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Bill Gates vs Steve Jobs who wins?

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rezuth

Member
Wallach said:
No, I said they were teenagers. Maybe you missed the part of the chart where Tony Hawk tied with someone like Mark Zuckerburg.
Why shouldn't he be? Zuckerberg is far from proven yet and Tony Hawk has been building himself up as a powerful business man and brandname for the last 12 years. If you think Tony Hawk is just some skater you are really wrong, he has not been much of a skater since 99.

Here is a book about it: How Did I Get Here: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO
 

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
Well if Gates eradicates malaria you'd really hope it will be him that's most remembered in 100 years.
 

Melchiah

Member
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.
 

dude

dude
I think I'll pick Bill Gates. There's a reason Microsof won the battle, no matter how much Apple fans will claim superiority.
I don't see why people are bringing up philantropical works, or I misuderstood the thread.


Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.
Ugh... Money does buy you a place in history. Sorry.
And he earned the right to live lavishly, anything be gives to harity is charity - he's not forced to give any away. Even with that "small" precent, he's still giving away more than most group of several people. What kind of bullshit is this? :|
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.
.
 

Wallach

Member
rezuth said:
Why shouldn't he be? Zuckerberg is far from proven yet and Tony Hawk has been building himself up as a powerful business man and brandname for the last 12 years. If you think Tony Hawk is just some skater you are really wrong, he has not been much of a skater since 99.

Here is a book about it: How Did I Get Here: The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO

You seem to be missing the point entirely. I'm saying it's a poll administered to teenagers, which were asked who they looked up to the most. They're all accomplished entrepreneurs, but it's still a question of how these individual people are seen in the minds of those kids. Bill Gates hasn't been a visible figure as a businessman since before these kids were walking; someone like Steve Jobs not only has but is probably living in the most successful period of his life business wise.

My point really is that I don't think it carries a lot of weight in terms of how these men are going to be remembered in history. More of a sign of how they are perceived in a very specific sense in the here and now.
 

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.


...because it does? Gates models his philanthropy on the Rockerfellers, heard of them?
 
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.
http://givingpledge.org/

Gates deserves a lot of credit for his philanthropy
 

rezuth

Member
Wallach said:
You seem to be missing the point entirely. I'm saying it's a poll administered to teenagers, which were asked who they looked up to the most. They're all accomplished entrepreneurs, but it's still a question of how these individual people are seen in the minds of those kids. Bill Gates hasn't been a visible figure as a businessman since before these kids were walking; someone like Steve Jobs not only has but is probably living in the most successful period of his life business wise.

My point really is that I don't think it carries a lot of weight in terms of how these men are going to be remembered in history. More of a sign of how they are perceived in a very specific sense in the here and now.
Fair enough, I'll accept that its your view now that I don't think you are denying anything :) Let's meet up in 40 years :D

anonnumber6 said:
http://givingpledge.org/

Gates deserves a lot of credit for his philanthropy
I agree with you but in the end this is not going to push the world forward in the same sense. It's one of the most beautiful things he could have ever done but in the big scheme of things it will not matter all that much IMO.
 

Melchiah

Member
dude said:
Even with that "small" precent, he's still giving away more than most group of several people.

Way to miss the point.

1. A man has everything, and he gives a fortune to someone else, without actually losing anything in the process.
2. A man has nothing, but he gives anything he can to someone else.

Who's a better person?
 

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
Melchiah said:
Way to miss the point.

1. A man has everything, and he gives a fortune to someone else, without actually losing anything in the process.
2. A man has nothing, but he gives anything he can to someone else.

Who's a better person?


What does being a good person have to do with being remembered in 100 years or making a contribution to society (aka the topic)?
 

Melchiah

Member
Ghost said:
What does being a good person have to do with being remembered in 100 years or making a contribution to society (aka the topic)?

Another one who misses the point. My point was, that what do the donations have to do with topic? He doesn't lose or risk anything in the process, and he doesn't innovate anything by donating either.
 

Gilby

Member
Melchiah said:
Another one who misses the point. My point was, that what do the donations have to do with topic? He doesn't lose or risk anything in the process, and he doesn't innovate anything by donating either.

Well, if even one of those children he saves from polio grows up to be a scientist...
 

Raydeen

Member
I think Jobs can owe a big debt of favour to people like Medhi Ali who killed Commodore. Vastly superior Commodore products, dominance of the market to...ZERO in a short few years (although to be fair to Jobs, Apple nearly did the same without him).
 

