History

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History.png

This area is about all those popular things people believe happened, but didn't. Or at least didn't in the way they think it happened. Correcting the disinformation that is the foundation of many people's beliefs.

Topics


Socrates.jpg

This was created by Plato to help people understand that "perception is reality". The allegory can be paraphrased as:

  • Imagine people locked in place to only see shadows cast on the wall (and not the actors behind them speaking and doing a puppet show in front of the fire), and that was all they knew their entire life.
  • Then you freed them to see truth, and the light of the sun.
  • The fire's light would burn their eyes, the sunlight even more, and returning to the cave they'd be blind for a while (while the eye's adjusted back).
  • After that, they'd all agree to not only not leave, but stop anyone that tried such a journey for everything about it was strange and painful.
  • After that, you could remove the shackles, but from that point on, none would leave (or allow others to).
Many books got their theme from this thought experiment (think Fahrenheit 451, Room, The Matrix). It's the idea that the longer a human gets used to something, the more comfortable they become with that reality and the more resistant they are to change. Pretty much, Stockholm Syndrome is just a manifestation of this phenomenon. People prefer confirmation bias and the known to the truth and complexity of the real world.
Iraq.png
This covers many of the fallacies and bad arguments about the Iraq War. Disagreeing over the cost/benefits of a war is fine, ignoring truths because they get in the way of your agenda is not.
Internet.jpg
Government/ARPA research gave us the Internet the same way they invented the car or airplane. By 1976 (founding of ARPA) we had hundreds of computers networked, by 1993 the Internet only carried 1% of the information traffic (and we had plenty of traffic). But by 2007 that had flipped and most traffic was TCP/IP based, because it was free, standard and good enough. However, without TCP/IP, one of the other protocols would have become a standard, and we’d still have had everything we have today (in some areas, more). The government gave us nothing that we didn’t already have (or wouldn’t have). Politicians (as usual) took credit for other people’s work.


Civil War and Slavery

CivilWar.jpg
As the Jewish Marxist Walter Benjamin said, "History is written by the victor", which is another way of saying, "don't believe what you've been told".

When I hear people talk about the civil war and slavery, it reminds me of a movie, "Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", because I often feel that's as based on reality as their perceptions are (they were believing what they'd been told). A few facts that escape their version of the telling:

  • The first shots in the civil war were fired over taxes and tariffs (Morrill Tariff), not slavery
  • The Corwin Constitutional Amendment (passed by Congress) offered the South to keep slaves forever, the South declined
  • The South offered to give up slaves if the North let them go, the North declined
  • The 3/5th clause was more limiting slavery than condoning it
  • Lincoln was a racist, not an abolitionist
  • Lincoln violated the Constitution more than any other President
  • Lincoln fought for pride and conquest, the South for freedom and self government: slavery was a catalyst, not the cause
  • And so on.

History is rich and complex, not this shallow flat "good vs. bad" or the North was righteous and the South was evil bullshit. Since I care about the uncomfortable truths, more than the comforting fictions, I often discuss these things. Not to diminish what happened, or deny the points of either side, but by remembering the truth of what really happened (from both sides). Of course, since my family came to America, long after this, I have no dog in the fight, and can look at it more objectively than many. But if we care about learning from history, we first have to give up our comforting fictions (caricatures) and learn what really happened.

Main article: Civil War and Slavery

Corporate Personhood & Citizens United

GagLiberty.png
Many on the left claim that Citizens United created/invented Corporate Personhood, and that this makes Corporations=People, and this new power puts our political system "up for sale". They're frighteningly wrong on all counts, and most are highly resistant to Historical, Legal and Logical facts. But this article does a fly-over of this history of Corporate Personhood, Citizens United, and why I politically distrust anyone that decries the ruling.

Dropping the Bomb

Bomb.jpg
The "defeated Japan” theory, and the idea that “the U.S. didn’t NEED to drop the bomb” is regularly regurgitated by folks like Oliver Stone (the alternative History professor) in articles repeated as News or History by leftist sources such as the L.A. Times. But those who know anything about the actual history of WWII, know better. This article sources a lot of the real history, instead of the fictitious one run by FakeNews outlets, and repeated by the left.
Main article: Dropping the Bomb

Electoral College vs Popular Vote

After every election that the democrats lose, a faction starts coming out in force and explaining why we should eliminate the electoral college Which is especially ironic if their selective amnesia didn't interfere with their memories of just weeks before the 2016 loss, they were excitedly talking about how the electoral college could help Hillary prevent President Trump from coming to power, even if he won the popular vote. After they lost, the tone flipped 180° without a picosecond of introspection, or the slightest bit of irony. If you want to understand the full force of that irony, remember Obama lost the popular vote to Hillary in the primary (but he had more delegates), and Hillary lost the popular vote to Bernie Sanders (but she had more delegates): so neither of them would have likely been President if they practiced what they preached. But when some people lose, they want to retroactive change the rules, and get mad when you call them bad sports for doing it. However, if you have any clue about civics, history and human nature, you have an inkling of why the electoral college was created, and why eliminating it, would probably destroy the nation.

