If you were bill gates...

[xequence]

If you were bill gates what would you do to try and turn microsoft around?

[evansa4]

change microsoft in to linuxs and make every progam work on linuxs

[skoal]

I would dress up Steve Ballmer in a monkey suit, put 'em out on the streets, make him dance up and down making "ooh! ooh!" sounds while he waves a sign reading, "The End is Near! Repent!"

\\//_

[PatrickMay16]

I'd make Windows small and lightweight, so much that it would run on a 486 with 32MB RAM but still be a great, incredibly useful, and modern OS. Doing this would make older computers more useful, and it would also make new computers run a lot faster, since they wouldn't have to deal with as much bloat as windows has these days.
Oh, and I'd get rid of that awful internet explorer integration. http://toastytech.com/evil/

Im not sure how possible that is :P
Yeah... Instead, I think I'll just make windows a lot less bloated.

[xequence]

I'd make Windows small and lightweight, so much that it would run on a 486 with 32MB RAM but still be a great, incredibly useful, and modern OS.

Im not sure how possible that is :P

I would dress up Steve Ballmer in a monkey suit, put 'em out on the streets, make him dance up and down making "ooh! ooh!" sounds while he waves a sign reading, "The End is Near! Repent!"

Monkey suit? Penguin suit you mean!

[macgyver2]

If you were bill gates what would you do to try and turn microsoft around?
Open-source it. :wink:

[TristanMike]

Open-source it. :wink:I second that.

[Stormy Eyes]

If you were bill gates what would you do to try and turn microsoft around?

1. Use BSD as the core for the next Windows, so that Windows was a userland shell with BSD Unix as its core. I'd hire Theo de Raadt and give him free reign. And I'd put Steve Ballmer's head on a stick.

2. Be as honest as I am ruthless in my business dealings. I'm out to make a profit, but I'm not going to play dirty. I won't bully others, but I won't let others bully me either -- not even the US Government.

3. Assassinate politicians and bureaucrats who try to enforce "anti-trust" laws at the behest of corporations that I've fairly beaten.

[Kvark]

If I was Bill Gates... Then I'd make a habit of wearing sunglasses or get a hat or try some extra fancy haircut or get some ultra hip clothes or try some advanced walking style... Well it wouldn't turn Microsoft around but maybe one of those options could make Bill look at least a little bit cool.

About Microsoft (from their perspective) I'd...
Suck up to the movie, music and game companies for an alliance to turn windows into the home entertainment platform. In an attempt to make them release everything in encrypted, DRMed, Windows only encodings. And to make people replace all other home enternainment devices from DVD players to raido with (Windows) computers. ...Ok, I know, Microsoft are already kinda doing this, but it's a smart move from their perspective.

But watching from my perspective that kinda sucks, and from your perspective too I bet.

Watching from my perspective I'd love if Microsoft would...
Make a Lite-Edition of Windows Vista where all the extra crap (active X would be first to go) has been cut out to streamline it to work well, provide high perfomerance and be rock solid. As an alternative to the normal version that (judging from previous versions of windows) will be clogged up with a thousand fancy features that eats resources, reduce stability and contain security holes.

[bored2k]

If you were bill gates what would you do to try and turn microsoft around?
Continue his rule the world project. He got that far by charging people, not by GPL'ing stuff.

[qalimas]

I'd honestly close down Microsoft and send peopel to Linux. I'd then go over to Debian, and fund all I could with my billions. Or make a distro Debian based, under a new company though.

[its_jon]

If you were bill gates what would you do to try and turn microsoft around?

I would actively encourage people to try Linux on a Windows partition by making it increadibly easy for people to install a Linux distro alongside Windows with the aid of a Windows wizard.......However I would also use creative language to belittle the Linux community as 'a historicaly important free amateur computing community' just to make Windows look more grown up. I would also place many severe warnings in red as the wizard helped you select a distibution and reformats a Linux partition (through windows ((recommended)) :roll: in preparation for the {secondary}OS or the amateur (this may not work at all) token effort.

