“Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and the world’s wealthiest man, is to receive an honorary knighthood for ‘services to global enterprise.’ The recommendation that he receive the honour was made by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown. Buckingham Palace is expected to announce it tomorrow, when Mr Gates will speak at a conference on ‘Advancing Enterprise’ organised by Mr Brown,” Robert Peston reports for The Telegraph.
“The controversial software company creator – whose commercial success has led to hatred of him among his competitors – is worth an estimated $40 billion (
Steve Jobs should get one for saving us from Bill Gates.
I always really appreciate the comments that MDN puts. In this case, I agree with MDN. I also think that if Bill Gates gets this honor it’s because there is something going on with him and the Royal family. I cannot wait to see in some scandal press his hidden relationship with the Queen Mother. Bloody hell, what money can do for you and what you can do for money will always amaze me, mate…
Alan Greenspan!?!?!?!
What Tha!?
England knights pirates? What’s the world coming to?
THAT DOES IT! NO MORE iPODS FOR ENGLAND!
I love it when MDN goes over the top.
“approximately a 30% drain of worldwide productivity thanks to his Windows monopoly”
of course assumes an ideal.
Any time that apple figures out a way to build 30 times as many computers than they do now for half the price, and keep quality and performance high, that world might come to pass.
Apple’s brief foray into clones was as close as that ideal came. When it became evident that macs as competitive commodities did not suit apple, the experiment stopped, and the niche that apple fills, though firmer, has only gotten smaller.
Wintel has filled the world with cheap boxes that get a lot of work done. Better and more expensive boxes would get more done, perhaps 30% more, but at a cost that most don’t want to pay. Anytime Steve and company want to compete for market share, say with a $900 box sans monitor, the world awaits.
The queen mother is dead so bill must be into that.
Folks, the Queen has no word in who she will bestow a knighthood on. That’s decided by the American Governor of Great Britain, Tony Blair. Perhaps Billyboy has promised them evidence for WMD in Iraq, like a load of Windows 95 CDs hidden away in a secret location in Bagdad.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that QEII is granting this man a medal. I’ll wait and see how much money Microsoft gave Blair’s Labour Party in campaign funds this year when their accounts are published. My guess is at least �250k.
And I don’t think the Tories are any better. We need another Guy Fawkes right now to take out the lot of them. Whatever happened to British MPs with integrity?
BTW, I love sMac’s comment. Pienso que estes Espa�ol. �Verdad?
Hey, guys, the queen is only giving Bill an “honorary knighthood”.
Is that like a third place prize or something – not a real knighthood?
I mean, its not like King Arthur and all that jazz. He won�t be receiving a castle with a moat, having servants running around tending to his every whim, rescuing damsels in distress, and fighting large reptiles belching fire, right?
I’m sure his title will be Sir William, Duke of Mediocrity, Earl of Imitation, Baron of Buffoonery, Prince of the Blue Screen, Count of the Reboot.
All this and a buck twenty-five will get you a cup of coffee.
MOM “I’m sure his title will be Sir William, Duke of Mediocrity, Earl of Imitation, Baron of Buffoonery, Prince of the Blue Screen, Count of the Reboot.”
What?? Do you have no understanding of the peerage, man? For a start, they wouldn’t bother with the Sir if he was a Prince. Unless he was HRH, in which case it would be HRH Prince William, Duke of Mediocrity or HRH The Duke of Mediocrity, he would be His Grace, William, Duke of Mediocrity. Any of the other titles would probably be given to his eldest son as an honorific, so little BG4 (if that’s what the kid is called) would become Lord William Imitation. Also there is no Count. A woman who inherits an Earldom becomes a Countess, a man becomes an Earl. Confusingly enough, most of the Counties of England and Wales were governed by Dukes, which would make them Duchies in any sensible country. We also have Dukes of really tiny places, like Westminster, and Earldoms such as Pembroke that contained areas that were supposedly ruled by a Marquis (Milford Haven), even though a Marquis outranks an Earl :-s And where the hell Clarence (a Duchy) or Wessex (an Earldom) are supposed to be is anybody’s guess? France perhaps (yeah, we used to own most of that, until Jeanne D’Arc and her legions kicked our English butts back towards Calais) and the verdant imagination of an author named Thomas Hardy.
Actually, I’m not surprised nobody understands it. All you really need to know is that The Queen sits on top of it, and the rest of us get taught it at school in between The Roman Empire and the Industrial Revolution, but then go on to something more useful like double Pottery or how to play Rugby (did I mention we won the World Cup?).
You see what you miss out on by not being British???
Dave H:
Sorry, Dave. All the royal this-and-that stuff is not my bag.
But this reminds me of a true story…
A U.S. Marine was temporarily assigned to the Royal Marines. On a tour of the grounds the U.S. Marine was shown into a great hall containing the flags taken in battle. The Royal Marine pointed to one flag and said,� See that flag? We took it a place called Breed’s Hill. I believe you Yanks call it Bunker Hill.” The U.S. Marine nodded his head and replied, “Yes, you have the flag, but we still have the hill.” Ooh-rah.
Here you are. Cheerio, old chap.
P.S. Ya’ll do make a fine brew or two.
Clearly “knighthood” is a joke. Too much credit is given to Bill Gates for the success of Microsoft. Microsoft is the world’s largest industrial accident, and we’re still trying to clean it up.
Well, that cheapens the value of the honorary knighthood. I thought someone with a questionable moral character can’t be a knight, even if it’s honorary.
“Hey, guys, the queen is only giving Bill an “honorary knighthood”.” – meat of moose
As I understand it, foreigners can’t have “a real knighthood”
Dave,
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> Thanks for the lesson, bud.
That is the most confusing things I’ve heard in sometime.
“The controversial software company creator – whose commercial success has led to hatred of him among his competitors”
MDN, you forgot the main reason… the man is ruthless and plays dirty. He employs illegal tactics: abuse of monopoly, theft, cheat, lies, perjury, etc.
To MDN: I don’t hate MS/BG for creating mediocrity. I hate him/them for cheating. Nobody likes a cheater (except the cheater’s company and the queen).
So will it be SIR William? SIR william. sir WILLIAM. Sir William. Has a nice ring. Sir Woefully Inefficient, Liability Luring, Ill-programmed Applications (for the) Masses. Yes, it’ll be Sir William from now on.
MOM, you obviously think that gaining independence and self-determination for your entire country is preferable to obtaining a tatty old bit of cloth, so I don’t think you’ll ever quite understand us. And as for a decent cup of tea, the most important thing to remember there is not to dump the main ingredient into the sea. Makes it taste much better, dont you know?
Nobody, that’s my pleasure. i can tell you all about The Roman Empire and the Industrial Revolution too. And make some wicked crockery!!!
Is there nothing Bill Gates can’t buy? Good grief!
Thurston, I’m leaving you.
Bill has an odd haircut, but the Professor has made me a marvelous pair of scissors out of something called a ‘PC case’.
“Is there nothing Bill Gates can’t buy? Good grief!”
The Mona Lisa
After all the positive Apple press recently, it’s worth remembering that knight always follows day – so this could be seen as a return to the dark side!
A knighthood! ‘is blood! Pardon me, Mum, but I think a beheading would be more appropriate!