Did Bill Gates Just Say Windows Sucks?

Gizmodo ^ | 9 January 2008 | WILSON ROTHMAN

[ShadowAce]

We asked a simple question: what Microsoft product could have used a little more polish before release? The answer astounded us. We would just like to thank Bill Gates for his honesty and his openness.

[ShadowAce]

Check out the video at the link for the full impact. It's only about 15 secs.

[ShadowAce]

[theDentist]

No. he said to ask him again after they ship their next version of windows, then he'll provide a more blunt answer.

Weren't you listening?

[ShadowAce]

I heard a definite inference about existing products.

[papasmurf]

What do people really expect from a left wing, global warming, one world, atheist, billionaire?

[theDentist]

Did you hear the words “windows sucks”?

[ShadowAce]

Did you see any quotes in the title?

[martin_fierro]

My favorite Bill Gates video clip

Another goodie

[theDentist]

chuckle! :)

[ovrtaxt]

Well, duh.

Everyone who has Vista knows it bites.

[Sloth]

No, he said Vista sucks.

[holden]

I think that saying, "Bill Gates just [said] Windows sucks" would definitely be an attempt to put words in his mouth that he didn't say, intend, or hint.

My best effort to impute the most likely proper context for this exchange tells me he's implying the next version of Windows, currently under development, threatens not to be as polished as he would like if it ends up shipping before he thinks it's ready.

I suspect he considers the current internal ship date as overly optimistic. Having spoken to Bill on a number of occasions, I can assure you he would not "lay out there," asleep or under the influence of anything, something as idiotic, competition-wise, or as self-inflicting of damage, as saying Windows sucks.

I think his remark is pleasantly candid and laced with realism.

HF

[ShadowAce]

I understand all that. This was pinged as "Tech Humor." The fact that he came this close, though, warrants some response, wouldn't you say?

[jdm]

SELECT ALL, LOL.

[webschooner]

You can flower it up anyway you like, but by inference, hes said Visduh Sucks, and it's hurting our market share. These are two facts most people are aware of.

I personally know Visduh sux because I have a machine with it on, and I'm selling it, and will never buy any machine with Vista on it again. Those of you defending M-soft, buy their stock if you believe in them so strongly. I wouldn't touch it (or Vista either).

[HAL9000]

He didn't use those words verbatim - but he heavily implied it.

And he should know. He is responsible for the low-quality state of the product.

[dmz]

Those of you defending M-soft, buy their stock if you believe in them so strongly. I wouldn’t touch it.
___________

Now, maybe.

LOL. Tell me you don’t wish you invested 1000 bucks in MS the day they went public.

[webschooner]

LOL. Tell me you don’t wish you invested 1000 bucks in MS the day they went public.

Sure I would. Hind sight is always 20-20, and that was long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Investing is "what have you done for me lately", and in the case of MSFT, nothing. See below, where it is plotted against the S&P 500. It hasn't even come close to the performance of the S&P 500 Index on a 5 year chart:

As I said, load up on Msoft stock if it looks so good to you. Many corporations have stated that they will not be upgrading to Vista, ever. And lots of individuals are "upgrading" their Vista machines to XP.

[nickcarraway]

Of course, if Bill Gates says Windows suck, are there some out there who will switch from Open Source to Windows, just because they believe the opposite of anything Bill Gates says?