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Bill Gates Opens Up About Steve Jobs
Nerval's Lobster writes "Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates displayed a bit of emotion when talking to CBS's 60 Minutes about Steve Jobs. The interview didn't focus entirely on the relationship between the two men, with most of its running time devoted instead to Gates's charitable efforts. But when the conversation shifted to their last meeting before Jobs's death from cancer in 2011, Gates—normally so cerebral—seemed a bit sad. 'When he was sick I got to go down and spend time with him,' Gates said, describing their meeting as 'forward looking.' Jobs spent a portion of their time together showing off designs for his yacht, which he would never see completed—something that Gates defended when the interviewer seemed a little bit incredulous. 'Thinking about your potential mortality isn't very constructive,' he said. Gates also praised Steve Jobs's marketing and design skills: 'He understood, he had an intuitive sense for marketing that was amazing.' In contrast to his subtle—and not so subtle—digs at the iPad over the years, Gates conceded that Apple had 'put the pieces together in a way that succeeded' with regard to tablets. Gates's magnanimity toward his former rival and Apple is a reflection, perhaps, of his current position in life: it's been nearly five years since his last full-time day at Microsoft, and all of his efforts seem focused on his philanthropic endeavors. He simply has no reason to rip a rival limb from limb in the same way he did as Microsoft CEO."
We hear and see stories about bitter company rivals. However at the same time they are also partners.
For the most part it is business it isn't personal.
In areas where they are competing in the same spot, they will be quite bitter rivals, however if a different product supports the other company they will be best friends.
Microsoft Fought OS's while partnered in Office.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Thinking about your mortality is possibly the MOST constructive thing you can do, at least as far as not being an a-hole is concerned.
Are you suggesting wallowing in misery was a better way to spend their time together?
"I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
You never talk bad (in public) about a rival who is dead. It's poor form.
Had Jobs still been alive, things would be different.
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
I've long been fascinated by the evolution of Bill Gates. I cut my teeth in this field as an engineer at Netscape, where I watched along with the rest of the industry as Microsoft did what they did to Netscape and all of the following legal proceedings and DoJ activities ensued. While I still respected the story and beginning of Gates (reading everything I could about him, when I was a teenager), I hated Mr. Borg with a passion and everything about Microsoft. It was what drove me to the arms of Linux and, ultimately, Unix (and my career therein).
Then, he decided to move on from just leading a tech and business army and raking in cash to making finding a way to properly use that cash for the betterment of man. We saw a completely different side of him. Perhaps a new side of the guy that game with maturity and wisdom. I gained a completely new respect for him. I still disagree with some of his views, completely disagree with some of his former business practices, am frustrated and dismayed with a lot of Microsoft's current endeavors and decisions . . . but as a man -- I've come to have a lot of admiration for what he's doing. He's a great example for the rest of the world's wealthiest in doing something truly constructive and beneficial with their unimaginable wealth.
Americans love a success story and we love a story of personal redemption. The only thing we love more than hating someone is them turning things around and giving us reasons to be in their corner. This is one of those stories. And, personally, I find his activities a solid reminder in my own personal life to remember how fortunate I am in my career. As a direct result, I make a point of doing what I can to support things like Engineers Without Borders. I bet many other engineers out there have found the same respect and inspiration.
I also find it sad that, for as inspiring as I found Jobs as far as business and design, there is simply no similar compelling feeling in that same way, after his passing.
What is so wrong about a yacht? If he was looking at the design for a garden would you still spew such venom? He was designing something he found beautiful. Maybe he was keeping hope alive that he might sail it around the world; imagining the sunrises and the ocean sky. Is that so much different than you and I?
Oh. I got it. He's got money. Therefore he's evil.
If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
Did someone ask you to care? The fact that rather than skip over it, you took time to point out how much you don't care says something about you though.
I'm not the one trying to make a song and dance over "I don't care".
So no, there is no irony. Just your hatred of a dead man.
Bill Gates will be remembered as a Nobel Prize winning humanitarian
JD Rockefeller Sr. is still reviled because of his merciless monopolism, despite granting his fortune to charity.