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See comment and reference at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18279370
This was the point when Bill Gates got red pilled about human nature and decided to focus on profit instead of "sharing the joy".
And after 50 years they are still not able to make good software.
Interesting window into the history that likely shaped Microsoft's view of customers for decades since then. I'd say MS still probably has that attitude baked into their company, treating customers as adversaries that need to be protected against. They are definitely not known for their customer service, but they ARE known for their complex licensing and sometimes heavy-handed enforcement, that I guess maybe one coul…
Funny that Gates mentions "$40K of computer time" when he and Paul Allen were hacking the computers paid for by someone else, and figuring out how to get themselves ... free computer time. See comment and reference at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18279370
1. "$40,000 of computer time" is reckoned in the inflated funny money accounting that is used for computer services, not unlike how damages are counted in piracy lawsuits. A computer that is on but idle costs essentially the same to operate as one that's running jobs, particularly in the minicomputer era. Gates and Allen did not make off with $40k of actual cash or anything remotely equivalent.
2. Not to defend theft of service, an actual criminal offense, but a lot of hacking legends cut their teeth on committing theft of services as well, e.g. Captain Crunch and his phone phreaking skills with blue boxing, so Gates stands in some pretty damned good company. If they get a pass, so does Gates and Allen.
Beyond that, given that this is Hacker News, I don't doubt more than a few readers here have put college resources to, ahem, creative uses as well. (Myself? No comment. -whistles innocently-)
So, yes, the parent poster is technically correct (the very best kind of correct) but they are also trying to feed us spin that makes it sound worse than it actually was.
Much as people will hate hearing this, ultimately Gates won the argument. Formerly pro-FOSS software developers are turning away from FOSS to "open core" and other fake FOSS licenses that are actually proprietary to try to monetize their software using arguments largely identical to Gates' that it's unfair for software to be used by businesses and corporations without its creators getting some compensation for it. FO…
Funny that Gates mentions "$40K of computer time" when he and Paul Allen were hacking the computers paid for by someone else, and figuring out how to get themselves ... free computer time. See comment and reference at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18279370
A couple of points: 1. "$40,000 of computer time" is reckoned in the inflated funny money accounting that is used for computer services, not unlike how damages are counted in piracy lawsuits. A computer that is on but idle costs essentially the same to operate as one that's running jobs, particularly in the minicomputer era. Gates and Allen did not make off with $40k of actual cash or anything remotely equivalent. 2.…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A couple of points: 1. "$40,000 of computer time" is reckoned in the inflated funny money accounting that is used for computer services, not unlike how damages are counted in piracy lawsuits. A computer that is on but idle costs essentially the same to operate as one that's running jobs, particularly in the minicomputer era. Gates and Allen did not make off with $40k of actual cash or anything remotely equivalent. 2.…
I agree with your points, however the claim of 40k of computer time is made by Bill Gates himself. Did Gates actually pay some company $40k?