Arise Sir Bill?

iadom · 25-01-2004, 11:13

News in this mornings paper that the Queen is to give Bill Gates an honorary knighthood for "services to global enterprise"

Does he deserve this?

Bifta · 25-01-2004, 12:12

I'd say so yes, I'll probably get flamed for saying so but I find most MS Software excellent, Windows 2003 Server, SQL Server, XP, IIS, ISA ... love them

And besides, knighthoods have been given out to far less deserving people.

25-01-2004, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

I'd say so yes, I'll probably get flamed for saying so but I find most MS Software excellent, Windows 2003 Server, SQL Server, XP, IIS, ISA ... love them

And besides, knighthoods have been given out to far less deserving people.

Pretty much agree really. Microsoft has revoltionised the way we use PC's, i think he deserves it

Russ · 25-01-2004, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by col d

Pretty much agree really. Microsoft has revoltionised the way we use PC's,

Yes indeed, we never used to give our PCs a good kicking when they crashed until Windows came along did we?? :p

swoop101 · 25-01-2004, 12:44

I think that it is ok to do so.

The world of computers was well and truly stuck in the 'geek' age until Bill had the 'vision' of Windows.
The only people who had any chance of understanding/using computers were those that were involved enough to understand the plethora of programing languages (most with stupid names).

It is only the fact that the loonies keep attacking windows systems with virus/exploits that cause as many problems as we get.

If Windows had not appeared we would be stuck with the toy-town system (apple-mac).

My own oppinion (runs for the hills)

danielf · 25-01-2004, 13:03

I wouldn't say that Bill had the 'vision' of Windows, as Macs had GUIs far earlier, and were far easier to use in those days. However, Microsoft have revolutionised computing, so yes, I think a knighthood is in order (if knighthoods needs to be given out anyway, but that's antoher thread)

luftys · 25-01-2004, 22:24

Yes just think what he has done in the last 10years

and what he will do in the next 10

ic14 · 25-01-2004, 22:38

I hope he dont get a honorary knighthood, i just dont think he deserves it. How about giving a knighthood do Johnathon Ives instead

Tricky · 25-01-2004, 22:41

If it wasn't for M$ we'd either all be running MAC (he he he!) or OS/2 Warp (and we all know that was reliable)

Give him one, hell we gave the rugby team one each and some didn't even get muddy! - At least we know the england footie team will never get one...

**Paul** · 25-01-2004, 23:41

Good luck to him, I sure wish I had his money and knighthood.

kronas · 26-01-2004, 00:16

i think he deserves it, he has pionnerred the OS industry, i know he may not produce the most secure or custimizable operating systems, but many use windows and the OS's are getting more stable and i hope longhorn is very much a better OS, as it seems it will be.

Stuart · 26-01-2004, 01:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by swoop101

I think that it is ok to do so.

The world of computers was well and truly stuck in the 'geek' age until Bill had the 'vision' of Windows.
The only people who had any chance of understanding/using computers were those that were involved enough to understand the plethora of programing languages (most with stupid names).

True, apart from one thing. The GUI as we know it was NOT invented in the Early/Mid Eighties by Apple or Microsoft (although Apple claim they did). Rank Xerox were developing GUIs in the mid to late 70s. Sadly decided not to market them. An idea that must go down in history as being the most stupid idea since the then head of IBM decided in the 50s that "the world would only need five computers".

Quote:

It is only the fact that the loonies keep attacking windows systems with virus/exploits that cause as many problems as we get.

V. True. Every operating system has some security flaws (even Unix & Linux). Windows gets exploited more because it is used by more people

Quote:

If Windows had not appeared we would be stuck with the toy-town system (apple-mac).

You've never used OSX have you? Built around FreeBSD (Unix variant), and is actually a bloody powerful system.

Quote:

My own oppinion (runs for the hills)

No need to run for the hills, you are entitled to express your opinion.

Back on topic. Personally, I do believe Bill G deserves a knighthood. His marketing of all Microsoft products is excellent, and, IMO unmatched in the industry until he gave Steve Jobs money to rebuild Apple.

