Bill Gates Pooh-poohs Google's Internet Balloons

[vinhn]

You got to admit, he is right. Developing countries doesn't need Internet, for their sake they don't even have proper needs let alone fulfilling their wants.

 

[sumpm1]

If Google is offering something, I don't see how we can call that wrong. You could argue 1000 other things that would benefit these people more, but it is that Google's responsibility? They are tech company, and they offer their tech, what more should they do. If a gun manufacturer were to do the same thing, they would offer to provide guns, if they were a car manufacturer, they would offer cars... What do we call this? "The efficiency of divided labor." Each company offers what they have resources for and are good at.

So if Gates thinks these people need clean water more, he should be directing comments like this to water treatment companies that are not following in Google's footsteps and "doing their work" in these new neighborhoods.

So Gates needs not to blaspheme Google, but to point others to follow Google, but with their strengths?

Do you agree with this? Or do you think that large companies should "just donate" to these areas to "give them better everything?"

 

[ta152h]

When Bill Gates is living in a $300,000 house, so he can donate his money for people dying with malaria, then he can talk.

Sure, he donates money, but is there any consequence of it? Does it make his life more difficult? No, it's meaningless, and represents no sacrifice. He still has more money than he knows what to do with, and lives like a king, while others suffer. If only he'd donate that money ...

Obviously, I'm just mocking his hypocrisy. He can do what he wants with his money, and I don't have a problem with it. But, until he lives a life where he has the normal financial problems that we have, then he isn't making any real sacrifice. He still lives exactly as he chooses.

 

[Draven35]

Want to know what they used to do to help kids from getting malaria in the first place?
Sprayed DDT.

 

[digiex]

Bill is right, while Google rolls out those ideas to make money, Bill is spending billions with it's own money expecting nothing in return.

 

[zozzlhandler]

@otacon72, you have a poor idea of conditions in developing countries. Many people have phones and through them potentially internet access. You also have no idea how much positive impact programs like Google Maps can have on a country where there are no road maps, and no-one knows how to get to a place where they could sell something and buy some medicine. Cheap smartphones coupled with something like project loon are key. And Google is helping with both. I would also ask "Why isn't Microsoft pursuing humanitarian programs on this scale? Mr Gates waited until he was a private citizen. Why accuse Google? Why not get Microsoft to help bootstrap developing countries?

 

[beachbod]

I say we teach them how to make mosquito nets and how to make a proper outhouse.

 

[pepe2907]

But then any education effort should be futile as we are still mortal.

 

[pepe2907]

But then any education effort should be futile as we are still mortal.