[Am-info] AIDS in Africa

[Eric M. Hopper]

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On Mon, Feb 25, 2002 at 12:12:15PM -0500, John J. Urbaniak wrote:
> I heard that Gates and Jimmy Carter were going off to cure AIDS in
> Africa.
>=20
> Forgive my cynicism but I can't help but wonder if AIDS in Africa might
> be a pet "concern" of Judge Colleen Kollar-Koteley.
>=20
> Anybody know?

I have a strong suspicion that if it is, it's coincidental.

I read an article about Gates' philanthropic efforts.  He's approaching
them in classic Gates style, holding organizations accountable for
results, stomping on toes, and generally rampaging about in a highly
focused effort to achieve a goal.  I don't have a lot of doubt that he's
actually devoting real personal effort towards achieving the goals of
his foundation.

I'm sure that his decision to start the foundation was largely based on
PR concerns.  But I also suspect that Gates is one of those people who
doesn't like leaving things half done.  You could argue that the
software his company produces IS half done, but if you look at the
company goals the software is pushing forward, it's exactly what it
needs to be.

One of the reasons why public opinion is not rabidly against Gates and
company is that the company itself truly believes that it's actions are
in the best interests of consumers, and the fact it continues to 'win'
is proof of this fact.  Microsoft shows a curious blind spot in its
public and private pronouncements about the kind of power and influence
it wields.

On one hand, it wields its power ruthlessly to crush competition, stifle
innovation, and maintain its death grip on the computer industry.  On
the other, the people who work there truly believe that they are simply
engaging in the normal business maneuvering that's to be expected of any
company, and that the fact they continue to 'win' is proof that they're
doing well for the economy as a whole.  Microsoft is blind to the
distorting effect monopoly power has on the wisdom of Adam Smith.

Most accounts of Gates by people who have met him paint him as an
intense, driven individual who has little patience for those who can't
keep up with him intellectually.  Much as I hate Microsoft, and the
effect they've had on the computing landscape, I am reluctant to paint
Bill Gates as completely evil.

Hey, I just thought of a good biological metaphor for Microsoft!=20
Kudzu!  It fits pretty well I think.  :-)

Have fun (if at all possible),
--=20
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no Go=
d.
It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."  --- Thomas Jefferson
"Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company."  -- Mark Twain
-- Eric Hopper (hopper@omnifarious.org  http://www.omnifarious.org/~hopper)=
 --

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