Lies the Government told you
by Judge Andrew Napolitano

Lies.jpg
Judge Napolitano offers a refresher (for political history buffs) of the 17th Amendment and some of the unintended consequences of progressivism: like the scope creep of the federal government once we removed the checks and balances that was the 17th.


CivilWar.jpg
As the Jewish Marxist Walter Benjamin said, "History is written by the victor", which is another way of saying, "don't believe what you've been told".

When I hear people talk about the civil war and slavery, it reminds me of a movie, "Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", because I often feel that's as based on reality as their perceptions are (they were believing what they'd been told). A few facts that escape their version of the telling:

  • The first shots in the civil war were fired over taxes and tariffs (Morrill Tariff), not slavery
  • The Corwin Constitutional Amendment (passed by Congress) offered the South to keep slaves forever, the South declined
  • The South offered to give up slaves if the North let them go, the North declined
  • The 3/5th clause was more limiting slavery than condoning it
  • Lincoln was a racist, not an abolitionist
  • Lincoln violated the Constitution more than any other President
  • Lincoln fought for pride and conquest, the South for freedom and self government: slavery was a catalyst, not the cause
  • And so on.
History is rich and complex, not this shallow flat "good vs. bad" or the North was righteous and the South was evil bullshit. Since I care about the uncomfortable truths, more than the comforting fictions, I often discuss these things. Not to diminish what happened, or deny the points of either side, but by remembering the truth of what really happened (from both sides). Of course, since my family came to America, long after this, I have no dog in the fight, and can look at it more objectively than many. But if we care about learning from history, we first have to give up our comforting fictions (caricatures) and learn what really happened.
GagLiberty.png
Many on the left claim that Citizens United created/invented Corporate Personhood, and that this makes Corporations=People, and this new power puts our political system "up for sale". They're frighteningly wrong on all counts, and most are highly resistant to Historical, Legal and Logical facts. But this article does a fly-over of this history of Corporate Personhood, Citizens United, and why I politically distrust anyone that decries the ruling.
RearviewMirror.jpg

A common mistake I've seen businesses repeat, over and over again - or more accurately I've seen many companies do once or twice until they go out of business or the idiots doing it are fired, is to "drive by watching the review mirror".

Instead of analyzing and thinking, learning technology (and markets and customers), they decide, "someone else is doing it, and since it worked for them, it'll work for us".

I want to head-smack them.... and then point out the first rule of Italian racing; "what's behind you, is not important". You're not them, they're not you: different timing, resources, talents, markets, culture, personalities, and so on -- so crushing brilliant new ideas (e.g. my ideas) because that's not what someone else is doing, is just stupid. I have no problems being told "no", if you have an intelligent reason for it, and can back it up. But "that's not what everyone else is doing" is called a bandwagon fallacy, and isn't intelligent or support. So, "everyone else does it that way", makes as much sense to me, as driving while watching all the cars behind you. By the time they slam on their brakes or swerve (and you notice and react), it is already too late. I prefer to keep my eye's on the road, and not try to lead by following.
Bomb.jpg
The "defeated Japan” theory, and the idea that “the U.S. didn’t NEED to drop the bomb” is regularly regurgitated by folks like Oliver Stone (the alternative History professor) in articles repeated as News or History by leftist sources such as the L.A. Times. But those who know anything about the actual history of WWII, know better. This article sources a lot of the real history, instead of the fictitious one run by FakeNews outlets, and repeated by the left.
FDR-button.png
FDR is taught as a liberal caricature of a great man and President. But most of the myths around him, are just that: myths. He was a man of some charm, with few strengths and many flaws. He focused power so that he could abuse it, corrupt, vindictive, liar (betrayed most that trusted him). He ignored the Constitution and his oath of office, many of the countries worst shames happened under his watch (and by his hand/guidance). According to those closest to him, he was a lousy diplomat, a poor administrator, not scholarly, nor thoughtful, well read or even bright. He was people smart (manipulator) that enjoyed playing people/groups off of each other. Other than that, he was likable, mercurial, and aloof.
Iraq.png
This covers many of the fallacies and bad arguments about the Iraq War. Disagreeing over the cost/benefits of a war is fine, ignoring truths because they get in the way of your agenda is not.
Lies.jpg
Judge Napolitano offers a refresher (for political history buffs) of the 17th Amendment and some of the unintended consequences of progressivism: like the scope creep of the federal government once we removed the checks and balances that was the 17th.



