Lary Bloom
Writer, Editor, Teacher
The Bloom Blog
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Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Pardoning Bill Gates
As Bill Gates struggles to fend off Google's challenge, he at least no longer has to worry about me. I have taken my name off of the Bill Gates Critics list ever since my conversation a few days ago with a nice fellow in Bombay named Anup.Gates knows he has critics, though I have not bothered him with my issues. I haven't said, "Why is it, Bill, that everything about Microsoft is in a language other than English, and why is it that the so-called Help site on Windows XP is indecipherable and is it your intention to keep your customers always in the dark so that they have to buy advice from your technicians?"
I didn't do this even when vexed by the latest issue, a horizontal line that appeared in a manuscript I'm working on -- and which I couldn't get rid of no matter what I did short of tossing the laptop out of the window. But, dear readers, I am pleased to say that all is well, except that Bill Gates, not the man I know as Anup in Bombay, is the richest man in the world.
It was Anup, a technician at the other end of the 800 number, who solved my problem. More than that, he was entirely sympathetic and understanding. He became, in short, my best friend. I may even visit him one of these days and we'll have a few laughs over plates of tandoori chicken, or whatever they really eat in Bombay. And we'll toast his boss. "To Bill Gates, we wish you 4%x*I)X%,<+." (See Microsoft manual to translate message.)
Posted by:Lary Bloom at 4:07 AM
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