Wallach

Member
Melchiah said:
Another one who misses the point. My point was, that what do the donations have to do with topic? He doesn't lose or risk anything in the process, and he doesn't innovate anything by donating either.

Are you implying that philanthropy work only has merit if said philanthropist is hurt somehow by what they're doing...? I don't even understand what you're trying to say here.

I think being a founder of largest transparent charity foundation in history probably counts as an accomplishment in a person's life. Maybe if you think that point is in contention you should ask some of the many people that benefited from his work on that front. I doubt they would see it your way.
 
Raydeen said:
I think Jobs can owe a big debt of favour to people like Medhi Ali who killed Commodore. Vastly superior Commodore products, dominance of the market to...ZERO in a short few years (although to be fair to Jobs, Apple nearly did the same without him).
Commodore imploded after Jobs was ejected by Apple's board of directors, so I don't know what that has to do with anything.

At that time Jobs was off running NeXT, not mattering much, and not making much money at all. But what he was working on at that time eventually came back as Mac OS X and a refocused vision.
 
I guess I don't fully understand the OT because I don't see how this is even a question. Jobs is one of my heroes but come on. Most accomplished? Remembered more in a 100 years?

Gates by a mile.
 
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.
He's giving away billions. He's like a Carnegie or a Rockefeller. His donations will be felt for a very long time after he is gone.
 

Tabris

Member
Business completly changed due to Gates.

You know what we would have if it wasn't for Gates? IBM. IBM would still be the big dog in business and I don't know if you guys remember any thing about those IBM systems, but they were HORRIBLE.
 

MedIC86

Member
It's even better to question yourself what happens to Apple when jobs leaves or dies...

what did apple bring out in the years that Jobs didnt work there, that was any real good (or commercial succes)...
 

MaddenNFL64

Member
Nex Superne said:
Asinine contest. Apparently, fanboys exist for everything.

Regardless of the whole Microsoft vs. Apple nonsense, Gates will be regarded as the greatest philanthropist in history: that is an impressive legacy.

Yep. Bill Gates is just an awesome human being. His philanthropy puts him above business professionals to me.
 

rezuth

Member
MedIC86 said:
It's even better to question yourself what happens to Apple when jobs leaves or dies...

what did apple bring out in the years that Jobs didnt work there, that was any real good (or commercial succes)...
Times are really different now from then, read up on it.
 

Salmonax

Member
No question Jobs is the innovator between the two. But I believe that Apple will backslide once Jobs is gone and the bump of incredible innovation he fostered will be paved over and watered down by companies standing on his shoulders. So historically Jobs' most significant and lasting innovation will be the personal computer, which was really created by Wozniak.

The comparisons of Gates to Rockefeller seem pretty apt to me. Few remember how Rockefeller made his money, or could even pick his face out of a lineup, but he is still a household name due in large part to his aggressive philanthropy. And imagine if Rockefeller had convinced nearly 100 other billionaires to give as aggressively as he did, which is precisely what Gates is doing.
 
Tabris said:
Business completly changed due to Gates.

You know what we would have if it wasn't for Gates? IBM. IBM would still be the big dog in business and I don't know if you guys remember any thing about those IBM systems, but they were HORRIBLE.
Microsoft only bears part of the responsibility for taking IBM down, as they didn't grant IBM an exclusive license to DOS.

Compaq played a bit of a greater role. Compaq was the first manufacturer to successfully make a "IBM Compatible" PC. For years before "Wintel" became the standard platform name, "IBM Compatible" was how it was known. Once Compaq opened the floodgates, tons of other manufacturer raced onto the scene to build "IBM Compatible" PCs, from which IBM didn't get a dime, because they were using a different, but compatible, BIOS. IBM gradually lost the business market to Compaq, HP, Dell, and others, who pumped-out cheaper machines.

Microsoft just happily provided the OS.

MaddenNFL64 said:
Yep. Bill Gates is just an awesome human being. His philanthropy puts him above business professionals to me.

Not to put down his charity, but with warm and friendly charitable Gates around, How quickly everyone has forgotten predatory, ruthless businessman Gates.

AI00p.jpg


"Buy 'em out, boys!"
"I didn't get rich by writing a lot of checks!"

