Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Clive, My reply was an inexcusable cheap shot. Sorry. Most of what you point out makes sense. You were right to call me out on it. Gates definitely made significant contributions during the formative years of the computer industry. But I'll stick to my belief that the success of his company is due much more to monopolistic and exclusionary tactics than to programming excellence. Enjoyed your "velvet case" analogy. Hope MS wasn't listening... Mike Quinn Mike Quinn wrote: > The mind reels. > Those for whom good programming and "early versions of Basic" can be uttered > in the same breath live in a world that I am glad I cannot comprehend. > > Clive Moss wrote: > >> More nonsense. Gates was a very good programmer. Remember the early >> versions of Basic? (Yes, I know Basic came from Dartmouth -- but Gates >> wrote the best interpreters and compilers.) Gates really understood >> compilers and what developers needed -- but not operating systems and what >> systems administrators needed. Remember that the definition of "good >> programming" changes over time. Little of what is written today would have >> passed as "good programming" in 1963, when I started -- and vice versa. >> >> Leica once did follow the MS example -- create demand for a product >> category that nobody wanted -- the 35mm camera. Unfortunately, it was never >> able to move much beyond its first success. At least MS has not (yet) >> stooped to releasing special editions of its software packaged in velvet >> lined cases with gold plated disks at inflates prices. - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html