It's amazing how the design of the website almost cries "don't read me".
Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
61–70 of 85 posts
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#62First twitter and now a website? Looking over the content on the site I was depressed by all the philanthropy and environmentalism. Not that these aren't good things but I think Bill has been so successful at building software and corporations that his time would be better used teaching people these things. Imagine the articles and insight we could get if he would convert into someone like Paul Graham.
actually, I completely disagree. What Bill was truly good at, was hiring smart people and getting them to all work towards something big. Putting a computer on every desk was a big goal. Eradicating Malaria and the other things the foundation is working on are big goals. And to be honest - I'm impressed by the way he is going about it. This site isn't about him resting on his laurels - looking back at the success he…
rich nerds are the best hope for major change IMO (a rather randian outlook I admit). humanity is currently stuck in a quagmire of democracy and egalitarianism that doesn't seem nearly as beneficial as it would have us believe.
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#63I think that Bill can do a world of good by sharing his thoughts via a blog like this. Assuming he is candid and fosters real communication, that is. Sections like 'What I'm thinking about/what I'm learning' is exactly the right attitude.
The problem is that Bill Gates only reads books that reinforce his existing beliefs. That's why he's so pro-KIPP, because he doesn't have any interest in authors like John Taylor Gatto. (Or at least this is what I heard from someone who had lunch with him recently.)
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Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#64I think that Bill can do a world of good by sharing his thoughts via a blog like this. Assuming he is candid and fosters real communication, that is. Sections like 'What I'm thinking about/what I'm learning' is exactly the right attitude.
The problem is that Bill Gates only reads books that reinforce his existing beliefs. That's why he's so pro-KIPP, because he doesn't have any interest in authors like John Taylor Gatto. (Or at least this is what I heard from someone who had lunch with him recently.)
That's hardly unique to Bill Gates. People rarely re-examine what they presume to be correct, and when people call that a "problem" I tend to think that it just means "he's wrong and pig-headed." Which he may likely be, but let's at least speak plainly.
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
The problem is that Bill Gates only reads books that reinforce his existing beliefs. That's why he's so pro-KIPP, because he doesn't have any interest in authors like John Taylor Gatto. (Or at least this is what I heard from someone who had lunch with him recently.)
That's hardly unique to Bill Gates. People rarely re-examine what they presume to be correct, and when people call that a "problem" I tend to think that it just means "he's wrong and pig-headed." Which he may likely be, but let's at least speak plainly.
I also take it as an indication that the person saying "he's wrong and pig-headed" is also so entrenched in their viewpoint that they are not likely to examine evidence to the contrary either.
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's hardly unique to Bill Gates. People rarely re-examine what they presume to be correct, and when people call that a "problem" I tend to think that it just means "he's wrong and pig-headed." Which he may likely be, but let's at least speak plainly.
I also take it as an indication that the person saying "he's wrong and pig-headed" is also so entrenched in their viewpoint that they are not likely to examine evidence to the contrary either.
Well in my case I've read a couple books about KIPP looking for evidence that I was wrong, but I didn't find any. The problem is that while KIPP is probably the fastest way to improve kids performance on Things That Can Be Measured, there's a lot of research showing how this approach is really bad for kids. And the pro-KIPP literature doesn't take any of this into account. My problem with Gates specifically is that not only does he not know what these problems are, but even when told about them he has no interest in learning about them despite the fact that they are extremely serious.
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
KIPP? Also, I'ma huge fan of the Underground History of American Education ( http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/ )
I'm not familiar with it but there is an article on his site about it: http://www.thegatesnotes.com/Learning/article.aspx?ID=29
That site reminds me of reading a Lyndon LaRouche pamphlet once in college...
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is it useless (I've never worked with robots.txt)? Are the /css and /js files not large enough to bother skipping?
Useless in the sense it doesn't really need to mention Bing. Blocking /css and /js makes sense because they don't add value in being crawled. Not necessary, but doesn't hurt. Best practice: Always have a robots.txt file, even if it's empty.
What is the reason for your Best Practice advice?
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
I also take it as an indication that the person saying "he's wrong and pig-headed" is also so entrenched in their viewpoint that they are not likely to examine evidence to the contrary either.
Well in my case I've read a couple books about KIPP looking for evidence that I was wrong, but I didn't find any. The problem is that while KIPP is probably the fastest way to improve kids performance on Things That Can Be Measured, there's a lot of research showing how this approach is really bad for kids. And the pro-KIPP literature doesn't take any of this into account. My problem with Gates specifically is that n…
So are the really bad things you mention things like obliterating intellectual curiosity, fostering dependence on authority, crushing children's self-esteem and so on?
Because it seems like there are some people for whom those results define cruelty and failure and others for whom those kinds of critiques ring hollow and self-serving.
This looks like a debate of preconceptions, the most intractable of arguments.
Re: Bill Gates's new website: The Gates Notes
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
I also take it as an indication that the person saying "he's wrong and pig-headed" is also so entrenched in their viewpoint that they are not likely to examine evidence to the contrary either.
Well in my case I've read a couple books about KIPP looking for evidence that I was wrong, but I didn't find any. The problem is that while KIPP is probably the fastest way to improve kids performance on Things That Can Be Measured, there's a lot of research showing how this approach is really bad for kids. And the pro-KIPP literature doesn't take any of this into account. My problem with Gates specifically is that n…
"The problem is that while KIPP is probably the fastest way to improve kids performance on Things That Can Be Measured, there's a lot of research showing how this approach is really bad for kids."
I don't understand this point here. If you cannot measure something, how can you determine what is an improvement and what is not?