Smartphones get the patented Gates boost ?

[666joe]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/30/gates-proposes-cellphones-as-alternative-to-olpc/

Rather than push wind-up laptops to the poorer areas of the world why not a smart phone instead ?

[Jose_R.A.M]

YES!

Who needs food/clothing/education...

Just complete your life with smartphones!

[carcomptoy]

LOL that's already how much of Asia thinks...who cares if they starve, as long as they have the latest, greatest cellphone:p

[Jose_R.A.M]

Yeah, its a sad fact that some people just make their lives harder by spending their savings on luxuries..

However this, this is an initiative by a big money making people who are should know best about how to spend money depending on your circumstances.

Its like furnishing a house that hasn't been built yet.

[666joe]

Thats it in a nutshell Jose - but can the builders ever finish the job ?

[Jose_R.A.M]

Thats it in a nutshell Jose - but can the builders ever finish the job ?

They could lay the foundation instead of dumping furniture here and there on the soil.

They don't have to finish building the house, they just have to start it :D

[carcomptoy]

lol I semi-got lost with the metaphorical speaking...of what are you talking about?

[Jose_R.A.M]

Yeah, I nearly didnt know what to reply to 666joe until I realised it was a return from my post.

Giving out smartphones to poorer areas is a bit like furnishing a house that has not been built. i.e. there are certain things that should be done first before giving out smartphones, like sorting out why they are poor, helping them with resources.

666joe said can the "builders" finish the house, i.e. sorting out poverty is hard, as shown by that make poverty history thing...its still going on even with all that effort.

Then I said, they could lay the foundation - they don't have to finish the house. I.e. they don't have to solve poverty..etc they just have to start doing something about it, giving them food, clothing, education. Not smartphones.

[carcomptoy]

Yeah but see Bill Gates won't profit from more clothes and food...but more Windows;)

Unfortunately...

[666joe]

Yeah but see Bill Gates won't profit from more clothes and food...but more Windows;)

Unfortunately...

Not that he's probably trying - man of the year ? even u2s Bono was more worthy...

[Jose_R.A.M]

Yeah but see Bill Gates won't profit from more clothes and food...but more Windows;)

Unfortunately...

Bill Gates's Charity side shouldn't be about profiting...although all of his charity work, hundreds of millions poured into charity have been question by some as a better alternative to paying tax, as it also comes with free publicity.

[carcomptoy]

That's usually the case with the rich...

[Jose_R.A.M]

It would have been nice to know that Will is being genuine about all his charity work.

If he was serious about it, he probably would have done even more, but his heart lies with Microsoft, and I quite like it like that. Super Power/Super Duper Rich man who's also into charity work