw in other ingredients that things get messed up - namely are the parents rich/famous? a child of Bill Gates isn't any more important than a child born in a tribe in the Amazon. but then because Gates (or on a more practical level - any ole rich family) has the ability to provide better schooling, better healthcare, better nutrition the odds are greater for the child born from a rich family. does that make it right, though? what did the child of the rich family earn that he's essentially given a golden ticket? and what did the child born in the jungles of the Amazon do in life that he's lack of a better word "damned" to a 2nd rate life? i'm sure in his tribe that child works rather hard hunting game or fishing or providing protection for his village.

so, yeah, we're all born equal, but it takes a little more than working harder and smarter to make it in this world. if only it were that simple. my wife's good friend got a plumb job in the New York Stock Exchange without even majoring in finance only for the reason that she babysat for the then-CEO Dick Grasso.

working harder and smarter, indeed.

i'm just saying it sucks that we live in this world where one man can aquire so much wealth that he would need several hundred lifetimes to spend it all, and you got millions of hungry and deprived people in this world who don't even have as many meals a day as our convicts.

[Galaxy]

i'm just saying it sucks that we live in this world where one man can aquire so much wealth that he would need several hundred lifetimes to spend it all, and you got millions of hungry and deprived people in this world who don't even have as many meals a day as our convicts.
But isn't Bill Gates donating BILLIONS to help fight that? I guess I'm not sure where Bill Gates is a bad guy because he became successful and in turn his wife and him are giving back through various causes.

Also, you have to remember well he may have a net worth of $50 billion or so, it's not like he has it sitting in a bank account. His net worth is worthless unless he sells of his shares (which if he did in massive amounts, would be a business problem).

[Anthony]

sorry if i gave the impression that i'm anti-Gates. i have no opinion of the guy. my gripe is with this system we have that would allow one guy to have so much and allows so many others to without anything.

[Passacaglia]

sorry if i gave the impression that i'm anti-Gates. i have no opinion of the guy. my gripe is with this system we have that would allow one guy to have so much and allows so many others to without anything.

And to think, you made fun of sov for preferring Canada to the U.S.

Commie.

[Galaxy]

And to think, you made fun of sov for preferring Canada to the U.S.

Commie.


Everyone makes fun of Canada. :D

[Galaxy]

An old thread, but a cool article on Mrs. Bill Gates that came out recently:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/04/news/newsmakers/gates.fortune/

[Neon_Chaos]

You guys would be surprised at how technologically up-to-date third-world countries actually are. It's just that there isn't enough money to actually buy the stuff, but it's there, and people are aware of it.

[Karlifornia]

I think Gates is right. He may be a borderline-autistic egomaniac....but I think he's right in this particular case.

[Galaxy]

You guys would be surprised at how technologically up-to-date third-world countries actually are. It's just that there isn't enough money to actually buy the stuff, but it's there, and people are aware of it.

Interesting to hear.

[Anthony]

wow, almost 2 years later and i completely agree with every word i wrote in this thread.

[Galaxy]

One thing about his foundation is they are really go with agriculture grants. It's a great place to start.

[Galaxy]

wow, almost 2 years later and i completely agree with every word i wrote in this thread.

Bill Gates will soon be over to take care you.

[Desnudo]

That's the problem. A laptop is highly impractical in most parts of the third world.

$100 goes a long way in an impoverished nation. That money could be better spent providing food, clothing, and medical supplies.

I would say camera shots on CNN of pick-up trucks filled with laptops driving around Somalia will increase a zillion %.

[Galaxy]

I would say camera shots on CNN of pick-up trucks filled with laptops driving around Somalia will increase a zillion %.

With Anderson Cooper, of course.