[vox] [OT] On Bill Gates, philanthropist

[Richard Crawford]

Peter Jay Salzman said:

> i'd be a little surprised if there were strings attached, for a few
> reasons:

Pete, you may some really good points.  Thanks.

> 2. i honestly believe bill gates is a good person, and i also believe
> his
> philanthropic endeavors are separate from his business life.

I've never met the man myself.  I try very hard to reserve judgement on a
person before having met them, and I try to give people the benefit of the
doubt.  (Hard to do that with politicians, sometimes.)  So I think you're
probably right.


> 4. MS is in the book business as well.  i don't think they want their
>    books in libraries.  they want people to buy their books.

And, I suspect, to read them.  ;-)  Seriously, though, well funded public
libraries are an important part of education.  If you want to take a
"corporate enlightened self-interest" viewpoint, you could argue that
Microsoft *is* in a business which requires a customer base of educated
and literate people.  But I think I'm personally more in alignment with
Pete's point #2.


>> > -bill!
>> > (get back to work, damnit!)
>>
>> I'm working!  I'm working!  Um.  Even though we use Solaris and Oracle
>> at my office, my boss sort of expects me to be an open source
>> advocate.  There, justification.
>
> i think bill was talking to himself.   ;-)
>
> pete

Or, perhaps.... I'm just being paranoid...  *looks around furtively*


Sláinte,
Richard S. Crawford (AIM: Buffalo2K)

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