<p>Moving on to run the Gates Foundation. Microsoft needs help–NOW.</p>
<p>Count me in haha :D</p>
<p>Perhaps others will be less intimidated if he is at The Foundation. On a lighter note: should we have shorts now? Is that what you are telling us?</p>
<p>…s-e-l-l</p>
<p>Good riddance to Gates. I can only hope CEO Ballmer is next. As someone whose Microsoft stock has done nothing for over five years, I can tell you Microsoft is broke and needs a lot of fixing. If Microsoft had been properly managed, its stock price would be about around $200 now instead of about $23. </p>
<p>Microsoft represents what is worst about American. American tradition is to built a better mousetrap and create wealth to benefit all of us. Microsoft rarely is the first to invent anything. Microsoft watched what others invent and then takes over their business. It’s too bad the Federal District Court judge was not able to break up the company as he attempted to do.</p>
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<p>Why would you even own a piece of the worst American company?</p>
<p>I bought my shares in the early 90s when it appeared the company was starting to innovate. I am an optimist so I kept thinking they might start to be have like a technology developer, instead they behaved like an monopoly.</p>
<p>Haha looks like someone is a bit sour today.</p>
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Wow, what an intelligent comment.</p>
<p>I have made money on the stock, just nothing compared to what should have happened with better management. The importance of management cannot be underestimated from an investor’s standpoint. For example, Google’s stock has trippled in a short period of time. Search existed long before Google crafted it to near perfection. Microsoft could have been there first, yet it is last as usual.</p>
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As I said…</p>
<p>In 100 years Gates will be more known for his philanthropy than his software company.</p>
<p>I’m no Microsoft fan, but give the guy the credit he’s due for what he’s done with his fortune.</p>
<p>They have already had some major mgt issues with the education grants. Seem it’s their way or the highway. Now that seems familiar.</p>
<p>I don’t think it will take 100 years for that to happen! What he and Melissa have done, and are doing, is admirable in so many ways.</p>
<p>Microsoft is the worst of what’s American? Are you ****ing kidding me? Made a new program (Altair BASIC) and founded a company after making a deal and became the world’s largest success?</p>
<p>alwaysamom, I think you mean Melinda?</p>
<p>“They have already had some major mgt issues with the education grants. Seem it’s their way or the highway. Now that seems familiar.”</p>
<p>Why would that be so surprising? </p>
<p>At least they are spending their own money, as opposed to the gigantic waste of public money that is seemingly happy with a failing status quo. No school district has ever be forced to accept the Gates money. The approach of the Gates people might be heavy-handed, but it is still WAY too nice in dealing with the fossilized and feudal system cynically called “public education.” </p>
<p>So far, the Gates Foundation has been dipping its toes in the water, and avoided making huge political waves. The “gimme the money but shut up” typical eleemosynary model won’t work with the Gates Foundation.<br>
The entitled pachas better get used to it, as well as expect more funders to follow a different model of accountability.</p>
<p>He’s not leaving Microsoft. He’s stepping down (if you will) from the day-to-day operations.</p>
<p>I’ve been very impressed with the foundation’s health work in Africa. A little $$ can go a long way there, and the foundation is putting forward a good chunk of $$.</p>
<p>I think Gates is overly praised for his charity. It’s really not that tough to give away billions of dollars if you still have many more billions for yourself - more money that you could possibly come up with a way to spend. Where’s the risk associated with that? Contrast that to most people who give to charity knowing that what they are giving away may be needed someday for a rainy day or retirement. I’m glad that he is giving some of his money away, but this dosen’t make him a saint in my book.</p>
<p>I agree with FF. Also I know xiggi’s heart is in the right place - that trying anything to change public education is better than doing nothing, but I still maintain that the parents themselves should have some control/say over how and for what purpose their children are being educated. Gates money cuts out that little pesky middleman - the parent. Unfortunately, it’s kind of naive to say school districts can turn down the money. That rarely, if ever, happens. The kids turn out to be the guinea pigs in all of St. Bill’s education projects. Who voted for Bill to take over our education system? Where is the accountability again?</p>