Slashdot Mirror
BBC Bill Gates Interview
securitas writes "The BBC's Stephen Cole interviews Bill Gates in the first of a two-part interview. In the first half of the interview with the technology show Click Online, Gates discusses his view of the 'digital lifestyle' that Microsoft has been pushing for some time, lately with its Windows Media Center PCs.
Sample quote: 'People don't want lots and lots of single purpose devices.... The PC has more software, more competition, more richness than anything else. So making it simple and rich, that means the PC will be the key device.' Streaming media in Real format is also available. [Video: Broadband | Narrowband]"
And here's the second part of the interview.
aterr - an open source threaded discussion board.
>'People don't want lots and lots of single purpose
>devices.... The PC has more software, more
>competition, more richness than anything else. So
>making it simple and rich, that means the PC will be the key device.'
So we can forget Xbox 2, right.
People don't want lots and lots of single purpose devices. They do not want to have to learn how to set up something for photos, another thing for music, another thing for video.
I can relate. It was a real pain to learn how to set up my iPod. I mean, gosh, had to crawl behind my computer and plug in this little white cable!
But it was worth all that trouble. I sure am glad that this is not a single purpose device. I mean, my friends and I all use it to keep our contact info, calendars, and to keep entertained in class with its nifty little built-in pong game. I think that having all of these daily use features in a single device is my favorite part about it!
No, seriously though, I think the success of the iPod is evidence that Gates is totally wrong here.
Interviewer : Are rich are you ?
Bill Gates: Rich
Interviewer : You mean very rich ?
Bill Gates: Yeah, very rich
Interviewer : You mean very very rich ?
Bill Gates: Yeah, very very rich
Interviewer : You mean very very very rich ?
Bill Gates: Yeah, very very very rich
Interviewer : Can you give me some money then ?
Bill Gates : No
Interviewer : Why not ?
Bill Gates : Because I want your money
Very clever. I know most things I want, I don't want them to have more then one purpose. I don't want my console to act as a PVR. I don't want my cell-phone to:
* Play games
* Take pictures
* Allow me to browse online
I don't want my e-book reader to:
* Play games
* Take pictures
* Play music
* Play videos
* Browse online
I don't want my fridge to have a television built in.
Yet companies are constantly putting stuff together, in an effort to convince consumers that they're innovative and to upgrade. There are plenty of things people don't want to have the kitchen sink. That was the point of the parent.
Bill says the case was ironic, because 'The idea of low cost computing, letting people have a choice of the very best PC, making sure the prices are constantly coming down ...'.
Yeah, but what about Software?
* Play games
* Take pictures
* Allow me to browse online
But I -do- want my phone to play games (so I don't have to drag my GB with me) ; I -do- want my phone to take pictures (I can leave my camera at home), and no, I don't mind browsing some sites that I might have to checkup quickly for whatever info that is now within my reach from my mobile.
Yet companies are constantly putting stuff together, in an effort to convince consumers that they're innovative and to upgrade.
Well, -you- might not like it ; Does not mean you make up the -whole- targeted demographic.