Bill Gates, we hardly knew ye
As Bill Gates leaves the helm of Microsoft, there are lots of puff pieces in the media, helped along by the Microsoft PR machine of course, about what a swell guy he is. American Public Media’s Marketplace, which was in a position to know better, joined the love feast with a story about how terribly, terribly innovative Gates has been.
Mitch Kapor, founder of the Lotus Corporation, begged to differ: “Claims by Microsoft that people were buying the software because it was good are pretty self-serving. I’d like to smoke what he’s smoking.” Kapor is right. Innovation is hard. Anti-competitive practices and bogus patent lawsuits are easier. And bribing politicians to avoid punishment for anti-trust violations is easier yet.