Bill Gates

Gates.jpg
Is Bill Gates a genius? After all Microsoft was one of the world's great success stories. I don't think he's dumb - he was certainly smart and motivated enough to take advantages of opportunities that fell into his lap. And he was very industrious and competitive. But if you put 100 motivated people in situation, I bet 30 could have been wildly successful, and a few could have been more successful and less jerky. That to me is well below the bar of genius, but YMMV.

Barack Obama

A list of issues, articles and scandals that pertain to Barack Obama. Again, the point isn't to be fair here: it's to be honest. I don't care how people vote, or who they support. I do care about correcting revisionist history. This isn't meant as a balanced piece to show what good he's accomplished as a politicians or person (there was some, though it is a much shorter list), if you want fawning puff pieces, read/watch the water carriers in the left-wing media.

Main article: Barack Obama

Senator Joe McCarthy

BlacklistedByHistory.jpg
The full title is like reading the back cover. Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy and His fight Against America's Enemies by M. Stanton Evans. But it's fascinating, well researched, vivisection of the myths and propaganda that altered what happened and why, in the public's mind. It turns out McCarthy's name should remain synonymous with libelous witch hunts, not because he was the perpetrator of them, but the victim of it.

Alt-right, Milo, Bannon and Breitbart

RightTurn.png
Alt-Right is popularized by the media, but most have no idea where the term came from or what it means, or that it started as a slur (like "tea-baggers" or "libtard"). Or that there's basically 4 different usages. (1) Non Paleo's - those that failed the establishment right (paleoconservative) litmus tests. (2) Trolls and Blasphemers - those who mock the SJW's/Progressives, by pretending to be what they're accused of (to parody the source that's not in on the joke). (3) The Establishment Alt-Right this is the Spencer faction and what most today think the alt-right is (but very few actually belong to) (4) And the Proxy Alt-Right - which is anyone that's not hostile to everyone else that's to the right Karl Marx. This article explains all that and more.


Everyone is biased, I'm open about mine, so that people can decide if I'm right in spite of them, or where I go wrong (if they disagree). It started in 5th grade when I learned early that the School textbooks and teachers were indoctrinating me with lies (spin). The Italian part of my family was dominant, and that was the normal operating behavior: believe your own lies (self delusion), and repeat them to others until they believe them too (it didn't help that many were in sales). Then I noticed it in movies, TV, books, and Newspapers. The more I looked into everything I was being told, sold or cajoled on, the more bullshit and bias I became aware of. So cynical skepticism (distrust of what I'm told) was ingrained early, often, and imperfect skepticism served me well in most topics I dived into.
Abe.jpg
My interest in Honest Abe, was always about the darker parts of his history, that the High School History books skimmed or skipped. People are complex, so the more I heard this caricature of the Greatest American President, the more I wanted to know his humanity. And it turns out that he was a racist orator (just less racist than his contemporaries), with a an ego large enough to get over half a million men murdered (more Americans died in the civil war, than in WWII), and freeing the slaves was a vindictive byproduct of the war his election victory started. Those are the parts I focus on, the myths about Lincoln, the Civil War and Slavery.
A list of issues, articles and scandals that pertain to Barack Obama. Again, the point isn't to be fair here: it's to be honest. I don't care how people vote, or who they support. I do care about correcting revisionist history. This isn't meant as a balanced piece to show what good he's accomplished as a politicians or person (there was some, though it is a much shorter list), if you want fawning puff pieces, read/watch the water carriers in the left-wing media.
I constantly read fawning articles and blogs about Sanders. I really don’t care who you want to vote for, I just care that people are voting from a position of knowledge and are not lying to others (or themselves) about who/what he is. This reminds people of all the info they didn't get from the media.
Gates.jpg
I've heard it 10,000 times. Someone in a store or a party talking about how Bill Gates is a Genius, and how that lead to Microsoft's success. If I hear it one more time, I'm going to have to start dishing out the wedgie of death; turning one person into two, by tugging really hard on their undergarments!

I know, I know -- because I don't want to kiss Bill Gates ring, I am some biased Microsoft hater or Gates basher. Honestly, I don't like a lot of things that Microsoft does, but they are just a Company. I can't say I admire how they've always operated. I'm one of those weird people who think that the ends doesn't justify the means, and how you play is as important is if you win. But honestly, there are worse evils in the world than Microsoft.

Just because you are successful doesn't mean you are smart (or THAT smart). Let's start at the beginning of personal computers.

In the beginning

A bunch of geeks got interested in computers because they were fun, and they didn't have much of a social life. Many of these people were sharp -- but not THAT sharp. They geeked around and played with electronics and computer BECAUSE THEY LIKED IT! Now some of these people happened to be in the right place at the right time, and had the wisdom to take advantage of it. Let's not pretend these guys were that insightful! They were doing what they enjoyed, and it just happened to be in an industry that took off. This has happened in the past with cars, planes, the industrial revolution, ad infinitum. If you are at the right place at the right time, and you aren't stupid, you can succeed.

