When did I bash Bill Gates? I'm trying to say that people should stop thinking so damn highly of him just because he gave to charity! He was the richest man on earth even AFTER he gave away half his forune, and if he was the benign saint people make him out to be, he'd give even more. Especially if it's all going to charity when he dies anyway (no one cares if they're rich when they're dead...).

So, in conclusion; I'm not saying Bill Gates is a bad man or that his billions don't help, I'm saying he's no frickin saint because of it!

PS: Yes I give to charity, we have over a dozen TV specials every year in Norway when people come to your door carrying a collect box asking for donations. I gave over 70$ to the aid of the survivors after the tsunami a couple of years back at a time when I had around 450$ a month... So yes, I do give. As does the Norwegian government as opposed to the US (the US pays out the same annual sum for 3rd world aid as Norway does, despite the fact that they have an NP over 60 times higher...).

You cant make microsoft backrupt with charity.

 True.

I'm afraid you're a little ignorant of how charity works in the U.S.  The vast, vast majority of charitable giving is done through private, not public, organizations.  While the U.S. government doesn't contribute the amount per capita to charity that Norway and many other countries admirably give, Americans as a whole are quite generous in this regard.  There was an excellent article about this in The Economist some time ago that I can't seem to find online.

I think giving it all away now would be bad for several reasons:

1. If he gave all the money to charity now, they would all be filthy rich and that does not help efficient spending, ive read several articles recently about charities wasting money (not on purpose but jus becouse of poor management)
2. If his money is invested properly (and i see no reason to assume it's not)he gets massive interest so when he dies the charities wil actually get more money this way.
3. Why should all the money go to the people that are in need today? There's a good chance that there will not be another Bill Gates in the near future. So by not giving the money now he's also helping the people that are going to be in need in 50 years.
4. If he gives all his money away today, and next week half of africa is whiped out by some massive disaster, he will not be able to send say 25 billion dollars to repair the damage. But now he still has that option.

Im not saying hes a saint, but he is still the most charitable person in the world, if when he dies he has spent say 1% of his life's earnings (which is a LOT) on insane luxury, can you seriously blame him for that?

So i would say he has earned himself a rather nice pedistal.

Why would you want Microsoft to go bankrupt? I do prefer having Microsoft lessen its monopoly and lower the price of its OS and Office, yes, but I wouldn't go as far as wishing it to bankruptcy.

Also, you can't blame Bill Gates for the charity thing. It's his money and he can do what he wants. He does do charity, that's a good thing.... Don't forget he has the option to keep all of it to himself....

 Hmm, okay. Makes sense since the market economy rules the US, but I'd still want the government (who boldly claim to wish well for all the poor or oppressed peoples of the world) would give away a bigger slice of the pie. Then again, I'm sure everyone would want everyone to give more.

I can't believe how many people constantly attack Bill Gates' character. He isn't a saint by any means, but to say he's selfish is flat out stupid. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation donates more money than you could possibly dream of. He doesn't have to do it, but he does. You may not like his XBox or even his OS and other various software, but don't bash the man blindly.

Man I love how the topic got off topic so quickly, (btw Mummelmann, since you are norwegian you probably prefer linux since it was invnted by the Finns, thus explaing your hate for Mr. Gates which is unneccessary and frankly offensive at your hate for a man who gives so much, when you look at other billionaires like Donald Trump who barely gives anything and is dating supermodel girlfriends every other day, a down to earth, even though a little nerdy, Bill Gates is a relief.) The point that Cobretti (the original topic poster if you have forgotten) was trying to make was, what if 100 milliion PS2 owners went you used this IM system forcing Microsoft to give away millions of dollars, would this result in them being bankrupt. The obvious answer is that 100 million people signing on would help Microsoft, because even in the original link it says that the money is being taken out of the advertising revenue. That means when mroe people sign up, there advertising revenue rises creating more profit for them. It like comparing it to Superbowl ads. More people watch the more you have to pay for ads. So even though Microsoft is giving away more, they are making more, thus making this topic pointless because the chances of Microsoft going bankrupt are extrordinarily low.

 And I can't believe why everyone here thinks I'm bashing Bill Gates. I'm making a statement on people's opinion of him because he donates money.  To me, anyone making billions a year and donating a lot is a realist before anything else. And screw all those rich bastards who don't give anything at all.

As for personality; I think Bill Gates seems like a likeable enough fellow, despite his somewhat distracted being of late. The real moron in MS was Moore, I'm glad he quit.