Bill Gates' anniversary email to employees

by yukon Banned
16 replies
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Tomorrow is a special day: Microsoft's 40th anniversary.

Early on, Paul Allen and I set the goal of a computer on every desk and in every home. It was a bold idea and a lot of people thought we were out of our minds to imagine it was possible. It is amazing to think about how far computing has come since then, and we can all be proud of the role Microsoft played in that revolution.

Today though, I am thinking much more about Microsoft's future than its past. I believe computing will evolve faster in the next 10 years than it ever has before. We already live in a multi-platform world, and computing will become even more pervasive. We are nearing the point where computers and robots will be able to see, move, and interact naturally, unlocking many new applications and empowering people even more.

Under Satya's leadership, Microsoft is better positioned than ever to lead these advances. We have the resources to drive and solve tough problems. We are engaged in every facet of modern computing and have the deepest commitment to research in the industry. In my role as technical advisor to Satya, I get to join product reviews and am impressed by the vision and talent I see. The result is evident in products like Cortana, Skype Translator, and HoloLens -- and those are just a few of the many innovations that are on the way.

In the coming years, Microsoft has the opportunity to reach even more people and organizations around the world. Technology is still out of reach for many people, because it is complex or expensive, or they simply do not have access. So I hope you will think about what you can do to make the power of technology accessible to everyone, to connect people to each other, and make personal computing available everywhere even as the very notion of what a PC delivers makes its way into all devices.

We have accomplished a lot together during our first 40 years and empowered countless businesses and people to realize their full potential. But what matters most now is what we do next. Thank you for helping make Microsoft a fantastic company now and for decades to come.
  • Profile picture of the author DJL
    Perhaps in another 40 years, they will learn how to stop generating idiotic error
    messages that don't accurately describe the error and what to do about it?
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by DJL View Post

      Perhaps in another 40 years, they will learn how to stop generating idiotic error
      messages that don't accurately describe the error and what to do about it?
      Perhaps they will STOP asking general questions, in messages without mentioning the name of the program asking them.

      Perhaps they will stop having things like multiple distinct processes in a browser where any one could affect the others, or even the OPERATING system.

      OH, and REAL DDL support, like handling purging and tracking, in windows would be nice! It has been over a DECADE with a concept that is over like 60 years old, and it STILL has the same old problems!

      If Windows 8 supports a program, windows 8 should support it. You shouldn't have to keep a list of what you installed/removed when, etc....

      And I was goingto talk about the new gadget/app gui. GREAT idea for an INTENTIONALLY/PHYSICALLY limited phone. BAD idea for a computer that is meant to be an essentially UNIVERSAL tool!

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    We've all had issues with Windows over the years but I would hate to imagine the last 20 years without Microsoft/Windows.

    They've made things a whole lot easier for me & I enjoy automating task with VB.net. No complaints here.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      We've all had issues with Windows over the years but I would hate to imagine the last 20 years without Microsoft/Windows.

      They've made things a whole lot easier for me & I enjoy automating task with VB.net. No complaints here.
      Well, if we had no Microsoft windows, we would have one of the MANY competitors. ONE is used by many instead of windows, or in corporate areas TODAY! So YEAH, Microsoft does NOT have the lock on windows! They actually NEVER did! NOT EVER! Microsoft was about the 5th major player that I know of in it. It is maybe one of 4 still around. But microsoft looked at one created by apple looking at another that was built on top of yet another. And perhaps before that, we DID have cell based windows!

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        Well, if we had no Microsoft windows, we would have one of the MANY competitors. ONE is used by many instead of windows, or in corporate areas TODAY! So YEAH, Microsoft does NOT have the lock on windows! They actually NEVER did! NOT EVER! Microsoft was about the 5th major player that I know of in it. It is maybe one of 4 still around. But microsoft looked at one created by apple looking at another that was built on top of yet another. And perhaps before that, we DID have cell based windows!

        Steve
        The grass usually isn't greener on the other side.

        Microsoft did an awesome job delivering software, unlike any competition. If any alternative was so good they would have crushed Microsoft but that didn't happen.
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        • Profile picture of the author AnthonyMayson
          Originally Posted by yukon View Post

          The grass usually isn't greener on the other side.