Bill Gates was one of these. He was lucky, had connections (and wealthy parents), and happened to be in the right places at the right time. Oh, yeah, and he wasn't stupid either, and took advantage of opportunity.

The 70's

In the mid 70's, after dropping out of college, Bill Gates and a friend Paul Allen were making software. They had a few nothing projects to make pocket change, and then stumbled on one that made them more. They saw this proto home computer kit (the Altair from MITS), and they decided that BASIC would be perfect for it. BASIC was a language that had been around for years, and made computers easier to program than programming the machine code. So they stole computer time from a College (you aren't supposed to use University resources for private commercial projects), and they reworked some stolen (er, borrowed) BASIC code (you aren't supposed to sell things derived from public domain code). So the ethics were a little shaky, but they ethics never got in the way of Microsoft's business.

Before this time, most commercial software was written under contract for big businesses and mainframe and minicomputers, so writing software for Microcomputers was a bit of a risk. If Gates had been really smart, they could have made a fortune by programming professionally for others. But Gates and Allen didn't fit the corporate mold, and more wanted to play on their own things than be smart and make good money. But Micros took off, and they happened to be there. This was probably more ego or for fun than insight or business sense. Don't get me wrong, people knew that Micros were going to have some business; but no one knew they were going to take off like they did. It is also easier to take risks like this, when you are a College kid with no overhead, and living off of Mommy and Daddy.

Computers weren't mainstream yet -- so writing thislanguage was not about money it was fun. They got some prestige in the geek circles, and they made a few bucks, but were not exactly wildly successful -- just college kids playing big-shots.

Bill Gates made some major mistakes, and managed to piss off most of his market when he and MITS charged more for the language than the computer itself cost. This pissed many off, that they started pirating Gates BASIC, and they started fixing the many bugs in it, and adding features. Soon the pirated versions were better than the 'for sale' one.

Gates threw a fit, and wrote a letter than called all the people improving his product thieves for stealing his software. The irony was lost on Bill, who had borrowed the software he was selling, as he had the computer time he'd built it on. This tirade pissed off his customers, and last time I checked, knowing your market would be a part of being a "marketing genius" that Gates is credited with, but I digress.

BASIC was better than programming in assembly language, so they had some sort of business going and that was the beginning of Microsoft. Once they had some market, they immediately made their BASIC non-standard, and kept adding incompatibilities with the standard. That way code written for Microsoft's BASIC wouldn't run on anything else.

Gates thought Languages were cool and was going to be where the money was. So they produced a couple (mainly flavors of BASIC for different machines). They sold OK, but their BASIC never really followed the standards -- but when you are the only game in town (as they often were), even bad implementations would sell. So part of Microsoft's early genius was just that there was little or no competition for languages in Micros.

Gates was smart enough to be ruthless though. When someone would offer any language, he'd drop the price of his, or do anything to "get the business", until he starved them out. Then he'd raise the price back up again. He seemed to have an ego problem where he had to win, no matter how little business sense it made. Luckily for him, he was able to starve out all the small fry's before he went bankrupt; but in most markets, that is not a practical business plan.

Microsoft continued to grow. There weren't many commercial applications back then, and so people had to program to make things useful; and so there was a demand for BASIC. And soon, Microsoft was licensing their BASIC to computer makers as a "must have". These royalties paid the bills (pun intended). Even back then, the big money was Applications; something Bill (and Microsoft) didn't learn for nearly a decade.

So after 6 years of having a Software Business that was puttering along, in an industry where Millionaires were being made daily, Microsoft (and Bill Gates) got their big break. Notice that Microsoft was not a huge Company (going in to 1980) -- Apple had far outgrown them (in less time), as had many others. Up to this point in time, there doesn't seem to be any Genius or Magic to Microsoft or Bill Gates. Then the fortune of the company changed.

Things will never be the same again (the 80's)

Mary Gates (Bill's Mom) and a high level Executive at IBM (Akers) were chatting (they were both involved in the United Way), and it became known that IBM was looking at getting into the Microcomputer business. Well one thing lead to another, and Bill got a visit from IBM. And IBM chose a product that Bill didn't even have, and gave him an awesome contract. This is another big secret to success -- be born into the right family, and get the right contacts. Some call it genius -- I guess it takes a smart kid to pick the right parents.

