Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board to focus on philanthropy
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is stepping down from the company's board to spend more time on philanthropic activities.
He says he wants to focus on global health and development, education and tackling climate change.
One of the world's richest men, Mr Gates, 65, has also left the board of Warren Buffett's massive holding company, Berkshire Hathaway.
Mr Gates stepped down from his day-to-day role running Microsoft in 2008.
Also at CNBC.
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Bill Gates Steps Down from Microsoft's Board
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(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @08:33PM (18 children)
Now that they've gotten rid of Gates, Microsoft can cancel Windows and focus on Linux.
(Score: 4, Funny) by takyon on Saturday March 14 2020, @08:40PM (11 children)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux [wikipedia.org]
Nah, they will keep Windows but just throw Linux in there. By 2025, more people will be using sandboxed Linux apps on Windows or ChromeOS than using "real" Linux.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:34PM (6 children)
By 2025, more people will be using sandboxed Linux apps on Windows or ChromeOS than using "real" Linux."
You say that likes ifs a bad thing.
Large companies won't be able to wave off not developing a Linux version of their applications by saying "there isn't enough of a user base", since every Windows machine could run a Linux version more big companies might start releasing Linux native versions to cover not just Windows but also the growing Linux market with one code base. And when gamers hear that "Oh you should try running directly on Linux, its was faster and more stable without Windwos in the way".
Sure MS will try to make a walled garden out of it but they haven't managed to do that very well till now and I don't see them succeeding anytime in the future.. And the tighter they try to grip their users the more will slip through their fingers.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:42PM (5 children)
Also by 2025, Linus Torvalds will be removed from Linux kernel maintainership permanently due to his transgressions.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:32PM (1 child)
They already tried that.
It didn't work.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 16 2020, @02:23AM
No, a chastized Linus started to toe the SJW line after that.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday March 16 2020, @05:30PM (1 child)
Am I not correct when assuming that the Linux Kernel is his baby? And he's essentially the benevolent dictator for life? Or is he just a part of the machine now? I'm guessing it's more of an it's complicated answer.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Interesting) by canopic jug on Tuesday March 17 2020, @08:06AM
Linus is almost completely sidelined. They keep him around for show as long as he is out of their way. If he did not want back in so badly he would have been long gone. It's past time for him to take his trademarks, fork the code base, and walk just like he had to do with OSDL.
This has been in the works for a while, since at least the time when LF got rid of its community representation. It could have been salvaged for the few years following the decision but none of those with the technical chops were willing to look ahead and put in the effort for a small fight to defend their project.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 17 2020, @12:40PM
Existing?
(Score: 4, Touché) by Gaaark on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:56PM (1 child)
Smart companies would be using Windows sandboxed on a linux system.
How many smart companies are there again?
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday March 15 2020, @12:16AM
Nobody ever got fired for choosing Wintel with Genuine® Microsoft® Windows® Linux®.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:12AM (1 child)
> Nah, they will keep Windows but just throw Linux in there
Linux is already in Windows 10
Go to “turn windows features on or off”
Enable
“Windows subsystem for Linux”
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:21AM
See the upcoming story.
WSL2 will be generally available in Windows 10, version 2004 [microsoft.com]
It should eventually become a default feature of new Windows installations, and more widely used.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:21PM (2 children)
Why? we don't need a corporation playing EEE with our beloved OS, we already have systemd.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:36PM (1 child)
I think you meant "another Corporation ...", as you mention we already have RedHat trying to EEE Linux but there is also Google on the field as well.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Sunday March 15 2020, @02:09AM
Google are only trying to EE - they skipped the second step.
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 15 2020, @03:59AM (1 child)
Now that they got rid of Gates they can forget about Windows and focus on Doors.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 15 2020, @07:24PM
https://www.ticalc.org/archives/files/fileinfo/456/45670.html [ticalc.org]
(Score: 2) by turgid on Sunday March 15 2020, @02:31PM
What became of Dave Cutler? He won't see his beloved VMS give way to Unix so easily, surely?
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @09:09PM (8 children)
With all that money they should be forming a crack team of experts to look at this virus thingy.
Instead we see one and a half trillion dollars thrown into the Wall Street furnace, and hardly a peep.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @09:15PM
He's probably headed to the secret underground bunker in Russia made for the 1%
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @09:23PM (1 child)
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/coronavirus-conspiracy-video-spreads-instagram-among-black-celebrities-n1158571 [nbcnews.com]
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Saturday March 14 2020, @09:59PM
There is little out there that can be any worse than what the president is telling us [youtube.com]
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @09:47PM (2 children)
Rome wasn't burnt in a day. Throwing money can only do so much.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @10:20PM (1 child)
It's truly enlightening how much and how fast this happened and by whom. Rabid anti-gov low tax anti-bailout types get instant relief - which effectively keeps them in yachts - while structural spending (infrastructure) and basic needs are nickel and dimed to death.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:47PM
The people are getting exactly what they voted for.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:26PM
What is he doing about the current situation?