          Microsoft did an awesome job delivering software, unlike any competition. If any alternative was so good they would have crushed Microsoft but that didn't happen.
          Totally agreed.
          At least someone tried to make the same, then chat it there.
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        • Profile picture of the author seasoned
          Originally Posted by yukon View Post

          The grass usually isn't greener on the other side.

          Microsoft did an awesome job delivering software, unlike any competition. If any alternative was so good they would have crushed Microsoft but that didn't happen.
          NOT TRUE AT ALL! A LOT of good ideas FAIL! So what was the problem HERE?

          1. NOT windows compatible. Actually, ONE company DID make it windows compatible, it was recognized as good, and started to succeed, and M/S just changed things and threw obstacles in their path. The OTHER company, IBM, ended up caving.

          2. Perceived as more difficult. In the scheme of things, not true.

          3. PRICE. Actually DESPITE price, they did OK. Of course, price is NO issue NOW!

          Sometimes having more money, or saturating the market first is a BIG killer of progress.

          Steve
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          • Profile picture of the author yukon
            Banned
            Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

            NOT TRUE AT ALL! A LOT of good ideas FAIL! So what was the problem HERE?

            1. NOT windows compatible. Actually, ONE company DID make it windows compatible, it was recognized as good, and started to succeed, and M/S just changed things and threw obstacles in their path. The OTHER company, IBM, ended up caving.

            2. Perceived as more difficult. In the scheme of things, not true.

            3. PRICE. Actually DESPITE price, they did OK. Of course, price is NO issue NOW!

            Sometimes having more money, or saturating the market first is a BIG killer of progress.

            Steve
            What you've left out was MS was smarter than IBM. MS knew the money was in software while IBM squandered with hardware.

            MS also figured out that it was easier to let the masses create software for their OS, they basically created a perpetual machine that supported itself.

            BTW, when I was about 19 years old I worked for Lexmark (IBM printer subsidiary), lol, the place was horribly managed. I remember the day the banks walked through the business writing down serial numbers. I took two weeks paid vacation & found another job. About 3 months later the place went out of business. Good times.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    BTW Losing what you had is often worse than never having had it.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      I am a self-professed Windows power user - been using it since 3.1
      I skipped some versions though
      I loved 98, XP, and now Windows 7
      I hope Windows 10 is as good as 7 - if it isn't - I think I might jump ship
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        I am a self-professed Windows power user - been using it since 3.1
        I skipped some versions though
        I loved 98, XP, and now Windows 7
        I hope Windows 10 is as good as 7 - if it isn't - I think I might jump ship
        Well, I used 3.0, 3.1, 95,98,2000,XP, vista, 7,8.1

        I ALSO used the SERVER line

        95-XP were OK. VISTA was a DISASTER, 7 was OK. 8.1 is YEECH! The server line NOW looks like 8.1. YEECH!

        So it looks like you have been LUCKY! You skipped the worst ones. BTW apparently windows seemed like GARBAGE before 3.0, so nobody mentions THAT! Ever notice? And the 4.5.x(IIRC) was Windows NT, but it wasn't THAT good, and cost too much, so IT wasn't that common EITHER. Ever notice?

        Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Something else that's in the news, Microsoft is considering making Windows open-source.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Something else that's in the news, Microsoft is considering making Windows open-source.
      now that would be cool -
      I have been a big supporter and contributor to the open source communities - contributing free templates and WP themes, and modifying OS software - it's been a blast
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      • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
        There are many days I want to toss my piece of crap Windows computers out the window. I was more productive with the old TRS-80 and a cassette tape. The games were just as good too. Sure, graphics are better today, and drives are clearly much better than tape. Otherwise, Windows sucks, IE sucks, Windows phone sucks, etc. Microsoft stock has been stagnant for eons while Google and Apple have whizzed on ahead.

        I can't imagine Microsoft getting into robotics. Makes me think of a scene from Iron Man where Stark Industries is producing excellent products, and then there's the competition with self-imploding products due to incompetence.

        .
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  • Profile picture of the author hardraysnight
    pity he never used the opportunity to advertise a sale
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  • Regardless of your opinion about Microsoft, you can't deny it played a major role in the technological revolution. As for its role in the next few years, I'm not sure if it will still be a major player. I will only remain as such if major improvements are made.
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