Bill Gates discusses "Longhorn," Linux and why he's so optimistic about the future.
The smoke having almost cleared from several years of antitrust proceedings, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates is turning his attention to what he's calling "seamless computing." The most influential figure in the software industry is confronting other challenges as well, including following through on his company's Trustworthy Computing initiative to make Windows more secure. In addition, Gates is shepherding a landmark Windows upgrade in "Longhorn," which is due in 2006, while fending off the Linux challenge and pushing Web services for application integration. Gates discussed these issues and more in an interview with eWEEK Editor in Chief Eric Lundquist at Comdex in Las Vegas last week.
Your theme at your Comdex keynote this year is seamless computing. What is seamless computing, and how is it different from "information at your fingertips" or "the digital nervous system"?
There is a certain commonality to what I've said at this show for 20 years running. The theme is using software to empower individuals to access information that helps them be productive and do fun things. Whatever the banner is—information at your fingertips or digital nervous system— that is the vision of what I have devoted my life to.
News source: eWeek
