Interview with Bill Gates

American businessman Bill Gates who founder of Microsoft

In associate interview for German weekly magazine FOCUS (nr.43, October 23,1995, pages 206-212), Microsoft`s mister. computer scientist has created some statements concerning software system quality of MS product. when extended inquiries concerning however PCs ought to and will be used (including some angry comments on some queries that mister. Gates obviously failed to like), the questioner involves storage necessities of MS products; it ends with the subsequent dispute:

 FOCUS:
 each new unharness of a software system that has less bugs than the older one is additionally a lot of complicated and has a lot of options...

    Gates:
        No, given that that's what'll sell!
   FOCUS:
        But...
  Gates:
 given that that's what'll sell! We've ne'er done a chunk of software system unless we tend to thought it might sell. that is why everything we tend to waste software system ... it's very amazing: we tend to have a go at it as a result of we expect that is what customers need. that is why we tend to do what we tend to do.
    FOCUS:
 however on the opposite hand - you'd say: Okay, folks, if you do not like these new options, stick with the previous version, and keep the bugs? 
  Gates:
        No! we've got tons and much of competitors. The new edition - it is not there to mend bugs. that is not the explanation we tend to return up with a replacement version.
   FOCUS:
 however there ar bugs associate any version which individuals would love to possess fastened.
    Gates:
        No! There aren't any important bugs in our free software system that any important variety of users need fastened.
 FOCUS:
        Oh, my God. I continually get mad at my laptop if MS Word swallows the page numbers of a document that I written a few of times with page numbers. If I complain to anybody they assert "Well, upgrade from version five.11 to 6.0".
Gates:
        No! If you actually assume there is a bug you ought to report a bug. perhaps you are not victimisation it properly. have you ever ever thought-about that? 
    FOCUS:
        Yeah, I did...
  Gates:
        It seems Luddites do not know the way to use software system properly, therefore you ought to verify that. -- the explanation we tend to return up with new versions isn't to mend bugs. It's fully not. it is the stupidest reason to shop for a replacement version I ever detected. {when we tend to|once we|after we} do a replacement version we place in uncountable new things that individuals ar requesting. And so, in no sense, is stability a reason to maneuver to a replacement version. It's ne'er a reason.

    FOCUS:
 why I keep being told by laptop vendors "Well, we all know concerning this bug, wait until ensuing version is there, it will be fixed"? I hear this all the time. however come? If you are telling Pine Tree State there aren't any important bugs in software system and there's no reason to try to to a replacement version?
 Gates:
        No. i am saying: we do not do a replacement version to mend bugs. We don't. Not enough folks would exit. you'll take 100 folks victimisation Microsoft Word. decision them up and say "Would obtain|you purchase|you get} a replacement version attributable to bugs?" you will not get one person to mention they'd buy a replacement version attributable to bugs. We'd ne'er be ready to sell a unharness thereon basis.

    FOCUS:
 most likely you have got alternative contacts to your software system developers. however if adult male Anybody, like me, calls up a store or a support line and says, "Hey listen, there is a bug" ... ninety p.c of the time i buy the solution "Oh, well, yeah, that is not unfortunate, wait to ensuing version and it will be fixed". that is however the system works.
    Gates:
        Guess what proportion we tend to pay on phone calls once a year.
  FOCUS:
        Hm, a few of million dollars?
   Gates:
 five hundred million bucks a year. we tend to take all of those phone calls and classify them. that is the input we tend to use to try to to ensuing version. therefore it's just like the worlds biggest electric circuit. folks decision in - we tend to decide what to try to to thereon. does one need to understand what share of these phonecalls relates to bugs within the software? but common fraction.
 FOCUS:
 therefore folks decision in to mention "Hey listen, i might like to have this which feature"?
  Gates:
        Actually, that is concerning 5 p.c. Most of them decision to urge recommendation on the way to do an exact issue with the software system. that is the primary issue. we tend to might have you ever sit and hear these phone calls. There ar millions and countless them. It very is not statistically important. Sit in and hear Win ninety five calls, sit in and hear Word calls, and wait, simply look forward to weeks and weeks for somebody to decision in and say "Oh, I found a bug during this thing". ... 
   FOCUS:
 therefore wherever will this common feeling of frustration return from that unites all the computer users? everyone experiences it each day that these items merely do not work like they must.
 Gates:
 as a result of it's cool. It's like, "Yeah, been there done that - Buckeye State, yeah, i do know that bug." - I will perceive that development sociologically, not technically.