I imagine it's the creation of jobs and extra taxes they pay
good for the economy and that
(Quinton had to abandon other account as i broke it, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:25, 1 reply, 14 years ago)

Which is of course the reason they do it.
I'm not saying they should be hated for it, just that the primary motivation is not about philanthropy. Being f=good at making money is no more admirable than being good at cleaning toilets, arguable less so because it has greater intrinsic rewards.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:30, Reply)

I'm sure the people benefiting from Bill Gates being an all round nice guy would happily call you a myopic moron

( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:33, Reply)

there is a lot more skill in making money than in cleaning the bogs
and by making money, his company has provided work for thosands of people, paid millions in tax and has made the world a shinier place
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:35, Reply)

This is all true.
and I can see respect for skill (although it leaves me cold in the same way skill at football does), but the tax is not a voluntary donation is it? It's something the government forces you to pay. Now the charitable works of someone like Bill Gates, for example are laudable, because they are done as a free choice.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:42, Reply)

Most of that fortune came from illegal
monopolistic business practices. I'm a Windows developer but I still say he's an arse.
( djtrialprice, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:57, Reply)

Double glazing salesmen eh?
well whatever title makes you feel better about ripping off old ladies
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:58, Reply)

Apple are every bit as monopolistic as Windows were/are
But Apple are very, very good at presenting what they're doing as being the next greatest thing and the reinvention of the wheel.

The fact that Apple will only let you play stuff bought through their own store and you can only reliably synch Apple products with other Apple products passes most people by.

Edit: They don't even support Flash, so you have to view the iInternet, too.
( Kroney, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 12:00, Reply)

That's not a monopoly
That's, "We make the hardware, we make the software, it works how we want it to." Windows got its market share from being a platform that could run on anyone's hardware. And when they had the majority of the desktop market they abused their position. The EU didn't fine them several billion Euros for shits and giggles.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have lots of old ladies to rip off.
( djtrialprice, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 12:09, Reply)

All true
same is true of apple as far as I know, except they keep it all.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 12:09, Reply)

Microsoft keeps it all, it's Bill who gives his own money away.

( djtrialprice, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 12:32, Reply)

fair enough.
Still more that Steve does.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 12:44, Reply)