Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates won widespread applause in January when he trumpeted an agreement to give $1 billion in software and cash to the United Nations as part of a job-training program for the developing world. But Microsoft did not seek any attention for a much smaller amount that it contributed earlier to pay some travel expenses for a United Nations business standards group.
Microsoft Creates Stir in Work with U.N.
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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First ones free, then they jack up the price.
Not quite. Microsoft clearly stated their intentions for funding the trip, and the United Nations’ officials admitted they were influenced by the contributions. That’s more honesty than you’ll get from our elected officials.
I was just about to say: can’t be long till the MS bashers bash this too. Even if MS were to eliminate world poverty it’d still happen.
Errr.. With more billions in the bank than I can fathom, I think that Microsoft could eliminate quite a bit of poverty.
I think this is a great business plan. Maybe you should mention it to some more friendly open source companies, like Red Hat or Lindows. Donate say 50% of their profits to help end world poverty.
Sarcasm aside, http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm .
Here’s a counter article. All corporations just look out for their own best interests.
http://www.iht.com/articles/130732.html
Yes, Mr Gates is *so* generous, he may give with one hand but he certainly takes a lot with the other.
Never said he didn’t, but that’s how the system works. Point being that, for a ‘capitalist pig’ Gates IS generous.
“I think this is a great business plan. Maybe you should mention it to some more friendly open source companies, like Red Hat or Lindows. Donate say 50% of their profits to help end world poverty. ”
Yeah,RH should donate , they are doing profit , same as MS. Same as many companies , they all should donate 50%.
Why don’t you give every month 50% from your profit (salary) for this noble cause? Just asking…
Curious. How much of that “$1 billion worth” is a) not software, b) available for ‘not-MS’ training and products, eg in AIX, or HP-UX, or Solaris, or .. ? Any? If little to none, then this is marketing ploy disguised as charity.
probably 99% of it is exactly that.. And since there software is worth shite (They proved it themselves by offering MS stuff near free to companies wishing to switch to linux.)
The rest ( the cash) will probably be tax write offs.
For him and money its always win win. It probably is a bribe of sorts. If anything we know that about microsoft already, they don’t do nothing without having a self serving motive behind what they do.
as for bill and melinda Gates foundation
Its like the old fable from the bible about the old poor woman and a rich man. (someone can expand on it if they want cant remember it) the moral was that its all relative to wealth.
There are people out there that have very little wealth but do all they can. Whereas with this charity with deeper investigation, it always seems self serving, (strings attached somewhere in it)
Its all relative are you helping others for your own benefit, or for their benefit ?
Dont help if you dont want to, no ones forcing you, but dont help to serve your own interests either. Do it for helping others.
Not to take anything away from the charity work, as even with strings attached it is still much needed.
But ultimately, it should be the pharmaceuticals cleaning up this mess.
companies in India can fabricate the same drugs US pharmaceutical manufacturers make at fractions of the price (were talking cents and 1 to 2 dollars for the most expensive) and they still make good profit from it, whereas the pharmaceuticals charge as much as they can far more than the drugs are worth. And they make insane, unneeded profit.
but patenting issues stop India from distributing, and if they distribute to countries then America acts like a bully to that country locking down trade with them.
well I digress. my 2 cents.
and this auto spelling thing in konqueror rocks.
http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1998/01/cov_29feature.html
goes over some interesting info about bill gates and charity.