Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT • Hacker News Board

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#81

Post by VladRussian » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:00 AM UTC

ars wrote: post #70

VladRussian wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people need to spend more to bring us out of a recession. every time i hear that i'm surprised what a fairy tale! Of course politicians forced to say comfortable "we need more spending" than the suicidal "we need more working", yet it is obvious for any sane normal person what only increased productivity and efficiency can get us out of this small hole-in-the-road current recession and the really big crises looming…

"increased productivity and efficiency" means less jobs. (But also a higher standard of living since things become cheaper.) What you want is more demand. (Which depletes natural resources.) If you want, you can have "well off poor". That's someone who is poorer than his neighbors, but due to efficiency still has everything necessary for a comfortable life. Due to human nature people don't really like this.

>"increased productivity and efficiency" means less jobs.

it means less of mundane and low productive, time wasting jobs. More value produced by less people. That increased amount of value allows for more investment (and spending as well) which creates more jobs.

Following your logic, the 20000 years ago was the golden era of employment - everybody was employed full-time gathering edible roots and hunting.

>If you want, you can have "well off poor". That's someone who is poorer than his neighbors,

Due to some unfortunate law of the Universe there is always a half which, by whatever criteria you choose, is worse off than the other half.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#82

Post by kennethologist » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:19 AM UTC

This is an admirable and inspiring gesture. I only hope one day I can do this for my alma mater (moreso my high school than university). Thank you Dr. Bose.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#83

Post by executive » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:30 AM UTC

He should have invested in making better speakers.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#84

Post by barisme » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:43 AM UTC

Tichy wrote: post #30

smackfu wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Also, it's pretty ironic that I know that MIT is a good tech school but have no idea what a good marketing school is.)

Maybe this implies that MIT is a good marketing school.

Sort of a tech school with a marketing culture. They have a tendency to define new words and get the coolest press.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#85

Post by biot » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 2:01 AM UTC

jackolas wrote: post #25

rit wrote: post #3

This is an incorrect title; the wrong conclusion may have been drawn. Although he has given them majority shares they are nonvoting only. The terms of.the gift forbid them from selling the shares or participating in any management or governance of the company. Bose is remaining a private / independent company still run by said founder. This is essentially a gift that should pay nice stock dividends for MIT.

It's interesting that they're expected to just take what is given to them and not try and not be allowed to control their financial income.

Those were the conditions under which the gift was offered. They are controlling their financial income by choosing to accept the gift, which gives them revenue from dividends. It's very similar to how a trust fund operates.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#86

Post by rajatmehta1 » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 2:27 AM UTC

this is what is called as a life well lived, you do something great that creates an impact and then the earnings are donated back to enhance your creation or somebody else's as long as innovation happens for the +ve.Too good. I am surprised at some comments that still people have the nag to find a fault in this thing as well :)

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#87

Post by ernestipark » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 4:04 AM UTC

guelo wrote: post #67

What a wasteful donation. MIT has an over $8 billion endowment, and it teaches the most privileged technical students in the world. If MIT was at least trying to expand to teach more students, but of course it can't since it needs to maintain it's high selectivity in order to preserve its reputation. I can think of a thousand better donations than wasting it on rich ivy schools.

MIT just added a new dorm and is expanding its undergrad population by about 200-300 students. And even if it wasn't, it helps the general fund of research and other programs. I can think of a lot of things at MIT that aren't a waste of research money...

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#88

Post by patrickgzill » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 4:19 AM UTC

klbarry wrote: post #50

horacio wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amar Bose was a good professor, and in making this donation to his alma mater, he continues to carry on the tradition of MIT graduates doing good things long after they've made a name for themselves. His work today in no way lessens the impact of an audiophile's criticism of his company's products. Not only are they overpriced in consideration of value delivered, they are in many respects poor implements for faithful…

Which companies are better than Bose?

There are many, though for my money the main competitors are Ohm (lousy website, great products: http://www.ohmspeakers.com/productline.cfm) and the DCM TFE series http://www.dcmspeakers.com/products/cabinet/tfe200.htm .

Pair with heavy-duty 2-channel amplifier like the Onkyo M-282, or a decent Denon, Harman Kardon, NAD, etc. home theater receiver.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#89

Post by wdewind » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 4:20 AM UTC

ctide wrote: post #56

klbarry wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which companies are better than Bose?

Sennheiser makes fantastic products, even if they occasionally like to cripple them ( http://mikebeauchamp.com/misc/sennheiser-hd-555-to-hd-595-mo... ) and the sound quality is significantly higher than anything by Bose at a similar price point.

I recently compared my Shure $150 SRHDJ head phones to my roomates $500 or so sennheiser hd 650s plugged into a $275 preamp and can honestly say the difference was hardly noticeable. I'm not an audio pro but I'm a musician with a good ear who has had a lot of kinds of headphones. For the money I can't justify sennheisers. Anything by Shure has been top quality, I've had a bunch of their stuff.

Re: Bose founder makes big stock donation to MIT

#90

Post by bethling » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 4:27 AM UTC

ernestipark wrote: post #87

guelo wrote: post #67

What a wasteful donation. MIT has an over $8 billion endowment, and it teaches the most privileged technical students in the world. If MIT was at least trying to expand to teach more students, but of course it can't since it needs to maintain it's high selectivity in order to preserve its reputation. I can think of a thousand better donations than wasting it on rich ivy schools.

MIT just added a new dorm and is expanding its undergrad population by about 200-300 students. And even if it wasn't, it helps the general fund of research and other programs. I can think of a lot of things at MIT that aren't a waste of research money...

MIT also tends to be generous with its financial aid money. When I went there, I ended up paying less than any other school that accepted me - including my state university.