

Bill Gates: My 1979 Memories - mgcreed
http://gizmodo.com/5321463/bill-gates-guest-writer-reflects-on-microsoft-1979

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sriramk
One interesting bit is that BillG reads Gizmodo and was compelled enough to
mail a story in.

When he wrote comments for his Thinkweek papers (atleast until the last one),
I was always amazed by how much he kept track of stuff happening on the web.
He would usually know the nitty gritty of some API of some hot new site on the
web. He would have test accounts in every hot new social networking site and
would have installed and played with every new product, Microsoft and non-
Microsoft. He would also have very sharp, insightful commentary on macro
strategy as well as micro-level tactical issues.

I think the sad part is that very rarely have people seen that BillG outside
of Microsoft. My feeling is that people outside MSFT have this slightly
stereotyped image which is either a) evil corporate overlord who got lucky b)
wimpy software nerd billionaire or more and more c) wealthy old
philanthropist.

I don't think any of the 3 are really accurate or do justice to him.

~~~
timcederman
It sounds like you could be describing Mark Zuckerberg.

~~~
timcederman
This was a serious comment - it's fascinating how Mark Zuckerberg is perceived
compared to what he's really like. Let's re-examine sriramk's comments about
Bill G and swap in Mark Z:

"I was always amazed by how much he kept track of stuff happening on the web.
He would usually know the nitty gritty of some API of some hot new site on the
web. He would have test accounts in every hot new social networking site and
would have installed and played with every new product. He would also have
very sharp, insightful commentary on macro strategy as well as micro-level
tactical issues.

I think the sad part is that very rarely have people seen that Mark Z outside
of Facebook. My feeling is that people outside Facebook have this slightly
stereotyped image."

Mark gets passed off as the "goofy young CEO who had to get Sandberg in to
play adult", but everyone forgets how much of the Facebook strategy he drives,
how connected he is with new technology and also how quick he is to adapt
strategy. It's also interesting how Facebook was not his first big success (I
believe he was offered a $1,000,000 signing bonus from Microsoft?)

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pavlov
I don't read Gizmodo because I had the impression that it's a completely
tabloidish gadget blog. But their 1979 series (to which this post by BG ties)
actually looks pretty great. At least the Golden Age of Lego gallery gave me
that pleasantly piercing rush of nostalgia:

[http://gizmodo.com/5318253/1979-the-golden-age-of-
lego/galle...](http://gizmodo.com/5318253/1979-the-golden-age-of-
lego/gallery/)

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fno
And here is Jason Scott's (BBS Documentary, textfiles.com, Get Lamp, etc) mail
exchange with Gizmodo after they asked him to contribute:
<http://ascii.textfiles.com/archives/2079>

Here is the "article" he could have been part of
[http://gizmodo.com/5316206/the-desperate-times-before-
intern...](http://gizmodo.com/5316206/the-desperate-times-before-internet-
porn/)

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mainguy
Well, the gizmodo piece "kinda" looks interesting, but the black bar on the
left is totally hozed in my firefox...

