12.06.08
Bill Gates ‘Helps’ the Next United States President
“Microsoft is pulling out every favor it’s got … It has a very close relationship with DOJ and the White House, and all of that pressure is being brought to bear.”
–Knowledgeable tech industry source [via]
Just when you thought there would be Change™, Microsoft's political movement (or lobby) steps right in. Yes, there is an IDG report about Bill Gates and Barack Obama meeting to discuss ideas. There are already some widely-spread rumours about Obama receiving a Microsoft Zune, which Microsoft bloggers now use to promote the gadget. We have already commented on disappointing provisions on the issue of intellectual monopolies, as well.
Gates’ political crusades are nothing new to us. Shortly after that so-called ‘retirement’ he lobbied the United Nations and the Chinese government. He is also feeding patent trolls who are hostile towards Free software and changing laws in India (striving to legalise or legitimise anti-Free software clauses, then proceeding to extortion).
“Shortly after that so-called ‘retirement’ he lobbied the United Nations and the Chinese government.”Not so long ago, Gates personally pressured the Mexican and French country leaders to approve OOXML despite opposition (bypassing the technical people). He was also caught making phonecalls to flip US votes on Microsoft OOXML.
Gates is now advising the soon-to-be president on issues like taxation while at the same time personally avoiding tax, just like Microsoft [1, 2]. If this is the company Obama takes advice from, then people will have good reasons to be concerned. Gates is a lawyer, not an economist. Being richer does not mean he understands macro-finance and having stolen so much from the industry (“He is divisive. He is manipulative. He is a user. He has taken much from me and the industry,” said Gary Kildall about Gates) does not mean he knows economics better than professors in this field.
Let us never forget those lies for selfish gain (about foreign workers and visas [1, 2]), even personality issues that serve as an advance warning. █
‘But when Noorda raised the possibility that Washington might block a merger anyway, Gates replied, according to Noorda: “‘Don’t worry, we know how to handle the Federal Government.”‘ (Gates strongly denies this. “Are you kidding?” he snaps. “The Department of Justice makes their own decisions.”)’
Content is available under CC-BY-SA
stevetheFLY said,
December 6, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Yes, Obama certainly is an evil M$-henchman, too; bought and sold like a Zune… And don’t forget about that islamic terror connection there… They are conspiring with M$ to bring down the West and want to rule the world together with us as there subdued data-slaves.
…
Roy, insinuations that M$ has bribed the president-elect, Mr Obama, isn’t going to help your cause…
Note: comment has been flagged for arriving from an incarnation of a known (eet), pseudonymous, forever-nymshifting, abusive Internet troll that posts from open proxies and relays around the world.
G. Michaels said,
December 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm
How funny, not two months ago you were going on about how Microsoft should be associated with John McCain, obviously trying to ride the wave of animosity directed at the republican party before the elections.
Maybe we should start calling you Mr. Waffles instead of BoycottBoy
Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 3:28 pm
@eet:
There was no insinuation of bribe.
@G. Michaels:
The US is a one-party nation. Obama is the lesser evil among the two.
G. Michaels said,
December 6, 2008 at 3:38 pm
There are already some widely-spread rumours about Obama receiving a Microsoft Zune, which Microsoft bloggers now use to promote the gadget.
Sounds like those journalists that were “bribed” because they received laptops with Windows 7 for review. Of course bribing the (next) most powerful man in the world with a music player sounds rather dumb, much like throwing away decades of journalistic integrity and recognition for a $2,000 computer.
One of your fanboys/collaborator/friends (sorry, readers) was commenting the yesterday about how Microsoft kills people, and I’ve seen stranger things come out of your keyboard, so the implication of your implication is well-deserved, regardless of whether it’s true or not.
If you don’t like it when people turn the tables and use the same tactics and arguments on you, maybe you should rethink the way you say and do things. There are ways to say things, and there are ways to say things.
Friendly, free/open advice
Note: writer of this comment adds absolutely nothing but stalking and personal attacks against readers, as documented here.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Bishop:
Theory: Obama’s Zune was giveaway
http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Theory_Obama_didnt_actually_buy__Zune35592079.html
It turns out to be BS from bloggers:
http://www.macworld.com/article/137347/obama_ipod.html
‘According to the Wall Street Journal, an Obama spokesperson put the rumor to rest, saying “Not true, the President-elect uses an iPod.” It’s good to see the incoming administration is on top of the important issues of our day. I feel better about the future already.‘
jo Shields said,
December 6, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Bloggers are a great source of BS
pcolon said,
December 6, 2008 at 4:51 pm
It’s a double edge sword, cutting both ways, but a great forum for discussion.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 5:07 pm
So why are you here?
jo Shields said,
December 6, 2008 at 5:14 pm
To keep an eye on what you’re making up, before it comes into direct contact with me (via people who BELIEVE your BS land in forums etc regurgitating it)
And keep an eye on direct libel against me.
And in the hope that someone might see you for what you are, and move on to greener pastures.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Actually, more people read this site every month (we’re well past 100,000 hits per day now). I guess they don’t feel the need to “move on to greener pastures.”
It’s a shame that hecklers like yourselves are the vocal minority that bothers to leave comments that are merely protests, which make them look petty.
Sydney Sider said,
December 6, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I know a lot of people who read this site, like me they read it mostly for it’s amusement value.
jo Shields said,
December 6, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Well it IS pretty funny.
Like the latest from Jack Thompson, really
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Very funny, Jo.
/me glad you ‘enjoy’ it.
jo Shields said,
December 6, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Oh, I do. BN gives me real laugh out loud moments. Often I exclaim “what on EARTH is he smoking?”, but not until after the laughing.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 6, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Some bits are intended to entertain, but I doubt it’s that which amuses you.
Needs Sunlight said,
December 7, 2008 at 9:01 am
Two explanations:
1) someone found or stepped in some Zune at an Obama rally and decided to claim it was Obama’s
2) some bloggers were making some Zune up to smear (pun intended) Obama’s high tech image
Now that some time has passed we can see that it is the latter.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 7, 2008 at 9:04 am
Either way, damage was done. The meeting with a convicted monopolist like Gates does not help either, and it’s not fictitious.
Needs Sunlight said,
December 7, 2008 at 9:09 am
On the topic of the story, it’s rather a lot of cheek for someone like Gates to pretend to give economic advice to anyone, let alone the incoming administration. Fewer individuals or groups have caused more economic damage that he has.
Maybe for economic stimulus he could use Windows Update to automatically deploy ubuntu. Gettting rid of Windows will get rid of billions of dollars per year in malware damage. That’s money that makes or breaks small businesses and families.