I don't believe he revolutionised PC use as much as people here are saying though. He just took advantage of a market that was actually opened up (in this country anyway) by Alan Sugar (the Amstrad PCs where the first really cheap clones). The first version of Windows was largely ripped off from a technical description of Mac OS (so Microsoft could say, when sued, that the designers of Windows had never seen a Mac). The first version of Windows NT was heavily based on work Microsoft did with IBM on OS/2.

That is not to say I hate Windows. Far from it. I use Windows every day, and think Windows XP is brilliant.

26-01-2004, 02:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

Rank Xerox were developing GUIs in the mid to late 70s. Sadly decided not to market them. An idea that must go down in history as being the most stupid idea since the then head of IBM decided in the 50s that "the world would only need five computers".

<Sigh> It was, according to most sources, *1943* when Thomas Watson predicted the world would never need more than about five computers.

It wasn't until over *thirty* years later with the release of the Altair 8800 kit (originally expected to sell maybe a couple of hundred) that the concept of *individual* computers (as opposed to mainframe devices operated from terminals) became a real possibility and that required the invention of the microchip etc before it was viable.

Whilst Xerox may have been short sighted in not realising the potential of the GUI system there were certainly other more stupid ideas...

Quote:

V. True. Every operating system has some security flaws (even Unix & Linux). Windows gets exploited more because it is used by more people

... Windows (and IE and OE) get exploited more because they have got *so many* holes in because Micro$oft decided that "functionality" was more important than security, which is certainly "An idea that must go down in history as being the most stupid"!

Quote:

Back on topic. Personally, I do believe Bill G deserves a knighthood. His marketing of all Microsoft products is excellent,

Personally I think he deserves a jail sentence for the damage he's done to free competition in the OS and software markets.

Xaccers · 26-01-2004, 02:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

You've never used OSX have you? Built around FreeBSD (Unix variant), and is actually a bloody powerful system.

I wonder how "powerful" it would be without the competition of windows? and for that matter, what would windows have become if it had no competition from apple?

I think it would be more fun to make him an Earl, then give him an OBE

Stuart · 26-01-2004, 03:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

<Sigh> It was, according to most sources, *1943* when Thomas Watson predicted the world would never need more than about five computers.

It wasn't until over *thirty* years later with the release of the Altair 8800 kit (originally expected to sell maybe a couple of hundred) that the concept of *individual* computers (as opposed to mainframe devices operated from terminals) became a real possibility and that required the invention of the microchip etc before it was viable.

Whilst Xerox may have been short sighted in not realising the potential of the GUI system there were certainly other more stupid ideas...

OK, it was unfair to pick on that particular statement, which could only have been proved wrong later. You are right though. There have been some quite spectacularly stupid decisions made in the history of the computer industry. IBM chosing DOS over CPM because Digital thoughtthe PC would be a short term profit maker (they aren't the exact words, but they did expect the PC to die out quite quickly IIRC). Again, nobody could have predicted the the PC would eventually take off like it did, so that decision could have been right at the time.

Anyway, I was trying to point out the Bill G wasn't being a visionary. He merely copied an idea from Apple that they had copied from Xerox (the copier company, ironically).

Quote:

... Windows (and IE and OE) get exploited more because they have got *so many* holes in because Micro$oft decided that "functionality" was more important than security, which is certainly "An idea that must go down in history as being the most stupid"!

Actually, it is a combination of both. Would those security holes be exploited if Windows was not so heavily used? No, just as they would not be exploited if Microsoft hadn't implemented the features.

Quote:

Personally I think he deserves a jail sentence for the damage he's done to free competition in the OS and software markets.

I agree there. However, Microsoft did triumph over others who had superior OS's and software (Beos, OS/2 and Wordperfect being some examples). How did he do this? Through being a good businessman and marketing his products effectively.

And, Microsoft are less (slightly) restrictive to free competition than (say) Apple.