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I think you need to look more specifically at what exactly the Gates Foundation does if you want to answer the questiona at the end of the article. They're know

by scythe 16y ago

I think you need to look more specifically at what exactly the Gates Foundation does if you want to answer the questiona at the end of the article. They're known for fighting disease, primarily; disease in third-world countries is a major barrier to industrial expansion into these countries. Further, charity has achieved at least one major victory: the eradication of smallpox, perhaps the greatest achievement in human history, so I'd say it's contributed at least a little -- and the Gates Foundation has some good precedent for their goals.

zacharypinter 16y ago
With Bill Gates you at least know that there's an extremely intelligent person at the top, looking to solve real problems (assuming he's past the phase of donating Windows machines to schools). I think that's the largest point: just giving out money to causes is typically a poor way to make a difference. However, if you intelligently spend that money (whether it be by empowering people through job creation or eradicating diseases) then you have a chance of making a lasting impact.
- rottencupcakes 16y ago
  > assuming he's past the phase of donating Windows machines to schools Why do you feel the need to throw that jab in there? Windows is the more prevalent computing platform in the world. Stepping aside from our nerd world for a second, you could argue he would be doing them a disservice trying to ship them Linux or something that wouldn't be compatible with the most popular software in the world.
  - zacharypinter 16y ago
    Ironically, I was just trying to head off a negative conversation. I figured it'd come up since I mentioned that Bill Gates was using his charity to solve real problems. When saying that, somebody usually mentions how the foundation has been used (in the name of charity) to market Windows to future generations.
grannyg00se 16y ago
I think his gripe is charity in the form of cash handouts which don't fix anything. Charity in the form of research or other expense toward eradication of a disease is different.
yters 16y ago
Now this is purely hearsay, but I've heard it said the creator of the smallpox vaccine regretted what he'd done because the amount of polio it produced greatly outnumbered the lives it saved. It was on the internet so it must be true!
- scythe 16y ago
  Edward Jenner introduced the variola vaccine in the late 1700s. Polio didn't even become a major problem until after his death! >In developed countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, improvements were made in community sanitation, including better sewage disposal and clean water supplies. These changes drastically increased the proportion of children and adults at risk of paralytic polio infection, by reducing childhood exposure and immunity to the disease. (Edward Jenner died in 1823)
borism 16y ago
First time I hear a claim that charity is responsible for smallpox eradication. Sure, charities did help a lot, but it took Worldwide coordinated effort by WHO with primary donors being UN member states to achieve full eradication.

by scythe 16y ago

zacharypinter 16y ago

With Bill Gates you at least know that there's an extremely intelligent person at the top, looking to solve real problems (assuming he's past the phase of donating Windows machines to schools). I think that's the largest point: just giving out money to causes is typically a poor way to make a difference. However, if you intelligently spend that money (whether it be by empowering people through job creation or eradicating diseases) then you have a chance of making a lasting impact.

rottencupcakes 16y ago
> assuming he's past the phase of donating Windows machines to schools Why do you feel the need to throw that jab in there? Windows is the more prevalent computing platform in the world. Stepping aside from our nerd world for a second, you could argue he would be doing them a disservice trying to ship them Linux or something that wouldn't be compatible with the most popular software in the world.
- zacharypinter 16y ago
  Ironically, I was just trying to head off a negative conversation. I figured it'd come up since I mentioned that Bill Gates was using his charity to solve real problems. When saying that, somebody usually mentions how the foundation has been used (in the name of charity) to market Windows to future generations.

grannyg00se 16y ago

I think his gripe is charity in the form of cash handouts which don't fix anything. Charity in the form of research or other expense toward eradication of a disease is different.

yters 16y ago

Now this is purely hearsay, but I've heard it said the creator of the smallpox vaccine regretted what he'd done because the amount of polio it produced greatly outnumbered the lives it saved. It was on the internet so it must be true!

scythe 16y ago
Edward Jenner introduced the variola vaccine in the late 1700s. Polio didn't even become a major problem until after his death! >In developed countries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, improvements were made in community sanitation, including better sewage disposal and clean water supplies. These changes drastically increased the proportion of children and adults at risk of paralytic polio infection, by reducing childhood exposure and immunity to the disease. (Edward Jenner died in 1823)

borism 16y ago

First time I hear a claim that charity is responsible for smallpox eradication. Sure, charities did help a lot, but it took Worldwide coordinated effort by WHO with primary donors being UN member states to achieve full eradication.