How is it that at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, 'evil' Gates became a saint?

How is it that at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, 'evil' Gates became a saint?

Posted 6/20/2006 9:37 PM ET

I miss the old Bill Gates.

You know, the one who, before Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET, was reviled by the vast majority of the populace.

He was the brutal monopolist who wanted to kill — yes, wipe off the map! — little Netscape. And you know how much we love underdogs. He was the guy, as the Mac faithful preached, who ripped off one technology after another from Apple Computer, and then claimed he and his company were great innovators.

Gates hoarded outrageous wealth. He was an anti-truster. He sold software that broke. He made us have to go to classes to learn how to use Excel. Rival Scott McNealy, in speeches at tech conferences, would improbably call Gates a communist. It was an applause line.

Then, suddenly, in one moment Gates was transformed — like Arthur pulling Excalibur from the stone, or Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming the good murderous robot in Terminator 2.

Gates only had to say he is going to quit Microsoft to focus on his well-established foundation. All was instantly forgiven. Birds suddenly appeared every time he walked near.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2006-06-20-gates_x.htm

When he parts with it all, wtmusic will humbly forgive him. :P

when released and the public is the testing guinea pig?