Microsoft and donations.

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

I've seen this all around and in the MS Hardware forum. Most people say that Bill Gates is too greedy to give out any of his money an is a greedy hog with his Billions. Well, this isn't so true, Bill Gates donates more money than any other charity in the US through his charity.

I'm not promoting the guy, nor am I degrading him, but he does donate a lot of money.

Another thing his, most of their money is tied up in stocks and whatever else, not in cold hard cash.

Strange but true: Why does MS have advertisers pay them on events such as the day XP was released? Intel paid some 40 million to MS. Why??? They don't need it.

[voidmain]

Have you ever noticed how his 'charitable contributions' always coincide big antitrust lawsuits against him? Hmmmm...

And here's an interesting semi-related link:
http://db.photo.net/WealthClockRealTime

[Heru]

Yeah.
It isn't any sort of coincidence that Bill Gates started to donate to charity in 1997.  In 1997 Microsoft got involved in this antitrust case.

Bill is only donating this money as a public relations trick.

[Calum]

hmm, their generous donations of "windows or bust" computers to schools leaves me unconvinced too...

[creedon]

quote:Originally posted by Calum:
hmm, their generous donations of "windows or bust" computers to schools leaves me unconvinced too...

Think of it from their POV; it's an INVESTMENT- if the boxes are using MS software that's current, but about to be replaced the entity they donated to will have to PAY to keep their software updated; net result: MS makes back their investment, PLUS a neat little profit!

  :mad:    :mad:    :mad:

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

No, he started contributing as early as 1992.

[voidmain]

Do you know of a place where we can examine his contributions?  I am very confident that we can find in nearly every case that he did not do it out of the kindness of his heart. Would be more than happy to examine the list.

[pkd_lives]

You can try gatesfoundation.org, and microsoft's giving page (215 million last year, apparently). Don't know about the more detailed reports, must be some USA goverment body that holds and releases this info, isn't that a requirement in US. After all most of it is for tax break and marketing reasons.

For some reason Opera does not want to connect to the microsoft site, not sure why - maybe my app. is scared it may catch something, ha ha ha.

I hate gatesie and what he does professionally, but donating may be genuine, maybe his wife is a really nice person.

[voidmain]

Naw she can't be, she was a M$ coder. Didn't I hear recently that they were having marriage trouble? And I would prefer not to read the articles on the M$ sites as they surely won't tell the whole truth (besides, I block all outbound to M$ so there's no chance of any of my machines talking to them).

[ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

Ok, non MS sites.

http://www.google.com/search?q=gates+foundation

Hey, atleast he gives.

[voidmain]

Hey, thanks for the link. This one probably sums it up the best:

http://www.salon.com/jan97/philanthropy2970127.html

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

Well, that's MS's practices with donating software and hardware. His foundation also donates simply money and other non MS stuff.

Hell, if I got a free computer from him, shit, I don't care if you see it as him expanding his empire, I got another computer!

[voidmain]

oh please! Billy does nothing out of the kindness of his heart. If you are such a fan boy, why do you spend so much time on this site? Can't you find an "I love Bill Gates" site where you can spend time with other unenlightened types?

[Calum]

if bill gates gave you a computer, you would be obliged to only run M$ software on it, and you would be obliged to get all new upgrades that were made available whether you wanted them or not. You would be required to allow data to be collected about everything you use your computer for, and sent back to M$ central, using your own bandwidth that you paid for.
Also, if you ever tried to use your computer to install another OS (probably even as a dual boot), the auditors would be round your house in a flash, confiscatin property and ringing you up in the middle of the night et c.

Why does the computer world waste time with these thugs? when it could be developing in a positive direction!!!???

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

VoidMain, I don't know him any better than you do. I don;t truely know if it's comming from the bottom of his heart or now, it could very well not. But just because you simply cannot stand the guy, doesn't mean he's ALL evil. To you, you only know him for his evil empire called MS, nothing else.

New word for MS: Evil empire.