- citizen
- wat
- i step down from microsoft
- why? you can't fit any more bugs in windows perchance?
- exactly, it's full. gonna become great in other enterprises
- omg please contain this menace
- yes, in fact my foundation has already dealt with coronavirus
- wat
- the menace, the virus
- oh that
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:05AM
I mean, with all his know how in succesfully fighting infect... o wait.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Funny) by SomeGuy on Saturday March 14 2020, @10:40PM (2 children)
Does this finally mean we can uninstall Microsoft Internet Explorer?
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:29PM (1 child)
and upgrade RAM to something more than 640kb.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday March 16 2020, @03:30PM
Shhhhhh! Don't tell him we already did.
The thing about landline phones is that they never get lost. No air tag necessary.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Mojibake Tengu on Saturday March 14 2020, @10:49PM
We all now may thank Bill Gates for his Event 201 philanthropy.
http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/about [centerforhealthsecurity.org]
Thank you, Bill.
The edge of 太玄 cannot be defined, for it is beyond every aspect of design
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 14 2020, @10:55PM (1 child)
Bill is in for a sad day when he exits from his underground bunker and realizes there is no one left alive to exploit...
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:19PM
He will try to exit but the automated lock will bluescreen.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 4, Funny) by Bot on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:17PM (1 child)
Bill Gates touches operating systems and we get windows.
Bill needs a wife and out of 3 billion females gets one who's named Melinda, and mela means Apple.
Bill and Melinda foundation start working on vaccines and coincidentally the antivax movement soars.
Bill and Melinda start working on coronavirus and not so coincidentally one escapes the lab taking massive vengeance.
Everything Bill touches turns to... not gold.
The good news is that he is also pro-genocide (nevermind his actions, he considers overpopulation a problem, it's as explicit a declaration as possible). Since he is pro genocide we can rest assured that we're going to reach 20 billion meatbags. It'll be a lot of work.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Bot on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:12AM
Oops I should have cited also one of his greatest exploits, the infiltration/partnership Windows mobile-Nokia, the first ever mutual annihilation without release of energy, take that, Einstein.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday March 14 2020, @11:50PM (2 children)
Maybe he is scared of the Coronavirus and reallized he should concentrate his efforts on clearing the bad Karma he has built up over the years before he dies.
Not that it will help any, given how the B&M Gate's foundation does things the Yama will not be fooled. Bill will have to answer for all the people he hurt when he caused the companies they worked for to fail, all the people who lost their homes when they got layed off because MS did a EEE on the software they had created. Remember Stac Enterprise [tedium.co]?
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 3, Touché) by Bot on Sunday March 15 2020, @01:14AM
>His efforts on clearing the bad Karma...
I am pretty sure his strategy about bad karma is to try and overflow the counter.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Sunday March 15 2020, @04:22PM
Don't kid yourself that the opponents MS EEE'd were any better than MS. They too practiced extreme copyright, copy protection, DRM, and lawsuits. There was a time when MS was actually sort of a little cool for dethroning IBM and Word Perfect. But as I say, only a little, because they were still themselves fundamentally no different from that competition.
The stuff they haven't been able to exterminate is GNU/Linux.
As for Bill Gates, I think he's lost his way. Maybe it would have been better had he not extorted billions from the world economy, so that those resources could go into medical research, for one thing. Medical tech is insanely expensive, yet still far from well integrated and utilized. If he wants to help with medicine, he ought to help with that. Take on the corrupt system that gouges the American patient at every turn. But I suppose he can't, unless he turns, because what should be done is install libre software everywhere in doctors' offices. Set a thief/price gouger to catch a thief/price gouger.
I imagine Gates would instantly reject the above advice, as it is against his religion. He could do a lot for society if he'd devote himself to restraining and changing the ownership society. Promote ways to profit from software engineering, without having to resort to DRM or lawsuits.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by canopic jug on Sunday March 15 2020, @04:59AM
What is in the pipes that he is afraid of and why is he timing the announcement to hide it? Will he continue to put in "a third of his time" at M$, or will that go away, too?
His retreat was announced quietly, late on a Friday afternoon. Overshadowed by an discussion of just-announced national emergency. Apparently, even microsofters were not informed in advanced. So it looks like the timing is intended to make this event as low-key as possible, which make me wonder at the reasons. Each time he has stepped back, it has been in advance of some catastrophe for him.
Azure is probably still tanking financially. That would be one guess. Another could be the many thousands of pages long police report that Seattle has on him. That would be another guess. After many years of Enron-style accounting, it might not be possible to hide bankruptcy if M$ loses the bailout disguised as the JEDI contract gravy train. What else could it be?
It is also interesting that he needs distance from Berkshire-Hathaway, or vice versa.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.