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> Please. They resold an already existing OS created by another individual. The idea that there was some "vision" here in being an IBM contractor is a total mis
by irishcoffee 11mo ago
> Please. They resold an already existing OS created by another individual. The idea that there was some "vision" here in being an IBM contractor is a total misunderstanding of the history of the time.
Imagine how different the world might be if gates’ mom didn’t work at ibm.
- zabzonk 11mo agoshe didn't. she was on a united way charity comittee with an ibm executive
- irishcoffee 11mo agoPotato, po-tato?
- themadturk 11mo agoSomewhat different, I think. She had no direct financial interest in IBM's decision; she convinced the guy at IBM to look at Bill for the PC's operating system. Sure, at that level favors and family can have a lot of influence, but there wasn't a direct business relationship.
- irishcoffee 11mo agoThat’s fair. I never meant to imply a business relationship. I only meant the connections aspect. I should have made that more clear.
- delaminator 11mo agoOr his dad at Planned Parenthood
- irishcoffee 11mo agoNaw, that’s not nice. :(
- delaminator 11mo agoMaybe you mis-understood. His dad was on the board of PP and it shaped Bill’s population control views and his “philanthropy”. That’s not a maybe, he’s talked about it in interviews.
- IAmBroom 11mo agoAnd you think that changed the world as much as founding Microsoft did?
- GMoromisato 11mo agoDon't go down this road. It's so tempting to believe that everything is just luck and circumstance. It gives us an excuse to not bother trying. We all have that voice inside that seductively tells us that we don't need to try so hard; that it's all just luck, and we shouldn't waste our energy. This is the equivalent of refusing medical care because "God will provide." I met Bill Gates a couple of times at Microsoft. He wasn't an average man who got lucky. He was/is a hard-working, extraordinarily brilliant man who got lucky. I know the playing field is not level. We don't all have an equal chance to be a billionaire. But I do know that most of us have not reached our full potential. Most of us could be better (on whatever dimension you desire) if only we tried harder. Imagine how different the world might be if we did.
- 1718627440 11mo agoSo what. The point is that you need to be hard-working and lucky. Neither alone suffices.
- yetihehe 11mo agoSo what? "Hardworking" is a choice. You can choose to be hardworking or not. If you are already hardworking, then you can use your luck. If you're not, you will squander any chance.
- deleted 11mo ago[deleted]