[vox] [OT] On Bill Gates, philanthropist

[Bill Kendrick]

I was quickly browsing the latest SCO commentary by Lawrence Lessig, and
noticed this interesting article linked-to in one of the reader comments:

  http://www.guerrillanews.com/sci-tech/doc2398.html

    "Gate's demi-trillionaire status is based on a nasty little
    monopoly-protecting trade treaty called 'TRIPS' --
    the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights rules of the
    World Trade Organization.  TRIPS gives Gates a hammerlock on
    computer operating systems worldwide, legally granting him a
    monopoly that the Robber Barons of yore could only dream of.
    But TRIPS, the rule which helps Gates rule, also bars African
    governments from buying AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis medicine
    at cheap market prices."

It's written a little dramatically, but is definitely interesting.

Sorry for being so off-topic, but for being annoyed at Microsoft
(both due to software -- laptop just blue-screened! -- and due to they
way the act in general), I always felt it hard to _totally_ dislike
Gates himself, due to his contributions.  Now they seem a little less 'good.'

Bleah.  Bad taste in mouth now.  Need more coffee... :^P

-bill!