Linux could be marketed as the fun free OS that is an extra freebee Microsoft kindly bundle with its 'proper' product, which is not as easy to boot into as the main Microsoft OS.
If Microsoft are not legally able to do this at the moment and I were Bill Gates, I would be looking into ways to make it possible.

IF I were Bill I may also get some rich friends to fund some of the main Linux distro's with a view to making sure no one distro gains too much support, after all no Linux distro is going to gain any ground if the Linux people are diluted between the offerings.
You may have Millions of Linux users But only thousands using each, thats a powerful marketing stat if you could keep a lid on it.

[crane]

I would probably keep on the course that MS is on and also fund some linux projects as well. I personally don't care for windows but, some do. He has made a lot of money making an OS idiot proof (or trying to). Windows is not going away because people don't want to tweak the OS. They want to install it and it work. Linux is getting closer to this.

You can't have good with out bad. If microsoft folder and linux was all that was left then we all would have our list of distros we love/hate.

good with no evil is ......what?

[skoal]

good with no evil is ......what?
Shiner Bock beer without lovehandles?

\\//_

[xequence]

Now for what I think =O Forgot to post it in the first post...

I think they should do a COMPLETE reinvention of windows. I think thats what like stormy eyes said. This time get help from the best leaders in open source. Make a whole new windows that is built around unix and linux and stuff. They would have a 50$ version that is lite. It is designed for desktops. It would be really fast and secure. You could buy packages to add on to it like a server package for 100$, video/audio editing for 50$, web development for 50$. Of course id encourage people to make open source for it.

It would get rid of this activeX stuff people say is bad. The lite version would be optimized for running on older PCs...



Continue his rule the world project. He got that far by charging people, not by GPL'ing stuff.

He got rich, yes. What is microsofts reputation? I guess it all depends on what his priorities are. Getting richer or being well liked... Heh :P

1. Use BSD as the core for the next Windows, so that Windows was a userland shell with BSD Unix as its core. I'd hire Theo de Raadt and give him free reign. And I'd put Steve Ballmer's head on a stick.

2. Be as honest as I am ruthless in my business dealings. I'm out to make a profit, but I'm not going to play dirty. I won't bully others, but I won't let others bully me either -- not even the US Government.

3. Assassinate politicians and bureaucrats who try to enforce "anti-trust" laws at the behest of corporations that I've fairly beaten.

I very much aggree. Except no assassinating \\:D// As much as I dont like microsoft... There is nothing wrong with putting windows media player in with windows. I just found out who Theo de Raadt was by looking on wikipedia =O

The reinvent windows thing is sort of like the OS9 - OSX thing apple did... I aggree on that.

[Nu-Buntu]

MS is a public company and has to make money without eroding its base. However, here are some ideas:

* Release to Open Source the code for Windows 3.X and Windows 9X
* Port MS Office to Linux
* Use open standard file formats for Office
* Release a distro - Microsoft Linux - with a common set of tools and look & feel of MS Windows
* Abide by industry standards instead of forking them
* Give FrontPage the death it deserves
* Bring out Microsoft Bob for Linux (just kidding!)

[mstlyevil]

Open-source it. :wink:

I don't think he should open source windows completely. I do believe that Microsoft should embrace open sourcing for programs and utilites to help windows and to keep the cost down to a level the average guy can afford to buy a legal copy of Windows when he needs one. Mozilla was started to help improve Netscape, not replace it. Firefox has made Netscape a viable browser and E-mail client once again. Embracing opensourcing for all of the utilities for windows would make it once again the user friendly, all in one operating system people want right out of the box. We know though that Bill Gates believes that opensourcing would cost him his billions so he will never change. That is why Linux will be around for a long time to come.

