I say yes. In fact: I'd say entire Bill Gates persona and his media portrayal is a bit odd.
> Is this just marketing for Bill?
I'd say so. From my point of view is shocking how the public (and tech world) did a 180 turn on Gates' public image. Some twenty years ago he was hated in the tech world. There are even Paul Graham's essays about how Microsoft "stopped being dangerous" around 2005 (ie. few years after Gates stepping down from CEO position).
You know those memes around Zuckerberg being a lizard person? This is how I remember Gates 20 years ago (except there weren't really memes occasionally someone would email you some funny pictures or a flash app).
> To what end?
I guess he didn't like people seeing him as Dr. No? Paul Allen described him as a "ruthless schemer". During his tenure as CEO he turned Microsoft into this scary giant that will crush any competition.
My personal conspiracy theory is that he enjoys having power - power over market, power over people - and now uses his foundation to exert this power. However, this wouldn't work given his old reputation as an Evil Technocrat, so he also spends a million here and there for things that will make him look good. Why not spend a billion here and there if you still have 140 of those left? So, probably one of his PR guys figured out that his annual book list blogpost are popular in the tech niche and wants to reach wider audience. To go deeper into conspiracy thinking, I'd say that this list is carefully tailored to affirm his image as genius-nerd-philantropist (sci-fi) and extend power of his foundation.
I say yes. In fact: I'd say entire Bill Gates persona and his media portrayal is a bit odd.
> Is this just marketing for Bill?
I'd say so. From my point of view is shocking how the public (and tech world) did a 180 turn on Gates' public image. Some twenty years ago he was hated in the tech world. There are even Paul Graham's essays about how Microsoft "stopped being dangerous" around 2005 (ie. few years after Gates stepping down from CEO position).
You know those memes around Zuckerberg being a lizard person? This is how I remember Gates 20 years ago (except there weren't really memes occasionally someone would email you some funny pictures or a flash app).
> To what end?
I guess he didn't like people seeing him as Dr. No? Paul Allen described him as a "ruthless schemer". During his tenure as CEO he turned Microsoft into this scary giant that will crush any competition.
My personal conspiracy theory is that he enjoys having power - power over market, power over people - and now uses his foundation to exert this power. However, this wouldn't work given his old reputation as an Evil Technocrat, so he also spends a million here and there for things that will make him look good. Why not spend a billion here and there if you still have 140 of those left? So, probably one of his PR guys figured out that his annual book list blogpost are popular in the tech niche and wants to reach wider audience. To go deeper into conspiracy thinking, I'd say that this list is carefully tailored to affirm his image as genius-nerd-philantropist (sci-fi) and extend power of his foundation.