If I think something's a waste of time or inappropriate I don't wait to point it out. I say it right away. It's real time. So you might hear me say 'That's the dumbest idea I have ever heard' many times during a meeting. Bill Gates More Quotes by Bill Gates More Quotes From Bill Gates Natural epidemics can be extremely large. Intentionally caused epidemics, bioterrorism, would be the largest of all. Bill Gates epidemics would-be natural Computers are great because when you're working with them you get immediate results that let you know if your program works. It's feedback you don't get from many other things. Bill Gates feedback program computer What's amazing is, if young people understood how doing well in school makes the rest of their life so much interesting, they would be more motivated. It's so far away in time that they can't appreciate what it means for their whole life. Bill Gates mean people school I remember thinking quite logically that I didn't want to spoil my children with wealth and so that I would create a foundation, but not knowing exactly what it would focus on. Bill Gates knowing children thinking My son likes to go see mines and electric plants, or the Large Hadron Collider, and we've had a chance to see a lot of interesting stuff. Bill Gates stuff interesting son Bitcoin is mostly about anonymous transactions, and I don't think over time that's a good way to go. I'm a huge believe in digital currency... but doing it on an anonymous basis I think that leads to some abuses, so I'm not involved in Bitcoin. Bill Gates abuse believe thinking Rich countries can afford to overpay for things. Bill Gates rich-countries rich country Certainly I'll never be able to put myself in the situation that people growing up in the less developed countries are in. I've gotten a bit of a sense of it by being out there and meeting people and talking with them. Bill Gates growing-up talking country I try to make time for reading each night. In addition to the usual newspapers and magazines, I make it a priority to read at least one newsweekly from cover to cover. If I were to read what intrigues me- say, the science and business sections - then I would finish the magazine the same person I was when I started. So I read it all. Bill Gates reading inspirational night If the 1980s were about quality and the 1990s were about reengineering, then the 2000s will be about velocity. Bill Gates velocity quality change (In response to Java) Anybody who thinks a little 9,000-line program that's distributed free and can be cloned by anyone is going to affect anything we do at Microsoft has his head screwed on wrong. Bill Gates java microsoft thinking The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it. Bill Gates hierarchy news communication I've said some stupid things and some wrong things, but not that. No one involved in computers would ever say that a certain amount of memory is enough for all time. Bill Gates computer stupid memories Sometimes, I think my most important job as a CEO is to listen for bad news. If you don't act on it, your people will eventually stop bringing bad news to your attention and that is the beginning of the end. Bill Gates business leadership jobs You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both. Bill Gates education life school As you improve health in a society, population growth goes down. You know, I thought it was... before I learned about it, I thought it was paradoxical. Bill Gates healthcare population growth Everyone knows about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now help me spread the word about Giving Tuesday! Bill Gates friday monday tuesday Ridiculous sums of money can be confusing. Bill Gates ridiculous confusing There are more people dying of malaria than any specific cancer. Bill Gates cancer dying people Automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency. Bill Gates automation efficiency technology