Who was more important to the World? Steve Jobs or Bill Gates? [Archive]

iMacMad

Jul 28, 2009, 03:33 AM

I am curious to learn why you have chosen your particular name IHateSteveJobs and then ask for impartial responses to your question?
Have you changed your mind or are you seeking confirmation of your choice?

My chosen name may suggest a totally pro Apple/Mac person. However I know that my equipment is not the be all and end all of this technology but that does not prohibit me from making a statement about my preferences.
On the other hand your name gives the impression of being a rather sharp single pointed instrument of destruction, but of course you may be able to tell me otherwise?

I am sorry to have the need to only ask questions rather than offering an answer.

katananz

Jul 28, 2009, 04:20 AM

Even though many will not agree, Id say Bill Gates. It was he who made the personal computer a realizable aspect of households whilst the apple desktops were expensive and aimed at businesses at the time, but more advanced. Also, he is the one donating the billions of dollars that is going towards helping the African continent gain education and medicine; he's having a profound effect on the lives of millions.

To be honest, all Steve Jobs has done is spearhead the development of technology that is unavaliable to those in poverty, you don't see him helping out much, except for the product red stuff, but the contribution is tiny compared to Bill Gates's.

jecapaga

Jul 28, 2009, 04:27 AM

Please be impartial as possible.

IHateSteveJobs is requesting impartiality?

sushi

Jul 28, 2009, 04:55 AM

.Andy

Jul 28, 2009, 06:54 AM

The Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation is the answer.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

Kahuna528

Jul 28, 2009, 07:03 AM

You hate Steve Jobs. I don't eve know who he is.
I guess Bill Gates, because I know him... :eek:

Dagless

Jul 28, 2009, 07:41 AM

The Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation is the answer.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

Is precisely why I was going to say Bill Gates.

pelicanflip

Jul 28, 2009, 08:51 AM

Although both have had an incredible effect on the world, I'd say Bill Gates has had more of an impact.

Bill Gates helped revolutionize the computer industry by making PC's readily available to the average consumer, so my vote's for him.

niuniu

Jul 28, 2009, 08:53 AM

RIP Jobs and Gates. :(

jodelli

Jul 28, 2009, 10:07 AM

Who was more important to the World? Steve Jobs or Bill Gates?

You're too early. You should ask your GSI to reset the vortex for 2023.;)

miniConvert

Jul 28, 2009, 10:09 AM

Well, I'd say Steve Jobs is far more important to my world.

My world revolves around computers, and The Steve makes the best :)

leekohler

Jul 28, 2009, 10:10 AM

I think that it is safe to say that both have reached their vision.

BG --> A computer on every desktop running his OS.

SJ --> The best desktop OS.

Note, I am paraphrasing as I am too lazy to get the exact vision statements. But these are close if memory serves.

I would have to say the same. The world would be a very different place without either of them. And Sushi- you forgot Pixar. ;)

iShater

Jul 28, 2009, 10:12 AM

The Bill and Melinda Gate's Foundation is the answer.

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

Ditto!

Even in computing world, the world's masses are using MS products (legally or illegally). So it had more impact on their lives than Apple.

iBlue

Jul 28, 2009, 10:13 AM

Bill Gates. No question.

edesignuk

Jul 28, 2009, 10:21 AM

Bill Gates.

#1 He made a PC in every home happen.
#2 His foundation does amazing work.

Not to take anything away from Jobs, his achievements aren't too shabby either.

dmmcintyre3

Jul 28, 2009, 10:22 AM

You hate Steve Jobs. I don't eve know who he is.
I guess Bill Gates, because I know him... :eek:

He is the CEO of Apple.

michael.lauden

Jul 28, 2009, 10:24 AM

i don't think one is more significant than the other. steve jobs is said to have little or no knowledge of circuits, programming, etc. anybody remember how him and woz met?

Swiss Apple

Jul 28, 2009, 10:26 AM

I like and admire Bill Gates, its M'soft CEO Steve Ballmer who I can't stand.

