Transcript of Bill Gates Explains the Internet to Dave (1995) | Letterman
Letterman
0:00you know uh bill there's something that0:01I really love about the Windows 95 it's0:03really cool and uh it just it comes up0:06right here and okay now well that's it's0:07okay now look there the flying toasters0:10look see they're toasters and they're0:11flying and then oh here comes the0:12Branded and go look it gobbl it let me0:15show you something okay huh wow cool0:19make that fly let me see that thing fly0:22wow what did you think of that quiz0:24machine very impressive piece of0:25equipment until it exploded wasn't it0:27I've seen better now0:30now at Microsoft I have a feeling that0:32you guys must have a vast research and0:34development department new ideas come0:36across your desk every minute of every0:37day don't they pretty much almost yeah0:39so now if something like the quiz0:41machine failed what would you do what0:43course of action would you0:45take um I'd recall it recall it but0:49wouldn't you fire a lot of people first0:51no0:54no let's uh I have like a million things0:57to ask you first of all if you can1:00describe for us succinctly what it is1:02that you did better and first that put1:05you where you are today what was the1:07core of this what was the seed what is1:09the essence of Microsoft when and how1:11did that happen Okay uh I think there's1:15a lot of elements that go into it a1:17vision of what software what the vision1:19what was your vision well a computer on1:21every desk and in every home right I1:23don't have one on my home or in my desk1:25vice1:26versa but there was more to it than just1:29that Vision you must have known how1:31early did you realize you knew something1:33that could be exploited and to to this1:35extreme well there were a small group of1:37people who saw what this chip could do1:40as it became more powerful and we sort1:42of felt like a special group because we1:44were all working on it and we thought1:45someday these big computer companies are1:47going to have a huge problem and this1:50thing is going to reach out to the1:51entire world but every year we just kept1:53hiring more people working on it it's1:55been 20 years since we started it and1:58we're not really to the full realization2:00that Vision even even today yeah but2:02this came to you more or less when you2:03were in high school you were so far2:05ahead of people in your high school2:07class with knowledge of computers that2:09they the school hired you didn't they2:11that's right I did the the school2:13scheduling it was a very nice position2:15to be2:16in and how did you make that work to2:18your advantage well we we had uh 80%2:22boys and 20% girls right but in my2:24classes they were all girls just you2:27because you worked the schedule into the2:29there you2:35why why don't I have a2:39computer we need we need to find an2:42application for you part of your problem2:44is you have too many assistants uhuh2:50they're well I I like I like have an2:54assistance well2:55they're they're like human computers2:58they're doing everything for you right2:59uh maybe you should let them have3:01computers but yeah I I think some of3:02them do I I you know certainly haven't3:04met all of them but I think some of them3:07do but but you know I think about this3:09and what about this internet thing do3:10you do you know anything about that sure3:13what what the hell is that3:15exactly well it's it's become a place3:17where people are publishing information3:19so everybody can have their own homepage3:22companies are there the latest3:24information it's wild what's going on3:26you can send electronic mail to people3:29uh it is is the big new thing yeah but3:31you know uh it's easy to criticize3:33something you don't fully understand3:34which is my position here go ahead but I3:36I can remember a couple of months ago3:38there was like a big breakthrough3:40announcement that on the Internet or on3:41some computer deal they were going to3:44broadcast a baseball game you could3:46listen to a baseball game on your3:48computer and I just thought to myself3:51does radio ring a3:55bell you know what I mean is just3:59there's there's a difference there is a4:01difference it's not a huge difference4:03what is the difference but you can you4:05can listen to the baseball game whenever4:06you want right too oh I see so it's4:09stored in one of your memory deals and4:11you come backat thing you talked about4:13earlier yeah do tape recorders ring a4:15[Laughter]4:19bell um yeah I just I just don't know4:22what what can you just knowing me the4:24little you know me now what how what am4:26I missing here what do I need well if4:28you want to learn about the latest cigar4:29bars or uh auto racing right uh4:33statistics well you know I've got that4:34covered I I subscribe to two British4:37magazines devoted entirely to4:39Motorsports and I call the quicker State4:41Speed Line about two times a half hour4:45so now now would the computer give me4:46more than I'm getting that way oh you4:48could find other people who have the4:50same unusual interests you do uh4:57and you mean5:00you mean the troubled loner chat room on5:02the5:04internet5:06[Laughter]5:09absolutely uh I think one day I'll get5:11one of these deals but I you know I've5:13played with them and then you you know5:14you're typing in and then they get that5:16thing that little arrow is that the5:17arrow youve and then it's just you know5:18it's like oh I get it it's an eye test5:20what are5:21we um tell me about your house are you5:25in your new house yet no I'm still5:26building that I'm hoping to move in by5:28the end of of 96 is it just like the5:30coolest house of all time uh for me it's5:33the coolest house of all time what what5:34are the things that you've designed for5:36the house that really you're very5:37excited about I've got a a trampoline5:40room uh that I can go and5:45use a trampoline room that's right this5:48is like an actual trampoline or like a5:50computer trampol non virtual this is5:52this is the real deal sure and and you5:54have artwork that can be changed right I5:56have very high quality screens uh5:59throughout the the house and so I can6:00call up I can take a topic like6:02scientists or Russia or Renaissance6:05paintings and so different ones of6:08images related to that topic will come6:10up and uh Wherever I Go you get those6:13high quality displays man uh how many6:16square feet is this well it's it's6:18fairly6:19big what what are we talking about oh6:22more than 50,000 Square fet 50,0006:25Square this theater is not that big Bill6:32it's got different parts it's got a6:34place where I can entertain uh oh well6:38that's good you don't want to cheat6:39yourself on6:40that6:45okay is there something now beyond what6:47we understand about computers that like6:5020 years ago we didn't fully understand6:51computers is there now another level of6:53something maybe we haven't even thought6:55of it maybe it's not even possible maybe6:57you know a whole different me ISM a6:59whole different software and Hardware or7:02is this going to be it now through the7:03end of time mostly what we're working on7:05now is the computer being a tool a tool7:08to help us learn or find other people7:10with the same interests uh eventually we7:14may figure out how to make the computer7:15think but uh that's turns out to be a7:18very tough problem in fact there's been7:20almost no progress made on it so nobody7:22knows when that'll happen some people7:24think it'll never happen yeah we don't7:26want them to think do we not really I7:27would think uh it's it's a SC thought7:30yeah it's too bad there's no money in7:31this too isn't there just a7:34shame um the the book is called uh the7:38road ahead and Bill thank you very much7:40I can't uh can't thank you for your help7:42here with the big quiz machine tonight7:45[Music]
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