IBM left their brains back in Boca Raton Florida when negotiating a deal with Bill Gates for their Disk Operating System (DOS). Bill Gates didn't even have a DOS, but he convinced IBM he was almost finished with one. (Another element of business Genius seems to be being a pathological liar). Perhaps it had something to do with the President of IBM telling the small team creating the PC to "see Mary Gates son Bill" that influenced them to be blind. Or that IBM had just gotten out of a huge lawsuit with the Department of Justice about being a monopoly, and so they wanted to outsource something. Or that IBM didn't think that Microcomputers were going anywhere, and they wanted to make a lame one to try to sell more mainframes. But for whatever reasons, they made a deal where they'd license DOS from Bill, but Bill got to keep the rights to everything and sell it to anyone else he wanted. So another secret to success if find a rich (but dumb) sugar Daddy that's willing to finance you, pay you to develop a product for yourself, and let you borrow the biggest name in the business (IBM's) for your own success.

Microsoft then bought DOS off someone else (Seattle Computings' Quick-and-Dirty OS, QDOS). This product was actually a cheap rip-off (clone) product of a friend of Gates (Gary Kildalls' CP/M), and Bill knew it. They had actually had a gentlemen's agreement; that Bill Gates wouldn't do Operating Systems, and Gary Kildall wouldn't do languages. Also Seattle Computing was mislead on the value of the contract, and the intent of it's usage, and sold cheap for $50,000 (a fraction of what it was worth). But therein lies another part of Genius; the lack of integrity/scruples, and stumbling on multiple opportunities.

Gary Kildall was quite offended by the whole ordeal. Imagine Gary's surprise when Gates not only did an OS, but it was really a poorly ripped-off copy of his own OS. Once again, Microsoft lacked the imagination to write their own OS or think of anything new. Why should they, when they could just steal someone else's code? Then, Microsoft continually evolved things to be different and incompatible with the standard they'd borrowed from; just like they had with BASIC. Do you notice a patterns?

There were better Operating Systems out there for micros before DOS, and IBM ignored that. I still think they wanted the "lame" thing to not compete with their big iron. And there were better Operating Systems while IBM was selling DOS on their PC's. But IBM really only leant their name (enthusiasm) to PC-DOS (Microsoft IBM labeled version), which starved out all the competition except Microsoft (since they were the only one compatible); and guaranteed Bill's success. Then IBM continued to pay Microsoft for improvements, that Microsoft repeatedly delivered late, if at all, and most were buggy; but Microsoft got to sell in their own product.

As they used to say, "no one ever got fired for buying IBM".

The Killer App

Around the same time as IBM was getting into the microcomputer business, a guy, named Dan Bricklin, created VisiCalc; the world's first "Killer App". VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet for computers. Basically a spreadsheet allowed for business people to lay out numbers into columns and make the computer add them up for you, enabling it to do all sorts of wonderful things (for accountants and business people). It was just a common sense version of an electronic ledger or columnar sheet. But VisiCalc was so popular, that it not only sold itself by the tons, but people bought computers (Apple]['s) just to run VisiCalc on. VisiCalc revolutionized Microcomputers and brought them from hobby devices into many more businesses and far more homes -- and seriously contributed to the success of Apple.

Not only did Bill Gates not invent this revolution, but Dan Bricklin went to Microsoft (Bill Gates), as well as Apple Computers, and asked them to sell the package for him. Gates didn't think it would sell. At least Apple had a lame excuse; they were in the hardware business; but Bill sold software. You seldom hear that Bill Gates turned down what was the most revolutionary Application in the history of Microcomputers.

Why innovate when you can steal? Later Microsoft ripped off the design and undercut the VisiCalc (and the copies of it), using the profits from DOS and Languages to subsidize himself and starve out everyone else. Sadly, they did this because Apple asked them to, and gave them computers and help to break into the Application market. Apple did this because they wanted support for their new computer (the Macintosh), and Apple didn't want to compete with their software developers. Microsoft had a big name, and it leant credibility, and seemed like a good idea at the time. (Did I mention silly partners seems to be a secret of Microsoft success?).

Eventually, Microsofts rip-off of VisiCalc (first named Multiplan, and later renamed to Excel) became the only man left standing. Oh, and at first, Multiplan was compatible with everything else. Over time, it became more proprietary and non-standard. (Think of patterns). Also Microsoft started a new pattern, tying. They had started tying sales of DOS to licensing their BASIC, both to the sale of new hardware (to get DOS you had to sell it on every computer you made), and their version of Multiplan (or Excel) to their Word Processor, and so on. They would use their proven products in one market to wedge their new products into the market and drive everyone else. This is not a new trick, it was one of the things our Anti-Trust (Anti-Monopoly) laws had been written to stop, nearly 100 years earlier.

The genius of Microsoft was their business plan: let someone innovate (and take the risks), then rip them off. Microsoft used their size, money and unfair advantages from the start, to bully others out of business. They were never better, just bigger. And that was something a lot of people didn't realize, just because Microsoft could do it, doesn't mean you could follow it; unless you had their resources, which no one else had.