AngryApple

Jul 28, 2009, 11:37 AM

Bill Gates because I like him. I have a poster of him in my room. He's very cute, IMO. His foundation is amazing, too.

JennaLDS

Jul 28, 2009, 07:18 PM

Even though PC is great, Apple products are top of the line, and run SOO smoothly.. Ive never had problems out of any of my Apple/Mac products.. Not to say they dont have problems, but I am much happier on Steves side..

reactions

Jul 28, 2009, 08:07 PM

IHateSteveJobs is requesting impartiality?

the screen name is just a joke :)

i hate no one

- these men clearly have contributed a lot - but i have to give it to my man Bill Gates as not only has he made the pc for the common man but has contributed to the welfare of millions who are suffering from poverty

no.1 Apple Fan

Jul 28, 2009, 08:12 PM

Both were important, but I think Steve Jobs was the most.:)

hulugu

Jul 28, 2009, 08:13 PM

the screen name is just a joke :)

i hate no one

- these men clearly have contributed a lot - but i have to give it to my man Bill Gates as not only has he made the pc for the common man but has contributed to the welfare of millions who are suffering from poverty

But, Gates didn't make the PC for the "common man" rather he made software, which ran on the IBM-systems owned by many corporations. Eventually, the Windows OS trickled down into the home, but Apple was far more interested in getting computers into the hands of average people than Microsoft was. The home PC market was a benefit, but not Microsoft's intended aim.

Furthermore, this ignores companies like HP, Compaq, and a myriad of others who produced the hardware and helped drive down the price of components so people could buy a PC and take it home. Frankly, Microsoft added a significant tax to this movement.

I'd also argue that this was inevitable and Gates happened to be the best poker player at a particular table, but someone had to create the game in the first place. And that was IBM.

thegoldenmackid

Jul 28, 2009, 08:16 PM

the screen name is just a joke :)

i hate no one

- these men clearly have contributed a lot - but i have to give it to my man Bill Gates as not only has he made the pc for the common man but has contributed to the welfare of millions who are suffering from poverty

Funny how we are supposed to remain impartial and you use the phrase "my man..." I imagine that if Steve had as much money he would likely do the same. One could argue that Warren Buffet's donations have been far more worthy.

sushi

Jul 28, 2009, 08:24 PM

And Sushi- you forgot Pixar. ;)
Good point! :)

Also NeXT. Plus he is now having an effect on Disney. :D

Bill Gates.

#1 He made a PC in every home happen.
#2 His foundation does amazing work.
Agree. BG an his wife have definitely done good with their foundation.

I wonder if SJ will create a foundation someday?

Malfoy

Jul 28, 2009, 08:29 PM

Gates by a long shot.

steve2112

Jul 28, 2009, 09:49 PM

Steve Wozinak. He designed the Apple I and II. Jobs was just the salesman. Ok, ok. So he isn't a choice. Of course, to be fair, Gates was basically a salesman. He suckered...err, convinced IBM to put his OS in their PCs. Since a Microsoft OS is running on 90% of the world's computers, I would have to vote for him. Not to mention his charity foundation.

spaceboots06

Jul 28, 2009, 10:01 PM

I think they're equally valuable because everyone's life should be valued equally.

upinflames900

Jul 28, 2009, 10:07 PM

Agree. BG an his wife have definitely done good with their foundation.

I wonder if SJ will create a foundation someday?

You do realize that the foundation is just a way to avoid paying taxes right? I mean sure he gives a lot to charity, but it is a lot better for him that paying 40% of his income to the federal government. Say he gives 10% of his income to charity...he SAVES 30%!!! I would have to say that neither is that important to the world. Microsoft can run without Gates and Apple can run without Jobs. At this point I would say Jobs is more important to Apple than Gates is to Microsoft just because Apple is still growing by leaps and bounds. To the world? I would think that Gates would be honored a lot more than Jobs if we dies, but neither's passing would actually have a significant effect on the world. The only thing that would change is the name on Forbes richest man in the world...it would become his son.

Prof.

Jul 29, 2009, 12:12 AM

I hate to admit it, but Bill Gates.

