Comments on: Gates: Businesses need to embrace the poor

Although Windows 7 news grabs headlines, Microsoft chairman spends bulk of speeches urging businesses and governments to focus on helping world's have-nots.

[soggy0]

Microfinance?

"One of the big topics for both audiences was the notion of microfinance--improving the access to credit and bank[rupt]ing to the poor."

So we're going to take people who already live at or below the poverty line and bleed what's left of them dry slowly with microtransactions? Great idea.

[amarkj]

Do some research before spouting off!

Get involved in helping the poor! If you looked into micro-financing you'll see how it actually does help the poor.

[gopodge]

Microsoft always on his mind..

Wake up Bill.

Poor countries don't need your overpriced tablet PC's. There are already a number of options in the cheap PC space (OLPC, Eee PC) that are already making inroads. Why don't you drop your Microsoft line for a change and back initiatives that are already solving the problem.

Open Source, Free Software and Linux make these projects possible. In the meantime you are raping the developed world with your overpriced software.
I call on all corporations to drop Microsoft software, adopt Open Source software and donate half of the difference to charity. You won't be getting ripped off by Microsoft and you will feel better having done it!

[jdelassus]

Microsoft always on his mind..

Good comment. Bill Gates could probably do more to alleviate poverty around the world by advocating that the operating system for the personal computer, whether Linux, Windows or some combination be put in the public domain, the way it should have been years ago.

[superdynamite]

Bill Gates the Comedian

Is Bill Gates joking??? This is after Microsoft & Toshiba made the consumer spend millions on the failed HD-DVD format. Let's not forget about M$'s XBox360 fiasco; releasing 5 different models of the XBox since it's 2005 launch. How much did that cost consumers? Come on Bill, give us a break.

[banderson1962]

How exactly...

...did Microsoft 'make' consumers spend money?

[theantibush]

As an American, I agree

I hate it when businesses force us to buy things.

If they didn't do that, it would be our free choice to buy or not to buy, and thus our own fault if we buy into a bad deal.

Clearly MS & Toshi 'made' us do it...
It reminds me when my little brother 'made' me
throw rocks through the neighbors plate glass living room window.

And multiple XBOX models...what does Billy think this is? A free market or something? He acts like he owns Microsoft or something. Do you think he considers the helpless customer, forced to own these creations of his??! Nooooo...

So, I agree. Its not our fault...nothing ever is.
Isn't this country wonderful?

GO USA!

[Leria]

No one made people buy HD-DVD

No one made people buy HD-DVD. In fact, I sat out this 'war' between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray because I KNEW that one format would fail and a lot of people would get stuck.

[developIT]

Are you joking?

If HD-DVD won the HD format war instead of Blu-Ray are you going to say that now? NOBODY forced people to buy HD-DVD. Such misdirected rage just shows your stupidity. People like you should just get a life and get people that matter to respect you. Sad to say, you're not even worth the dirt Bill Gates walks on.

[lil-yankee]

Bill the Business pupet.

I agree to the 100%. Bill Gate$ doesn't care about people, the only reason he has that foundation for aids in africa is because of pressure from the government. I mean, he was the guy that helped toshiba ripe millions of people billions of dollars in a format that he never intended to backup. I mean he did know he wasn't' going to win it was Micro$oft and Toshiba against Sony and the world. Since the beginning he knew his company was focus on downloads not DVD's be that Blue-Ray or HD-DVD. Yet he went in to budget more money and ripped innocent consumers just for that fact. Then they also have the Xbox. This has cause as many if not more damage. Royal gamers that have put their faith on the 360 have found the RROD a part of their life and either have moved on the the ps3 or the wii or deal with the rapairs that come unbeatably every 3 months. But hold on tight, they also have that vista thing. I was a windows user all my life, and i used all windows starting in 95 and recently moved on to a mac. Vista sucks and they know that, every body does so now acknowledging this; they are planning to realease a new operating system next year. This is not a company or a person that wants the wider good, they just want money and monopolies that enriches them more and more like if they could actually spend the money they already have. I mean they want to create micro-transactions to finish to bleed and debt people that are already poor? He wants to expand his tables to the 3 world? why not open source that is already available for as low as 100 dollars why have to pay Microsoft for extra cash to license products if linux is more safe and faster and cheaper than vista or any Microsoft product? Screw microsoft man lets move on to better brighter more open future

[theantibush]

Im with u bro

I hear Bill was one of the 9-11 hijackers.

[Leria]

Correction to the title

Businesses need to stop CREATING the poor by taking advantage of people, selling them inferior products that only last a year or 6 months, and stop paying people a non-living wage, so that they have to rely on public assistance.

That is what needs to be done.

[thinkleton]

Correction to the title

that's a very good suggestion. corporates pretend to worry about the poor only when they want some CSR (corporate social responsibility) points. the worship of excessive profit-making is the root cause of "creating" poors in the first place!

[The_Decider]

What a clown

30 years of stealing and hoarding an obscene fortune and now he thinks he can fool people into thinking he actually cares about the poor?

What a clown.

What is worse are the idiots that think this guy is a true philanthropist.

[developIT]

Troll alert!

Stealing? How did you get out of the assylum? why are zealots always demonizing this man? He is more human than you people combined. When will I see you zealots contributing to help the less fortunate people in the world. It's really pathetic how such useless folks like you get to bash great people like Bill Gates.

[blan18]

Like a python 'embraces' a rabbit

is what he really means

[jonz5000]

Bill Gate Needs to Support The Poor As Well

Microsoft Windows is tooooo DAMN high considering most americans makes barely above minimim wages and can barely Pay Bills. Eeek! I am one of them.. Considering the costs of all the computer parts and all the software and an Operating system costs so much that the deaf and the blind can't even afford to communicate. Eeek! I am one of them.. Deafness works very hard to make a living and provide for his family let alone that school are even converting everything to computer uses.

Kids. Think about the poor kids Bill! Think... Think..

How about a 95% discount for ripping off every being in the world, personal and businesses considering how much you make!

Get a heart..

[mike45689]

It is totally about kids.And their bills for different items.I like this very much.Nice to see this articles.

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mike5

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