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Bill Gates Talk From 1989 Surfaces

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the hard-to-make-predictions-especially-about-the-future dept.

70sstar writes "A 1-1/2 hour recording of Bill Gates addressing a crowd of university students in 1989 was recently found and digitized, and has been circulating in some IRC channels for the past few weeks. The speech has found a permanent home on the web page of the University of Waterloo CS Club, where the talk is reported to have taken place. Gates covers the past, present, and future of computing as of 1989. While the former two might be of interest to tech historians, the real fascination is Gates's prediction of computing yet to come. Like the now-legendary '640k' remark, some of his comments are almost laughably off-target ('OS/2 is the way of the future!'). And yet, by and large, he had accurately, chillingly, prophesied an entire decade or two of software and hardware development. All in all, a fascinating talk from one of the most powerful speakers in CS and IT."

15 of 317 comments (clear)

  1. Shh...poster was being smug! by HarryCaul · · Score: 5, Funny


    Don't interfere with Bill-Bashing!

  2. Re:Sysadmin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If I was said sysadmin I would be changing my numbers right about... now.

  3. One thing is obvious from the photograph by Aokubidaikon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Most geeks' dress sense hasn't changed much since 1989 ;)

    1. Re:One thing is obvious from the photograph by jd · · Score: 4, Funny

      That's because geeks have a genetically-implanted dress sense from hyper-intelligent beings from another world. Those who lack the genes necessary give in to their ancestral ape-man desires for suits and ties.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    2. Re:One thing is obvious from the photograph by thrawn_aj · · Score: 3, Funny

      Most geeks' dress sense hasn't changed much since 1989 ;) Fancy that :P. How foolish of us geeks not to buy into the "hip" mantra. But hey, come up with a less idiotic accessory than a tie (which, seriously was probably invented by a closet S&M freak) and we'll talk business =D. Another fancy I have is that the suit was invented by the same sadist who invented the corset and high heels for women. Gimme a tshirt and pair of jeans anytime. The Linux fanbois can have the penguin suits =D.

      ______

      "What's flamebait daddy?"

    3. Re:One thing is obvious from the photograph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      I always thought it was from viking raider who made the villagers they enslaved wear a noose around their necks to remind them what would happen if they disobeyed.

      Which is why office workers have to wear them.

  4. He thought OS/2 would be the perfect platform... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...for Duke Nukem Forever.

  5. 30 minutes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    1-1/2 hour = 30 minutes

    Oh wait...

  6. Re:Predict the future by The+Zon · · Score: 3, Funny

    The best way to predict the future... is to invent it.
    I have prior art on the future. Also, a time machine.
    --
    Some attitudes replaced or by cgi optimizes
  7. Re:Transcript? by flappinbooger · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, how long have you worked at MS?

    --
    Flappinbooger isn't my real name
  8. Everyone's predictions are wrong. by suv4x4 · · Score: 3, Funny

    He's the richest dude in the world and his OS is on almost every PC in the world, but let's laugh that he predicted something wrong in 1989! Hahaha, that totally evens things out.

    Gee, I feel better for me now.

  9. Ahem.. by FMota91 · · Score: 4, Funny
    You ARE posting on slashdot. Let me correct your statement...

    Everyone cares about these fabulous corrections and technicalities. Keep it coming, it's really bitchin'.
    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C1 bottles of beer on the wall. Take one down, pass it round... Oh, umm...
  10. Re:Enough with the conspiracy theories by mh101 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Steve Ballmer made a great speech a company meeting. He said that Microsoft had been sending a mixed message to customers: if you have this kind of hardware buy Windows, if you have that kind of hardware buy OS/2. He said that from now on, there would be a new message: "Windows! Windows! Windows!!!" He shouted himself hoarse saying it.
    I guess that was practice for his "Developers developers developers developers" speech.

    --
    Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
  11. Re:Well... by xigxag · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I'm OS/2, and I used to be the next operating system of your PC."

    --
    There are two kinds of people: 1) those who start arrays with one and 1) those who start them with zero.
  12. Re:Imagine... by kv9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then one day this fellow shows up with a Vespa and says, "You should sell these Vespa scooters too.." What do you do..?

    I repeatedly slam a car door against your head for using yet another computer/car analogy on Slashdot

    --
    Stop Computers/Cars Analogies on S