The Richest Man in the World
Along with about 700-900 tech policy people, I saw Bill Gates speak tonight at CDT's stupendous celebratory dinner tonight.
The most memorable part of his talk tied access to knowledge and the affordances of the internet together. I think what he's done with his foundation is honorable and worthwhile, and the slightly snarky comments near me stilled when he talked about micro-investments in other people's efforts online.
He looked both younger and older than I thought he would — hair darker, but one shoulder visibly stooped. You can see what he might look like in twenty years. Slightly nasal voice. He got off a good joke: Time's approach to the Person of the Year this year (the reflective square on the front cover, celebrating user-generated content) effectively made him Man of the Year two years in a row — he just had to share it with others this year.
Microsoft's attacks on Google right now seem aimed at deflecting attention away from MSN's antitrust problems in Europe. I don't charge Mr. Gates with these attacks; he seemed above the fray this evening.