More money, more money, more money

Apple geniusbar.png

IBM obviously felt the problem was that they weren't paying Microsoft enough -- so they then got involved with Microsoft to make a "Windowing" Operating System (Called OS/2) -- to make the PC's more like the Mac. Over the next 10 years, IBM gave Microsoft BILLIONS of dollars to develop software for... Microsoft.

Note: I didn't say that they paid Microsoft to write software for IBM. IBM once again had agreements where Microsoft would get to keep whatever code they created, but at least this time IBM got the code as well. Since Microsoft kept most of the people that wrote the code, they were the ones that could effectively use it (support it). On top of that, Microsoft also pulled some fast ones, where some of the code they kept as "theirs" and they kept using the profits (from writing stuff for IBM), to add in their own features to their own version of OS/2 (called Windows) that IBM couldn't touch.

The real hero of Microsoft was their lawyers, and the complete stupidity of IBM's lawyers and negotiators. In the end this one way deal -- a way for Microsoft to get Billions of Dollars, and get to use the IBM name -- and IBM got, almost nothing (except mediocre code and the opportunity to make another company's executives rich).

Now I cut Microsoft a little slack there; it wasn't their fault that IBM was stupid. And some things aren't as bad as they sound. Microsoft kept two projects; Windows and OS/2. And many of the reasons that OS/2 was late and slow was because it was being done by IBM (who was always slow), compounded by two companies trying to collaborate (which usually makes things worse). But Microsoft could and did cherry pick the best people for their own project, and the best code, and so on. And they weren't innocent in delaying OS/2 in favor of their own, and stabbing IBM in the back to guarantee their own success; can you say "conflict of interest"? IBM didn't.

Needless to say, Microsoft grew tremendously in the 80's. Billions of Dollars and IBM's name has always a recipe for success. Is there Genius in getting a cushy deal and riding on someone else's coattails?

More secrets of success

Microsoft (Bill Gates) did magnify their success in a variety of ways. They were known to hire lots of high-school kids and pay them dirt to write code - then beat them into the ground. If you got kids working for you before they worked anywhere else, they didn't know any better. Of course the few that survived in that hacking environment (not engineering) got stock options and became tyrannical immature millionaires, that thought that was how business is supposed to be done. So a corporate culture was created in the spirit of the Lord of the Flies.

Microsoft then relentlessly used its position as keeper of the OS, as a way to destroy any competition -- it wasn't about being the best, it was about being the only game in town (and making sure of it). Whenever Microsoft needed to gain market share in the Application Market (where the real money started to come from) -- they would come out with a new version of the OS, that would "accidentally" break everyone else's Applications, but somehow, Microsoft Apps would always work and take advantage of the newest features (and undocumented ones built into the Operating System itself). I guess there is Genius in illegally using your position in one market to drive people out of that and other markets?

Microsoft even pulled the greatest scams of all times -- they convinced the entire industry that OS/2 was the future of IBM, Microsoft (and all computers). Then when all the competition was committed to making Apps for OS/2, Microsoft came out with Windows 3.0, and had all their apps working for that (and started saying how OS/2 was dead, and Windows was the real future). In the time it took the competition to rewrite Apps for Windows, Microsoft had already captured most of the Application market.

Microsoft claims the deception was all just an accident. And to be fair, to a small point it was. But it was not like they didn't know that writing Applications for Windows would guarantee its success, or that they didn't think pulling an end run would hurt IBM or OS/2. So it was either an evil plot (and fraud) or an accident, and neither of those is genius and planning.

Conclusion

Genius.jpeg

Microsoft would later distribute their Apps with their OS, and make it conditional that if you wanted their OS, then you had to take their Applications as well. Further killing the competition. This succeeded too, but only through means that would embarrass a Rockefeller. So Microsoft was not so much brilliant, as it was unscrupulous. Some of the events were by accident (they certainly didn't want to break up with IBM and lose the OS/2, as long as they had such a wonderfully parasitic relationship), some by design. But they didn't care about ethics, they cared about winning - and the thing that enabled them to win was always their size, IBM's name, and later their own name.

Microsoft didn't win because of good products -- their products were never that good; but they weren't that bad either. They didn't win because of brilliant marketing; their marketing wasn't that good. They didn't win because of any ability to see the future or anticipate markets; remember things like Bob, the first two versions of Windows, passing on major markets like VisiCalc, Databases, and so on. Mostly Microsoft followed others, then used their size and name to force the others out. They basically just won because they could afford to, because IBM was paying their way. By the time IBM finally caught on to this, and broke off the relationship, it was the 90's, and IBM had paid to develop DOS, Windows, most of Microsoft's Applications, and for the creation of WindowsNT -- and turned a small software company into the "evil empire" that we all know and love.

