Philanthropist, My Ass

[DavidB]

Bill Gates' whiny condemnation of a new $100 laptop developed by MIT for people in "third world" nations has earned the SOB a lot of deservedly bad press. I'm glad people are beginning to see what I've been saying for years: Bill Gates is NOT a philanthropist.

http://www.bostonist.com/archives/2006/03/17/bill_gates_gets_the_gas_face.php

"Bill Gates is an asshole."

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/56332/

"Shame on you Bill."

[anphanax]

Well, if the screens really are kind of crappy, I would be complaining too. And yes, it's probably a given that he's criticizing this because Google is backing it (and it runs Linux). On the plus side the 100$ system would probably beat having nothing.

This is interesting:
"In addition, Microsoft's antipiracy-minded Steve Ballmer last year called for a move toward the $100 PC for developing nations."
Source: http://news.com.com/The+100+laptop+moves+closer+to+reality/2100-1044_3-5884683.html

Also, these 100$ laptops might have "IEEE 802.11b" support, which would make them "internet capable" @ Bill Gates.

The man has done some good things, but it's interesting how you sort of reminded me that yes, he's the same guy that had/has that wonderful monopoly...

EDIT: Although off-subject, AMD who will be providing the processor for the 100$ laptop, is working on a 185$ computer of their own, as an attempt  to "equip 50 percent of the world's population with Internet connectivity and computing capabilities by 2015". It runs Windows CE though. Even if it's a customized version of CE like they say it will be, I do wonder how they're going to make it... "not suck". Why did AMD choose CE again?

AMD's Personal Internet Computer ($185)
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS4589525979.html

[mobrien_12]

Yeah, Bill's a dick.  He's letting that "man of the year" crap go to his head... now he thinks he can belittle everyone elses efforts to help people without a lot of money.

"The last thing you want to do for a shared use computer is have it be something without a disk ... and with a tiny little screen"

Gee... lets put a disk on it, increasing cost and, more importantly the power consumption, immensely, and making it shock sensitive, dust sensitive, heat sensitive, and software breakable (even Linux can be messed up with rm -rf /).  Oh yeah, that bigger display is also going to raise the price and power consumption.  

If Bill Gates can make a better $100 laptop for the target audience (without it being a loss leader, like the X-Box), fine.  Until then he should just STFU.

[Pathos]

Bill just had the right attitude and the right product at the right time and built on it. Hes never been special.

No real computer geek would dismiss linux like he does, hes a business man now hes just after the money...

I don't know why he bothers, hes got more money than he could ever need he only continues his work to promote windows cause its his baby and thus its success boosts his ego.

[Aloone_Jonez]

I fully agree with this artical apart from the Linux zealotism part.

And what should they expect for $100 a top of the range crystal clear screen? :rolleyes:

[piratePenguin]

I fully agree with this artical apart from the Linux zealotism part.

Sorry that GNU/Linux is a damn good OS. Making thousands of people perfectly happy. Yea, if it was shit, there'd be less "zealots" (apparantly also knows as people who prefer it over the rest of the OSes).

For the record, I've only had to reboot to get into a new kernel or install a different distro. Not after everytime I install software.

[Aloone_Jonez]

Sorry that GNU/Linux is a damn good OS. Making thousands of people perfectly happy.

So?

Yea, if it was shit, there'd be less "zealots" (apparantly also knows as people who prefer it over the rest of the OSes).

I didn't say it was shit I just don't like the style of the artical.

For the record, I've only had to reboot to get into a new kernel or install a different distro.

It is a pain having to re-install all your software when you updrade the distro though.

Not after everytime I install software.

I've never had such a problem on any OS because I always install non-shitware.

[piratePenguin]

It is a pain having to re-install all your software when you updrade the distro though.

I could install non-system stuff somewhere in my home directory if that was bothering me. Hell I could install everything in my home directory and symlink to the system-stuff I want from /bin etc.

I've had this home partition for ages, even in Debian, Slackware, and different G/LFS setups.

I've never had such a problem on any OS because I always install non-shitware.

You don't install/update Direct X or anything like that, no?

I didn't say it was shit I just don't like the style of the artical.

