For those who haven't seen the Wired article "Jobs vs. Gates: Who's the Star?" here's a link. In summation, the article concludes that Apple's CEO Steve Jobs is a selfish, uncharitable capitalist, chiefly because he doesn't donate as much money as his fellow tech billionaire peer Bill Gates (although presumably he could of course be donating anonymously as the article briefly mentions). However, we at the Prometheus Institute believe the author has missed the point by labeling the life and career of Mr. Jobs as one which does not "carry deep personal meaning."
Apple computers, in allowing productivity and eliminating frustration, are technological philanthropy, plain and simple. Jobs' perfectionism in designing the perfect computer (contrast with B. Gates, interested solely in profitable software, regardless of whether it works) allows all Apple users around the world to become more effective at the task they are performing, communicate their ideas more effectively, and generally improve the pursuit of whatever goals that computer technology helps them to pursue. This advantage, known to any Apple user with a three-digit IQ, should be contrasted with the abject misery and wasted labor that Microsoft operating systems unleash on their unsuspecting users, thanks to the handiwork of Bill Gates.
Does it matter? Anyone who discounts the social and economic importance of computers in the world today - and thus, by extension, the greater importance of a well-designed and efficient computer - is clearly stuck in 1996-style thinking, and shouldn't be writing for Wired magazine (Ed Note: we are generally huge fans of this publication). But those of us in the 21st century realize that Steve Jobs' innovative genius has achieved much, much more for the world's welfare and happiness than Bill Gates' showing off the fruits of his monopoly for the benefit of some emaciated African. Indeed, Bill Gates NEEDS to give back, to make up for the harm, anger and frustration his atrocious software has caused millions of computer users the world over. Ironically, he'd probably do more good in the world by just investing in Apple.
The above work is the opinion of the author, and not necessarily that of the Prometheus Institute