KingYaba

Jul 29, 2009, 02:10 AM

I choose C, Linus Torvalds. I kid.

.Andy

Jul 29, 2009, 06:37 AM

I wonder if SJ will create a foundation someday?
He may have already. It needn't be eponymous or announced :).

johnhw

Jul 29, 2009, 06:38 AM

Steve Jobs in the computer world, he was the one who saved GUI from death. That made him more important.

In the real world, I think Bill Gates is better than our Steve-o even though I think he is awesome with Bill's foundation, it's good actually.

u49aa2

Jul 29, 2009, 06:54 AM

BG no question about that!

toolbox

Jul 29, 2009, 08:20 AM

I am going steve here the products that apple produce are incredible

Phil A.

Jul 29, 2009, 09:34 AM

I'm going to have to say Bill Gates. He might not have the same "vision" and attention to detail that Steve Jobs does, but he did help revolutionize the personal computer industry.
There's an argument that says if it wasn't Microsoft then some other company would have done the same as the time was right for desktop computers (possibly CP/M or Apple, but we'll never know).

However, in common with a few others on this thread, my vote goes to Bill Gates because of what he's done with the money he's earned, not what he did to get it.
His work with the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation is simply staggering and they give grants totaling billions of dollars to help the poor and needy both in the USA and abroad.
I'm not so keen on how Bill Gates amassed his wealth (shady monopolistic practices), but he is sure spending it in a good way and on that basis alone is far more "valuable" to the world than Steve Jobs.

sushi

Jul 29, 2009, 10:45 AM

He may have already. It needn't be eponymous or announced :).
Good point.

There's an argument that says if it wasn't Microsoft then some other company would have done the same as the time was right for desktop computers (possibly CP/M or Apple, but we'll never know).
That's an interesting comment.

Back in the late 70's and early 80's, it was a free for all for a lack of a better term. Many companies were involved with making proprietary computers. Nothing worked together or was compatible for the most part.

The fact that Microsoft, Apple, and other companies survived is quite an accomplishment in itself.

maflynn

Jul 29, 2009, 11:31 AM

He is the CEO of Apple.

And co-founder and was the architect in producing the original macintosh and the CEO of Pixar, created NeXT etc, etc.

rhett7660

Jul 29, 2009, 11:54 AM

Bill Gates.......

I think for a good majority of the people even on this forum, their first experience with a computer was on a windows based machine. I didn't say all.. but I think a good majority. Especially in the age group of say those that are in there teens or young adults.

dotdotdot

Jul 29, 2009, 05:02 PM

More of an impact to the world?? Obviously Bill Gates.

If you would have said to the tech world or technology and its advances, it'd be a tough call, but probably still Bill as well. Steve Jobs did a lot for computers, and I think that Apple is a more influential company than Microsoft. But if not for Bill and his aggressive tactics, we would not be using personal computers as we know them today.

But to the world: Bill Gates made computers something people have to have, and his operating system which is installed on around 90% of all computers worldwide is the proof. But the long term impact he will have - donating BILLIONS to his foundation and other charities - is just something most people, let alone Steve Jobs, can economically achieve.

agkm800

Jul 30, 2009, 03:05 AM

I could have survived without Apple products, but hundreds or thousands of children might not have without Bill Gates' wonderful foundation. So, I'd say, my answer is Mr. Bill Gates.

EmperorDarius

Jul 30, 2009, 04:24 AM

Steve Jobs of course.
If it wasn't for him, there would be no Windows, and there would either not be any OS with a GUI or there would be but with a much less sophisticated than they are nowadays.

Bill Gates is so stupid. He wasted money with charity instead of actually using it to make some decent OS.

edesignuk

Jul 30, 2009, 04:32 AM

Bill Gates is so stupid. He wasted money with charity instead of actually using it to make some decent OS.You actually say that with a straight face?

EmperorDarius

Jul 30, 2009, 10:03 AM

You actually say that with a straight face?

I don't care if he helps poor people as long as it's company doesn't deliver good products. Personal life should not be merged with business.