You said you disagreed with him on the "Linux zealotism part". And hah, alot of it wasn't "Linux" zealotism, more like "decent OS w/o lots of malware (perhaps because it's non-mainstream? Doesn't matter.)" - it would apply to Mac OS X too, but not to Windows.

[Aloone_Jonez]

I could install non-system stuff somewhere in my home directory if that was bothering me. Hell I could install everything in my home directory and symlink to the system-stuff I want from /bin etc.

I don't know but when I install a package it just installs, I can't remember seeing any options like that.

You don't install/update Direct X or anything like that, no?

No, I don't need to, I don't play games, and DirectX is part of the OS so yes updating it could fuck things up if it goes bad. That's kind of the problem with Windows DirectX should be just a library it shouldn't effect the rest of the OS.

You said you disagreed with him on the "Linux zealotism part". And hah, alot of it wasn't "Linux" zealotism, more like "decent OS w/o lots of malware (perhaps because it's non-mainstream? Doesn't matter.)" - it would apply to Mac OS X too, but not to Windows.

Would it?
It sounded like "the whole world should use Linux" me, all the time when I was reading that artical I was thinkiing what about Mac OS? What about BSD? What about BeOS?

[piratePenguin]

I don't know but when I install a package it just installs, I can't remember seeing any options like that.

Depends on the type of package. Autopackages, I believe, can be installed anywhere. Same with the binary package system I'm working on (which is alot like autopackage). Seeing as I compile stuff from source, just like you'll have the choice to do with nearly all packages on any distribution, I can install in my home directory without a bother.

No, I don't need to, I don't play games, and DirectX is part of the OS so yes updating it could fuck things up if it goes bad. That's kind of the problem with Windows DirectX should be just a library it shouldn't effect the rest of the OS.

Too bad your OS is just one big kludge created and marketed by a monopoly with only money in mind.

Would it?
It sounded like "the whole world should use Linux" me, all the time when I was reading that artical I was thinkiing what about Mac OS? What about BSD? What about BeOS?

He was talking about GNU/Linux, which is what the 100$ laptop will run. GNU/Linux doesn't have much malware floating about. It generally runs very stable, and has lots of different choices for window manager etc., so it'll be stable and fast on even old hardware, or newer 100$ hardware.

[Aloone_Jonez]

Depends on the type of package. Autopackages, I believe, can be installed anywhere. Same with the binary package system I'm working on (which is alot like autopackage).

The Ubuntu, Redhat or Vector Linux installation programs never gave me an option but yes some software I installed afterwards did.

Too bad your OS is just one big kludge created and marketed by a monopoly with only money in mind.

What FreeDOS, DR-DOS, BeOS?

Oh Windows, well that isn't my OS, it's Bill Gates' and Steve Ballmer's.

He was talking about GNU/Linux, which is what the 100$ laptop will run. GNU/Linux doesn't have much malware floating about. It generally runs very stable, and has lots of different choices for window manager etc., so it'll be stable and fast on even old hardware, or newer 100$ hardware.

But it isn't the only operating system that will run on old/cheap hardware and it probably isn't the best for every purpose either.

[piratePenguin]

The Ubuntu, Redhat or Vector Linux installation programs never gave me an option

Good thing they're not the only choices you have when it comes to installing programs on GNU/Linux.

What FreeDOS, DR-DOS, BeOS?

Oh Windows, well that isn't my OS, it's Bill Gates' and Steve Ballmer's.

Interesting. Since when did you own BeOS?

But it isn't the only operating system that will run on old/cheap hardware

So what, it's what the 100$ laptop people decided it would run, at least by default.

and it probably isn't the best for every purpose either.

The sky is falling.

[Aloone_Jonez]

Good thing they're not the only choices you have when it comes to installing programs on GNU/Linux.

Could you suggest something better then?

Interesting. Since when did you own BeOS?

I don't, you're just being pedantic.

So what, it's what the 100$ laptop people decided it would run, at least by default.

And it's a good choice too.

The sky is falling.

zealot.

[piratePenguin]

Could you suggest something better then?

Autopackage, and what I do (compile from source). Hell I don't even know if RPM and deb can do it. Probably with source RPMs...

I don't, you're just being pedantic.

And you weren't?

zealot.

Where'd ya get that from? I was being sarcastic. "and it probably isn't the best for every purpose either" - I mean, WTF?

[Aloone_Jonez]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_zealotry