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I'll take your wager.

Read up on the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. You will see that Bill has given $27 Billion of his $50 Billion fortune for the charity to manage. IIRC they are having a really tough time giving it away because it earns more interest than it can donate in a co-ordinated fashion.

What ever you think of the guys software and business practices, it is hard to argue that he is an evil man in the face of his generosity.

...and forget the fact that he contributes all year long, giving both money, software, and hardware - http://www.gatesfoundation.com/.

Microsoft likely didn't do this but it would not surprise me at all if they did, because I've never known Bill Gates to part with any money without getting something in return

Really? That Bill Gates is such a bastard!

(Okay, you could make a case that donation to charity still brings some sort of return, but then isn't that the case with everything?)

gates has given away billions in vaccinations and AIDS research. In fact, he's the worlds largest donator, ever.

Gates Foundation

"Bill Gates does not run... blah blah blah"

You're right. It's only his $26 BILLION (sorry, $6.2 billion is just what they've given out so far) that comprises the endowment.

"Mr. Gates did not get on the philanthropic exploits... blah blah blah"

So? Just as I don't know "the amount of money or time" that you've committed to charities, you don't have a clue as to what Mr. Gates' motives are, and the smarmy, self-important intimation that you do is part of what angers me. And "guilt-tripping"? Is that a joke? Bill Gates can either be an emotionless corporate hard-heart, hell-bent on world domination, or he can be swayed by the "guilt" laid on him by people. He can't be both. Pick one.

And does he "go around to countries asking them" for contracts? I'd like to see any evidence of that beyond anecdotal /. rants. Even if that has some basis in fact (which it could), it doesn't change the fact that countless people have benefitted with their lives from the grants. And it doesn't stand to reason that Gates would say "Hey, here's $200 million. But first, sign this $4 million contract." I'm no math major, but that doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense.

Speaking of not making sense, let's examine part of what you're saying:

"He doesn't run the Foundation."
"He does run the Foundation and uses it to get Microsoft contracts."

Huh?

"You don't know me... blah blah blah."

You're right. And you don't know Bill Gates. Maybe you should take some of your own advice, and not speculate as to the intentions of another person.

But, given the size of the entire endowment, I think it's safe to guess you (just like I and most of the rest of the population of the world) haven't given 56% of their net worth to charity. That, unlike your assumptions, has at least some statistical validity to it (somewhere... I'm not about to look up average charitable donations by household as a percentage of income, but I'll betcha 50 bucks it's a whole shitload less than 56%. Feel free to look it up, though, if you think that statistical assumption is wrong).

Either way, I suppose I don't really care what you donate. I think it's absurd for you dismiss the significance of the donations as being executed for personal reasons of ego, while ignoring the benefits they've caused -- regardless of their source. I don't think it's any better of you to criticize Mr. Gates like you do than it would be for you to say to me "Bah, whatever chartitable donations you've made have only been to make yourself feel good and only for your benefit" or something to that effect. And that'd get me wicked-pissed off.

Maybe this is a troll, but I'll bite...

Last I checked, Bill Gates was performing similar acts for the greater human good. He's one of the most prolific charitable contributors in history. If you check out the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation you'll notice that they have poured billions of dollars into global health projects. According to their annual financial report for 2002 they gave away over $1Bn last year alone.

Maybe this is a troll, but I'll bite...

Last I checked, Bill Gates was performing similar acts for the greater human good. He's one of the most prolific charitable contributors in history. If you check out the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation you'll notice that they have poured billions of dollars into global health projects. According to their annual financial report for 2002 they gave away over $1Bn last year alone.

Sorry for sounding paranoid, but the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation announced yesterday that they are donating "$13.6 million to provide high-quality small high schools for 10,000 more students".

Not to say that this is a bad thing, but with the continuing lawsuit between MA and MS, it sure sounds like Gates is using a charitable organization to do the dirty work of the business side.

I'll be willing to forgive it all if you make this your pet project and provide cheap space access, by the pound, to everyone. Just... please... don't use Windows NT to control the ground station boat

Yeah investing in this plan would definitely be better than wasting almost $5,000,000,000 on global health and education initiatives. What an evil bastard!