MNPCy.png
 

Chichikov

Member
lunarworks said:
Not to put down his charity, but with warm and friendly charitable Gates around, How quickly everyone has forgotten predatory, ruthless businessman Gates.
I think it's because for most people, in the grand scheme of things, eradicating polio is little bit bigger deal than how you treat other corporations.
 

VALIS

Member
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.

So you obviously know nothing about Gates' and his wife's foundation and what they've accomplished and are trying to accomplish. Gotcha. Amazing how you're trying to make one of the greatest charitable organisations of modern times sound like some dude who finally gave 20 bucks to the Police Athletic League after they were calling him non-stop. Christ.
 

Melchiah

Member
lunarworks said:
Not to put down his charity, but with warm and friendly charitable Gates around, How quickly everyone has forgotten predatory, ruthless businessman Gates.

Charity is an easy (and perhaps the only) way to buy respect and admiration for those not short on money, two things they might not have otherwise. There are no unselfish acts, especially when you know you get something in return. I bet he already has a Nobel in his mind.
 
Bill Gates.

Their foundation = awesomeness

I have seen it's use in polio eradication in India working with the Rotary International Group. My Dad is a member of the Rotary group.

Charity is an easy (and perhaps the only) way to buy respect and admiration for those not short on money, two things they might not have otherwise. There are no unselfish acts, especially when you know you get something in return. I bet he already has a Nobel in his mind.

Their is a difference between token charity and donating half your fortune, and encouraging others like you to do the same.
 

Melchiah

Member
cartoon_soldier said:
Their is a difference between token charity and donating half your fortune, and encouraging others like you to do the same.

If your fortune was 56 billion dollars, giving half of it away would have absolutely no effect on your life. You could still continue living like a Rockefeller.
 

kehs

Banned
Melchiah said:
Charity is an easy (and perhaps the only) way to buy respect and admiration for those not short on money, two things they might not have otherwise. There are no unselfish acts, especially when you know you get something in return. I bet he already has a Nobel in his mind.

Yea, he's doing it for a Nobel.

duh.
 
numble said:
XBox should belong to Ballmer. Gates was out before the first Xbox was sold.

No he wasn't. Bill Gates left MS completely in 2008. He stepped down from CEO of MS in 2000 but still worked at MS as Chief Software Architect.
 

MaddenNFL64

Member
Melchiah said:
If your fortune was 56 billion dollars, giving half of it away would have absolutely no effect on your life. You could still continue living like a Rockefeller.

I can't even fathom that much money, and you speak on it so simply hah. It's above my head how much he & Buffet are giving away to various causes. Insane to me.
 

Guevara

Member
Gates' efforts to eradicate malaria alone ensure that his life will have a greater net positive effect than just about any other person living today. One million people die every year from malaria, almost all of them children. And malaria is just a fraction of the good work the foundation already does. The computers and phones, etc just really don't matter by comparison.

What does Jobs even do with his money? He doesn't donate it as far as anyone can tell.
 

teh_pwn

"Saturated fat causes heart disease as much as Brawndo is what plants crave."
Melchiah said:
I don't understand people picking Gates because of his charity donations. You're basically saying that money buys you a place in the history. Not to mention, that if a man has billions of dollars, few hundred millions here and there don't feel anything. Basically it's the same as a man with few thousand dollars would give few Jacksons for charity. Percentage-wise it's pretty much the same. And what does it matter to Gates, if he gives away his fortune away after he dies, that hardly diminishes his lavish living style.

He doesn't just throw money at his foundation. He works with others to innovate food supply, medicine, and education. Does he personally innovate it all? Of course not, he's a CEO/visionary manager. His talent isn't doing everything himself, but big picture grasping problems and coming up with solutions. Locating talented workers, engineers, scientists, and assigning them to proper roles. Jobs has the same sort of talent. Personally I think he has less (GAF forgets how MS innovates in enterprise markets because they don't know it personally), but it doesn't really matter.

I mean you can read about what's he's doing:
http://www.thegatesnotes.com/
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

He's involved much more than the level of throwing money.
 

Vormund

Member
Guevara said:
What does Jobs even do with his money? He doesn't donate it as far as anyone can tell.

Well he cut philanthropy programs when he returned to Apple. Hmm.

Jobs had terminated all of Apple's long-standing corporate philanthropy programs within weeks after returning to Apple in 1997, citing the need to cut costs until profitability rebounded. But the programs have never been restored.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index4.htm
 
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