Gates Elaborates on IP Communists

justin_w_hall writes "In part four of his interview with Gizmodo, big Bill Gates discusses his recent 'communist' labeling of supporters of free culture - and gets into detail about his rationale concerning Microsoft's position on DRM. Other parts of the interview: part 1, part 2, part 3."

Here it is

[Anonymous Coward]

"No, no, no. I didn't say those people were 'communists.' I did say that they're... 'dirty Marxist pinko communist reds that should be herded into camps and executed en masse.' I hate being misquoted and hope this clears up any misunderstanding."

Re:Here it is

[proxy_avatar]

I have a boot if he wants something to put in his mouth.

I for one...

[Kjuib]

I for one Welcome our Communist Free Culture Overlords...

Gates' Elaboration

[one9nine]

"I really meant to say Nazis. My bad."

Re:Gentoo??

[doublem]

It means you print the Communist Manifesto on paper you made yourself before reading it, instead of buying it in a book store like all the other commies.

Let me get this straight...

[dteichman2]

Gates is essentially calling Mozilla.org, a group with a 501c3 form... comunist. Wow. Doesn't get any more whacked out than that, I guess. Microsoft seems to be getting more desperate as the days go on, probably due to the declining browser share.

This also attacks Linux communities as well. Not to mention anything at SourceForge.net... They are launching another verbal/media assault on open-source software because open-source is dangerous to closed-source software.

With the wealth of open-source software out there, not even great, free democracies (like Microsoft) can stop the spread of communist open-source software Mwahahahaha!

And now the joke can die in peace.

[doublem]

And now, the long running attempt at a joke has FINALLY achieved humor value.

No use of it after today will ever be as fit, amusing or appropriate. Anyone else who uses the joke will remind readers of this instance of it, and they'll think "Yea, but it's still lame and stale compared to Kjuib's masterful use of the gag."

Xbox love?

[ajutla]

From the article:

"Obviously, we'll connect Xbox Love up to what we do with Messenger"

I am intrigued.

Re:Gentoo??

[Otter]

I use Gentoo; how does this affect me?

It means the new Five Year Plan will only take you 4.96 years. Or it would, if emerge'ing KDE 3.4 weren't tying up your CPU.

Rationale for DRM

[jtosburn]

Bill Gate's rationale for DRM:

\$$$$$$$$$$/
\$$$$$$$$/
\$$$$$$/
\$$$$/
\$$/
| |

MicroSoft

Can be summed with: Cha-Ching!

And now to blather on to satisfy the lameness filter, and get /. to stop bitching about too much whitespace in this freakin' comment. Such as it is, of course.

ANSWER THE QUESTION MR. TORVALDS!!!

[Dr Reducto]

Have you or have not you ever contributed code to the communist operating system, Linux?

Speedbumps? Roadblocks?

[NardofDoom]

Let's see them put that into their ad campaign: "Microsoft: Setting up roadblocks since 2004."

Re:And now the joke can die in peace.

[theendlessnow]

Wish I had a beowulf cluster of those respones!

The Gates Defense

[Anonymous Coward]

Ladies and gentlemen of the internets, the Gizmodo reporter would certainly want you to believe that screwing up your music collection is bad. And he makes a good case. Hell, I almost felt pity myself!

But ladies and gentlemen of this supposed worldwide community, I have one final thing I want you to consider: Ladies and gentlemen, this is a medical record. Medical records tell people if you have AIDS. Now, think about that. That does not make sense! Why would people want to know if you have AIDS? That does not make sense!

But more important, you have to ask yourself, what does this have to do with this interview? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this interview! It does not make sense!

Look at me, I'm an executive defending a major software company, and I'm talkin' about medical records. Does that make sense? Ladies and gentlemen, I am not making any sense. None of this makes sense!

And so you have to remember, when you're deliberating and conjugating the Emancipation Proclamation... does it make sense? No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed worldwide community, it does not make sense.

If medical records tell people you have AIDS, you must buy my software! I actually don't think we disagree.

(With apologies to South Park. And I actually do understand why he went this direction regarding DRM - I'd want my medical records protected too. This is just the first thing that came to my mind when I read it. :-) )

Microsoft song

[Simonetta]

-- to the tune of the Mickey Mouse theme ---

Who's the leader of the gang who's stolen our PC?
M-I-C-R-O-S - opps! OH NO! - F - T!
Mickey Mouse! Microsoft!
Mickey Mouse! Microsoft!

The richest man who ever lived is calling you a thief,
M-I-C-R-O-S - 'opps! OH NO!' - F - T!

Where's my file?
Microsoft!
All my work?
Microsoft!

Could there ever be an end to all this needless grief?
M-I-C-R-O-S - 'opps! OH NO!' - F - T!

I use this an anger-management mantra whenever I get DASPO'ed (being driven into a state mouth-foaming rage by the work of a Dumb-As-Shit-Programmer). It usually works.

I would be interested in learning of any other ways to control the anger that occasionally happens after getting zapped by truly stupid software. I guess Slashdot would be the place to ask. Everyone must have some special secret little tricks that they use to avoid going postal whenever bad software destroys hours of work.
Jezz-I hope so.

Re:ANSWER THE QUESTION MR. TORVALDS!!!

[technomegalomaniac]

That's Comrade Torvalds, you insensitive clod!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re: Required response.

[DavidD_CA]

> He's actually kind of right. IN a comunist/socialist systme, the people own the code. (Since the people own everything.)

I thought, in Communist Russia, the code owned the people!?

This is still /. right?

Re:So whats wrong with a communist

[Anonymous Coward]

Why is the word communist a deragatory term now a days. People have no clue what it means and use it as a slam. Guess 50 years of govt brainwashing worked.

Whatever... COMMIE!

Re:Here it is

[vaseyandco]

I read that headline and thought Bill gates thought that giving everyone and IP address was a communist idea. - I am not a number, ( yes I am, I'm 216.220.117.93 )