[gray-squirrel]

Very simple:

1. Continue to provide support to earlier versions of Windows, which means

2. Fix each and every bug from Windows 3.1 to Windows XP, which means

3. Hiring people capable of debugging, testing, and patching.

4. Hire developers to come up with an exclusive 32-bit and exclusive 64-bit Windows operating systems (i.e. kill all 16-bit code, it's not even legacy to me anymore), using original code. (Meaning, no more buying and/or stealing applications)

5. Release an open-source, bleeding edge Windows like Red Hat did to produce Fedora Core.

6. Muzzle Ballmer so he can't make comments which make governments think he's bullying them around.

There's many more, but those are my more important agenda items.

[bored2k]

I'd honestly close down Microsoft and send peopel to Linux. I'd then go over to Debian, and fund all I could with my billions. Or make a distro Debian based, under a new company though.
Extremely unreal. You're going to close Microsoft and spend the billions of dollars you earn creating it ? Why did you create Microsoft and/or Windows in the first place ? So you'd give it all ? Hmmm, why haven't you given your house, your car, your job, heck why not, your life yet ? Would you be a billionaire if Windows were free from the start ? Where would you find the billions then ? Hmm.

Remember, its "if you were Bill Gates", not "if you were the boss of Microsoft".

[Stormy Eyes]

6. Muzzle Ballmer so he can't make comments which make governments think he's bullying them around.

Governments need to be bullied around every so often, just to ensure that they remember their place: they are supposed to be servants, not masters -- stewards instead of rulers.

[gray-squirrel]

Remember, its "if you were Bill Gates", not "if you were the boss of Microsoft".

All right. . . then as Bill Gates I would get things to where management would do everything necessary to implement my proposals (see above).

[poofyhairguy]

Shiner Bock beer without lovehandles?

\\//_

mmmmmm.......Shiner........

[macgyver2]

6. Muzzle Ballmer so he can't make comments which make governments think he's bullying them around.
Governments need to be bullied around every so often, just to ensure that they remember their place: they are supposed to be servants, not masters -- stewards instead of rulers.
Yes, but servants to the people, not to corporations (except when the best interests of the corporations are in tune with the best interests of the people...which isn't very often, IMHO).

[macgyver2]

Extremely unreal. You're going to close Microsoft and spend the billions of dollars you earn creating it ? Why did you create Microsoft and/or Windows in the first place ? So you'd give it all ? Hmmm, why haven't you given your house, your car, your job, heck why not, your life yet ? Would you be a billionaire if Windows were free from the start ? Where would you find the billions then ? Hmm.

Remember, its "if you were Bill Gates", not "if you were the boss of Microsoft".
Could happen...I envision a Christmas Carol-type thing. Bill Gates visited by the Ghosts of Ruined Windows Computer Past, Present, and Future on the eve of the Vista release. He then gives away everything that resulted from the years and years of bilking the people.

[Stormy Eyes]

Yes, but servants to the people, not to corporations (except when the best interests of the corporations are in tune with the best interests of the people...which isn't very often, IMHO).

Without people, there would be no corporations. Do people give up their citizenship when they purchase stock in a corporation?

[WildTangent]

first thing id do is cancel all funding and research in DRM and trusted computing. next, i would have windows redesigned to be lighter, without things like IE, and media player bundled. next, i would give major linux companies a million dollars, to help them develope their products, and thus increase competition. more competition will force the developers to work harder to stay on top, and in the end create a better product. i dont think redesigning windows with a BSD core is such a good idea, it will mean a lot of incompatibility with older versions of windows software.

-Wild

[Stormy Eyes]

i dont think redesigning windows with a BSD core is such a good idea, it will mean a lot of incompatibility with older versions of windows software.

Boohoo. I'll just release new versions. Got to make the code monkeys earn their pay, right?

[macgyver2]

Without people, there would be no corporations. Do people give up their citizenship when they purchase stock in a corporation?
But without corporations there would still be people.

[Stormy Eyes]

But without corporations there would still be people.

True, but if you don't like corporations, then blame the governments that grant corporate charters. Corporations are a creature of the state, a holdover from the age of mercantilism that resulted in Europe colonizing half the world.

[KingBahamut]

If I Were bill Gates.....simple......Id open the source.

