Bill Gates Targets AOL

NM Insider Report ^

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Bill Gates has vowed to destroy AOL.

That's what an insider close to AOL Time Warner tells NewsMax, explaining its recent woes and barrage of negative press coverage.

AOL Time Warner has taken a pummeling in share value, though its stock price is up almost 100% from its recent bottom of $8 a share.

Still, execs at AOL Time Warner say most of their woes and negative press coverage has been manipulated by Bill Gates and Microsoft.

Gates is said to still be furious with AOL Time Warner Chairman Steve Case, who had AOL work up front during the Justice Dept. effort to break up Microsoft.

During the Microsoft break-up proceedings, Case and AOL told the court that it chose Microsoft's browser over rival Netscape because of Microsoft's market dominance - a factor that gave weight to government arguments Microsoft had a virtual monopoly in operating systems for computers and the Web.

Since then Gates has vowed to bring down AOL and destroy it.

The AOL insider tells NewsMax that Microsoft basically "owns the Wall Street Journal" because of its heavy ad spending, and explains why the paper and other media outlets have targeted AOL Time Warner.


In Other News:

China's President Calls Gates "Arrogant"

Bill Gates may be the world's richest man (Forbes places his wealth at $43 billion), but it was not enough to impress the President of China, Jiang Zemin.

An American businessman recently visited China and met privately with Jiang.

When Gates' name came up, Jiang was said to have become livid.

Was China's top communist angry with America's top capitalist, Bill Gates?

Hardly.

Our source quoted Jiang, in broken English, calling Gates an "arrogant SOB."

Jiang said he found Gates to be pompous and disrespectful. Jiang complained that Gates didn't even bother to wear a tie when he came to meet him.

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Jiang complained that Gates didn't even bother to wear a tie when he came to meet him.

Ha, that's funny. Good job Gates, I probably wouldn't have wore a tie, either!

[Vidalia]

Many of the rest of us also "target" AOL.

Those discs are great for target practice...

[BuddhaBoy]

I think it is likely that Gates will stand out of the way and watch as AOL destroys itself.

From what I know about Microsoft, I dont think anyone there wears a tie without being forced to.

[staytrue]

calling Gates an "arrogant SOB."

I'm going with Jiang on this one.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Just one second here. You're all a little too gleeful. I asked my husband what is really going on.

AOL is Netscape. Microsoft/Gates hates Netscape and his msn sites won't work with Netscape.

Also Netscape has ties to Mozilla. Which I love.

I might not like aol, but Gates is really the bad guy here.

[Lael]

Still, execs at AOL Time Warner say most of their woes and negative press coverage has been manipulated by Bill Gates and Microsoft.

Sounds like AOL-TW is taking a page from Little Tommy and the DemoncRATS vis a vis Talk Radio and the Internet!!!

[EaglesUpForever]

They're all bad guys in this article: Jiang, AOL, and Gates... they deserve each other.

[Gorzaloon]

Bill Gates has vowed to destroy AOL.

If so, that would be one of the few constructive, public spritied things he has done.

Gates does not have a monopoly on being an arrogant, acquisitive (Bad Word). Case is no saint, either.

[Dog Gone]

Anyone who destroys AOL Time-Warner is my hero. I am very pro-business, but that's one corporation that deserves death.

[Paul Atreides]

I would have worn a tie.....one with a big ol' American Flag emblazoned on it.

[marajade]

"Still, execs at AOL Time Warner say most of their woes and negative press coverage has been manipulated by Bill Gates and Microsoft."

Ridiculous... has AOL ever thought that maybe with today's current technology of DSL and cable that they aren't staying with the curve? Add to the fact that they censor even the littlest thing?

[Dominic Harr]

Let's see, according to the recently released numbers, MSN isn't profitable. MS runs it at a loss, financed by profits from their Windows monopoly.

I wonder how many FReepers are left who understand economics well enough to know what that means?

[marajade]

Netscape is inferior to internet explorer...

[marajade]

"MSN isn't profitable."

They can at least offer DSL... AOL can't...

[teletech]

AOL locks you into AOL. Microsoft doesn't. I'll side with Gates on this fight.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Go Bill Gates! How ever evil M$ might be thought, it pales in comparison to Ah, Oh helL! Intrusive, anti-2A are two only criticisms in-a-word that come to mind.

The conspracy of ignorance masquerades as commn sense.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

No, it's not.

Also, have you heard of Mozilla?

[Caipirabob]

Bill Gates has vowed to destroy AOL.

Apparently he's had pretty good luck just by staying out of the way.

[marajade]

Um... actually it is... Did you know that until AOL went with its newest 8.0 version even AOL was using it?