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While visiting Poland last month, Bill Gates sat down for a chat with the editors of Forbes Poland, Michal Kobosko and Eryk Stankunowicz. Gates discussed
Gates said that Google has an excellent search engine but said that Microsoft is working on something better. “You will see our response still this year,” he told Forbes Poland. Microsoft is underestimated as far as search concerned. It was the same with video games. This continued until the latest X-Box 360 was launched, he added.
In response to a question about the market’s fascination with Google, Gates said that there is always a honeymoon for new companies. Microsoft experienced it for 10 years--from 1985 till 1995. Gates said that never again will any company have a luxury of such a long honeymoon. For Google, the honeymoon has lasted three years now and will continue for no more than another two, predicted Gates.
Microsoft’s major competitor is IBM, due to that company’s number of employees and expanded structure. Other competitors include: companies developing Linux in software,
When asked whether there is a danger of another technology stock market bubble, Gates said that definitely some stocks are overpriced. But he doesn’t believe that this problem is comparable to that of 1999-2000. “Have a look at the growth of the PC market. It is not a bubble. Have a look at the growth of broadband Internet access, cellular phones. Is it a bubble?” he asked.
Gates also addressed his philanthropic activities, but when the Forbes Poland editors asked him if he considers himself a businessman or perhaps a philanthropist, he said: “First of all I am an engineer. I focus on software, and, today, it is much more exciting than in the past.”
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