Bill Gates is one of the richest, most successful people in history. But despite his success, he’s still a human being. And as such, he can make mistakes and have misconceptions about things just like anyone else. Bill had reputation questionable behavior is what most people believe. But is it true? There are many misconceptions about Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, who is partially responsible for Microsoft’s success and has changed our lives in so many ways.
However, there are five major misconceptions that most people still believe that may not be completely true. This blog post will explore these misconceptions as well as debunk some of them with evidence to support its claims.
Five Common Misconceptions About Bill Gates :
1. Bill Gates Hates Linux
Linux has been the technology of choice for many users interested in operating systems free from the control of major corporations. Microsoft has had a monopoly, and many people feel that their products are overpriced and not completely secure. Because Bill Gates is considered to be the “evil overlord” of Microsoft, people tend to assume that he also hates Linux.
However, this could not be further from the truth as Bill is actually a huge supporter of Linux and says so in many of his interviews. In fact, Microsoft even distributes its WordPerfect Office suite on various distributions of Linux. He also fought against SCO when they threatened to sue companies who used Linux.
2. Bill Gates Killed the Internet
While the Internet is taking over our lives, many people still see it as something that was invented by the government and is subservient to it. However, this could not be further from the truth. The Internet was invented by DARPA, a military program that had no intention of creating a worldwide network with everyone connected at all times. The idea was simply to create a network that people could connect to through remote terminals, which they were able to do successfully in 1969 with the creation of ARPANET and EMAIL.
The first actual World Wide Web connection was made on August 6, 1991, marking the date that most people consider the Internet officially created. However, this was all done without Bill Gates, who didn’t start to support and develop Internet technology until 1994 with the release of Windows NT. Of course, since he’s been involved in the industry since then, many people assume that he had a hand in creating it, which is simply not true.
3. Bill Gates Wants Software to Be Free
Many people assume that software should be free for everyone to use. While Bill does agree with this sentiment in some cases, Microsoft has also started charging for its programs like Office and Windows Vista as well as charging extra for Windows XP Service Packs.
Further, most of the software that you download from Microsoft’s website is actually a product that was developed by Microsoft to begin with. This means that a lot of people download the product for free and then pay for it through their billing services. With this in mind, there is no reason why software should be free for everyone to use.
4. Bill Gates Doesn’t Care About Non-Profits
Many people assume that Bill Gates doesn’t care about non-profits because he is so wealthy and powerful. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. He has given away hundreds of millions of dollars over the years, with some estimates putting his total lifetime giving at between $10 billion to $50 billion. To put that in perspective, if you were to give $1 million every single day for 58 years, you’d end up with a donation of around $500 million. And since Bill is still alive, this number is only going up.
5. Bill Gates is Tired of People
As much as people love to hate Bill Gates and his company, Microsoft, it would be unfair to assume that he doesn’t like people. After all, he is doing all of this work in order to make more money and hopefully better the lives of people through his products. As a result, it would be ridiculous to say that he doesn’t like people or is tired of them. Regardless of what you think about Bill Gates’ actions, don’t forget that he is still just a human being who has feelings and cares about his fellow man and woman.
Bonus: Bill Gates is not a Jerk
Many people assume that Bill Gates is petty or has a short temper, and actually don’t know the real person behind the name. On numerous occasions, he’s had to deal with customers who are rude and demand things he does not want to do. And even though he can be defensive when dealing with angry people, he usually gives in to avoid a lawsuit. He even took the time to laugh at himself on camera during one of his recent speeches which further demonstrates how human he really is.