I know that people worship success. Fine. But lets not call it Genius -- it is a combination of luck (timing) and connections. (Along with determination, work, and enough smarts to not shoot yourself in the foot, terminally). Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and many others in Microsoft did create a Multi-Billion Dollar Company. Bill Gates is sharp, and was a ruthless, slightly insecure opportunist, that happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right family. But the catch is who couldn't have succeeded with Billions of IBM's Dollars, and getting to use IBM's name for over a decade?

I am sure there are many people that couldn't have made Microsoft AS successful as Bill Gates did. Gates is not stupid, and did quite well. However, I doubt there are many people that could have failed with Billions of Dollars and IBM's reputation. I am just as sure that there are many many other people that could have made Microsoft a far more successful company than Gates did, and without as being as amoral as he was (or his company was). So where is the genius?

So next time someone starts to talk publicly about Bill Gates Genius, give them this URL, and ask them to read it before they cram their foot in their mouths any further. You never know when some crazed geek is hiding around the corner ready to give them the wedgie of death!

Many people have a thing against people (Bill Gates) because of their money -- that is stupid! Why resent people over that? Bill Gates (Microsoft) has employed tens of thousands of people (directly and indirectly) -- so I could care less how rich he is. I wish him, and his company all the best (financially). I just refuse to let people forget how they got where they are, and what they did along the way. My problems with Microsoft have always been based on their actions, and how many people that got hurt along the way.

1997.09.20

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Recently Donald Trump re-ignited the birther campaign by saying the following, "Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it...." This of course has revived the fable that the Obama birther movement didn't come from the Clinton campaign, and the Hillary-supporting media is quick to carry her campaigns' water and gaslight anyone who knew better. But as Ronald Reagan said, "It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant. It's just that they know so many things that aren't so."
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FDR is taught as a liberal caricature of a great man and President. But most of the myths around him, are just that: myths. He was a man of some charm, with few strengths and many flaws. He focused power so that he could abuse it, corrupt, vindictive, liar (betrayed most that trusted him). He ignored the Constitution and his oath of office, many of the countries worst shames happened under his watch (and by his hand/guidance). According to those closest to him, he was a lousy diplomat, a poor administrator, not scholarly, nor thoughtful, well read or even bright. He was people smart (manipulator) that enjoyed playing people/groups off of each other. Other than that, he was likable, mercurial, and aloof.
This generation is going to be known as Generation TidePod, mostly because condom snorters is too vulgar. But you are what you do. Not everyone in this generation eats TidePods, but the most vocal asshats seem to. So if you shoot arrows, you should probably be prepared to catch a few. My generation gave you the Internet (the best example of free speech), and this generation is trying to ruin it through government controls.
Joe McCarthy might have many character flaws, he was a tenacious and ethical bombast, and a bit too enthusiastic. But the facts are that he was pushing for investigations against real subversive elements within our government: the communists had an incredibly large and complex network of agents and collaborators, and it had not only flourished under the administration, but they had done little to stop it. Joe was given real insider information from various real investigations done by the FBI and the State Department, that were being illegally withheld from Congress (and the public). So the Administration was working to suppress any exposure, and would attack anyone that exposed it. Joe found massive incompetence, and an even broader coverup, and his focus was on demonstrating the coverup. FDR, Truman and their allies had totally botched foreign policy, the State Dept., the red-menace, the amount of spying, so they had tried to cover it up, repeatedly. Since politicians (Democrats), are genetically incapable from taking responsibility, they need a scapegoat — and Joe McCarthy became their patsy. Since the abuse was so broad and so vast, that people just didn’t want to believe it, the administration used the breadth and depth of their own malfeasance to claim that Joe was absurd. So they sold the fiction of the Big Lie: since some of it was overdone, there was no basis for any of it. Today, opening records has proven that he was more right than he was wrong. And his biggest detractors often turned out to be part of the conspiracy that he was trying to expose.
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We owe it to ourselves and others, to remember what actually happened. The Republicans got obstructionist on Obama after nearly 2 years of partisan vitriol from Obama and the Democrat side of the aisle. And you can grouse about that. But if you commit a lie of omission (remove the context of why they did that, or said, "we need him to be a 1 term president"), then I'm going to defend history. Not because I care who you like or vote for or against, but because truth needs a champion.


2nd Amendment was about the militia

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There are a few late 20th century inventions in the war against civil liberties (and the 2nd), but few as virulent and wrongheaded as that the 2nd amendment was about "the militia" and the militia meant "National Guard" (something that wasn't invented until 1903). These assumptions fail at Logic, English, History, and Constitutional Law, and there were the founders words, Supreme Court rulings, and experts in language and history that all but unanimously disagree with them. Of course mere facts won't prevent the determined from demonstrating the Dunning-Kruger effect, but hopefully the evidence can deter a few of them from demonstrating their willful ignorance in the future.