[macgyver2]

True, but if you don't like corporations, then blame the governments that grant corporate charters. Corporations are a creature of the state, a holdover from the age of mercantilism that resulted in Europe colonizing half the world.
I understand that. I also understand that not every corporation is not-good. Non-profits are considered corporations, after all, and many of them do good work. And, so far I would say Canonical is cleary a good corporation.

I don't blame governments for granting corporate charters. I blame governments (politicians) when they make laws that protect corporations even when they harm people.

[Stormy Eyes]

I don't blame governments for granting corporate charters. I blame governments (politicians) when they make laws that protect corporations even when they harm people.

And I blame the people for electing the politicians in the first place. Since the people elect politicians who bend over for corrupt corporations, and corrupt corporations harm the people because the government allows them to do so, the people are just getting their just desserts. People usually get the government they deserve -- especially in democratic republics.

[blinksilver]

well I think its really obvious, I would commit suicide, Okay I Jest, but I don't really think that MS core windows development is thantt bad, and they really are trying to fix up security and stablity, and at least for me SP2 is not that bad, but there are a few outstanding issues.

1) what I think is taking MS is the wrong direction is all this DRM junk, Music, Movies, and in Vista, your monitor, I think it is just silly, I understand that some DRM that is need to keep the music industry happy, But for the love of god, I'm effing Microsoft, Sony and the rest, can go shove it up there back ends for all I care, I will denote what DRM goes into my OS, not the effing music industry.

2)The biggest problem that XP has that linux does not is that it get slower, The OS Starts out snappy but as time passes window just starts filling it self with god knows what and next thing ya know the OS is dirt Slow. Target the root of these problems and fIx them

3)Use a non-Fragmenting file System, I really don't like to defrag, it gets on my nevers, and MS should just dump the idea, the more the FS Takes care of itself the better.

4)Optimize the OS for Hardware its on, I mean SSE, intel compilers, I like how the x64 version is optimized, but it can be more, have a few version of key things sitting on the DVD for older systems (kernel, explorer, directX, etc)

5) Project outsourcing, instead of trying to outdo everyone in everything just use existing tech, be like netscape, instead of rewriting the wheel, just use a custom version of FF. Expand the extension engine, and work in what the closed source stuff that you need through there with closed source extension, the same with an instant messanger client, email, firewall, CD Burning, etc, and then use your really big resources to wire them into each other seemlessly, make the OS relly HQ.

[Kimm]

1. Make Windows Open Source
2. Write integrated windows binary support for Linux
3. Release the Microsoft Imagine Linux distro
4. Convince all other companies that Open Source is the way to go.

[Kimm]

1. Make Windows Open Source
2. Write integrated windows binary support for Linux
3. Release the Microsoft Imagine Linux distro
4. Convince all other companies that Open Source is the way to go.

oh, and also:

5. Kill IE and integrate Firefox!

[tseliot]

If I was Bill Gates I would make my own distro with Xp theme and conceal it so as not to make other people aware of the fact that it's a distro. Then I would increase the compatibility with most peripherals.

And I would have WindUX Vista, the most stable Windows ever created :razz:
(And I would sell it just like windows)

[jeremy]

If I was Bill Gates I would make my own distro with Xp theme and conceal it so as not to make other people aware of the fact that it's a distro. Then I would increase the compatibility with most peripherals.

And I would have WindUX Vista, the most stable Windows ever created :razz:
(And I would sell it just like windows)
And of course, 'pirated' copies would then be legal under the GPL.

[tseliot]

And of course, 'pirated' copies would then be legal under the GPL.
Hey, if I was Bill Gates I would find a way to elude GPL. The power of money.

[WirelessMike]

My comments would be completely off topic so I'll limit it to "I don't wanna be Bill Gates"

[gray-squirrel]

Yes, but servants to the people, not to corporations (except when the best interests of the corporations are in tune with the best interests of the people...which isn't very often, IMHO).


And, where does the U.S. government get a majority of its software?

No wonder why the Justice Department acts like its hands are tied. At least European governments can keep Micro$oft in check, in the interests of the people.