Is that email is really from Bill Gates?

This message, along with thousands others, is now in public domain, since it was made available as evidence in the anti-trust trial. Some extensive googling should allow you to find it.

What's even more fascinating is the thread that actually followed it (not on Gizmodo's site, but in the pile of evidence of the trial). Several senior executives are basically playing volleyball with the responsibility over the issue, trying to dump ownership of the problem on someone else. Most amazing read!

I'm sure Billy expects that all the money he is giving away will some day far overshadow his influence on the computers - you know, he'll use the money he swindled out of people's pockets selling junk software at rocket prices to purchase esteem. In the meantime, he can wait the day he can point fingers and say how rundown things are getting since he left.

He could have just kept all the money. . . . would that be better?

BTW never owned a windoze machine always a MAC since 84

Not one of the commentators or even MacObserver folks have noted that this email from B.Gates is nearly 6 years old.

My question to him is that has XP SP2&3 / Vista changed the experience? After 5 years, is it still the same kind of pain in the ass as Mr. Gates described?

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UpQuark wrote:
Not one of the commentators or even MacObserver folks have noted that this email from B.Gates is nearly 6 years old.

Are you kidding? Want to read the first two sentences again?

In January 2003, Bill Gates decided to download Moviemaker onto his Windows XP PC. The experience quickly turned frustrating and alarming. Let's see... 01/03 - 06/08 = 5 years, and 5 months.

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UpQuark wrote:
My question to him is that has XP SP2&3 / Vista changed the experience? After 5 years, is it still the same kind of pain in the ass as Mr. Gates described?

Yes, if anything worse.
I own Macs but I get paid to support Windows. XP SP2 is still driver hell and we spend even more time struggling to find what we need on the MS site. Our company has officially forbidden SP3 because it breaks a bunch of the company software (admittedly a lot of that stuff is old and should have been updated years ago). The same is true of IE7. Vista? our company can't even THINK about Vista until they replace every computer on site.

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iJack wrote:

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UpQuark wrote:
Not one of the commentators or even MacObserver folks have noted that this email from B.Gates is nearly 6 years old.

Are you kidding? Want to read the first two sentences again?

In January 2003, Bill Gates decided to download Moviemaker onto his Windows XP PC. The experience quickly turned frustrating and alarming. Let's see... 01/03 - 06/08 = 5 years, and 5 months.

I was kidding - this is interesting, but nonetheless nostalgic. @geoduck, it doesn't sound like an XP thing, but more of a internal-don't-wanna-spend-the-money-to-update-internally-written software kinda thing. I have no love for XP. In addition to enterprise email installation/integration/optimization/etc, I also am the defacto family tech guy. I love my family, but XP is no treat.

So much so, my dad just bought his first MBPro to be delivered tomorrow (Friday) and my mom has been on a MB since Christmas. She loves it - and he is jealous of her easy of use and general lack of frustration. No, no OS is perfect - but the user experience is best on Mac IMHO.

The email is interesting, but I am surprised at the reaction this email has generated.

We should be beating Apple up about the root access via ARD and applescript - much more germane, I think.
http://www.matasano.com/log/1069/apple-ships-suids-with-applescript-dictionaries-hilarity-ensues/

I did a Google search and found a PDF of the e-mail chain. It's quite hilarious. You can find it here:
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/141821.asp

It seems as though MS doesn't even listen to it's creator. If they can't do that, then what are the chances of them listening to the paying public that detest Vista and want them to continue support for XP. Very little.

For some reason, MS have no longer realised the simple equation that we are customers, customers pay money, money equals turnover/profit. Or an even more simple equation is along the line of supply and demand. The demand for XP is higher than Vista. Is MS on a different planet?

As for you Apple guys, I don't think I could quite accustom myself to muesli, sandals and Coldplay anytime soon. Even if they aren't at the same time. And yes, Quorn 'bacon' fills me with fear too, so don't even start there.

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Anonymous wrote:
As for you Apple guys, I don't think I could quite accustom myself to muesli, sandals and Coldplay anytime soon.

What colour is the sky on your world?