2nd Amendment was for muskets

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There’s a common argument (fallacy) that the Second Amendment didn't project changes in armament / technology, thus it couldn’t have been intended to apply to modern pistols and rifles (most of whose designs actually go back to the 1800’s or early 1900’s). This argument completely fails on the intent of the 2nd (which was about balancing power), but it even more strongly fails on understanding gun technology and history. At the founding of the country they had 8-shot revolvers, 9 shot "repeaters", 11-shot field artillery pieces, Jefferson even had a 22 shot repeating rifle. Not to mention "burst mode" automatics that fired up to 20 rounds with a single pull of the trigger. And during the remainder of their lives, not one of the founding fathers came forward to complain that technology was advancing beyond the intent of the 1st or 2nd Amendments.


NPR tries to school the right on something NPR knows little about: in this case anything to do with guns (or canons), or History. Which begs the question, "Why do we have to subsidize them"? It's not that I dislike NPR, but whenever I hear them on conservative issues, they usually fuck it up, big time. Like this example on where Molon Labe comes from, and why it's wrong to use it with AR-15's instead of a canon.
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There are a few late 20th century inventions in the war against civil liberties (and the 2nd), but few as virulent and wrongheaded as that the 2nd amendment was about "the militia" and the militia meant "National Guard" (something that wasn't invented until 1903). These assumptions fail at Logic, English, History, and Constitutional Law, and there were the founders words, Supreme Court rulings, and experts in language and history that all but unanimously disagree with them. Of course mere facts won't prevent the determined from demonstrating the Dunning-Kruger effect, but hopefully the evidence can deter a few of them from demonstrating their willful ignorance in the future.
ModernMusket.png
There’s a common argument (fallacy) that the Second Amendment didn't project changes in armament / technology, thus it couldn’t have been intended to apply to modern pistols and rifles (most of whose designs actually go back to the 1800’s or early 1900’s). This argument completely fails on the intent of the 2nd (which was about balancing power), but it even more strongly fails on understanding gun technology and history. At the founding of the country they had 8-shot revolvers, 9 shot "repeaters", 11-shot field artillery pieces, Jefferson even had a 22 shot repeating rifle. Not to mention "burst mode" automatics that fired up to 20 rounds with a single pull of the trigger. And during the remainder of their lives, not one of the founding fathers came forward to complain that technology was advancing beyond the intent of the 1st or 2nd Amendments.
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Defensive Gun Uses (DGU's for short) is how many times guns are used for good (to stop a crime, or for "defense") as opposed to doing harm. If you don't know how many times a gun is used for good, then how can have context on the good-to-bad ratios? In other words, if guns are used for good, far far more often than they're used to commit crimes, or for bad uses, then gun control could easily do more harm than good. Best estimates on both are that guns are used in ≈9,000 murders per year (only about 1/2 to 2/3rds of murders are with a gun), but they're used about 2.2 million times a year to stop a crime. That means if you outlawed all guns (pure gun control), and you're naive enough to think that would stop 9,000 murders, you'd probably increase crime (including violent crimes) by a couple million more cases a year? Whether that is a net win for you is based completely on your irrational fear/hatred of an inanimate object (hopolophobia).
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Almost every discussion with a gun-controller looks the same, I show them how if they really cared about lives, crimes, or the things they claim they care about, they would be putting their energies elsewhere. The evidence seldom changes their minds, but it often irritates them into never wanting to discuss the topic with me again.
The news never likes to talk about GGWG's (Good Guys with Guns), and the many, many more cases, where responsible adults save lives, using guns. This is just a small sampling of the millions of DGU's (Defensive Gun Uses) that happen each year.
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Here are my favorite gun quotes. This quote sums up the key problem with gun-controllers arguments: they're unintentional hypocrites or fools. You can’t eliminate a tool, or knowledge of it. All that you can do is decide whether there should be a balance of power, or none. Some believe in that balance, others believe that the state is never wrong, especially if you ignore the History of all the times they’ve been wrong in the past. Liberty •  Militia Meaning Militia Dependent •  Founding Fathers •  Legal Famous People OpponentsObama
Magazine limits have never been shown to have any impact on gun crime, crime, or casualties in mass shootings. Democrats demand low capacity magazines either knowing that (and not caring), or being ignorant of the topic they're trying to legislate. Persecuting someone knowing that your law can't help is kinda the definition of asshole.
Here are dozens of examples of Mass shootings stopped by armed civilians. Those claiming that civilians don’t stop school shootings are either either ignorant, liars, or both. So if you hear or read that claim, you can immediately consider the source discredited by their own dishonesty, bias or incompetence. 37 items
Guns are funny. Gun Controllers and the things they say and do is funnier.
Assault WeaponsGun BansGun ControlGun ControllersMuskets