He thinks Windows can’t be hacked.
Not intending to start an OS war here, but Apple’s not the one with the rep of getting hacked all the time. No doubt that someone could hack a Mac, and I’m sure that if the numbers were reversed (with 90% of computers running OSX and 10% running Windows or Linux) that there’d be all kinds of attacks directed at Macs, while Linux and Windows got ignored.
Er… wow…
I’m not even sure what to say to that. Is he really that out of it? Or is he hoping that everyone else is, and that most consumers will take his statement at face value?
I’ll admit Vista is supposed to have better security, but still, essentially dropping a global challenge to hackers to crack Windows is such a terrible idea.
Read a web comic (a while ago, don’t remember what one) where one of the characters posted on a forum that their website was un-hackable, then returned home to find their computer, TV, and microwave hacked. I think the result of this will be similar.
Did he just say “Bring it on”?
You can see Gates’ comments in context here.
Wait. You mean 640k isn’t enough for everyone?
Um, but seriously – the OS has barely been out for a week. Given that the world is Microsoft’s beta tester, how can he possibly make such a claim? It’s absurd even to think about it. Give it a month or two, there will be plenty of exploits. There have already been at least two that I know of, and those turned up before it was even released. Vista may be more secure, but that just means the hackers are going to get more creative. Never underestimate a determined hacker’s ability to feed you your own foot.
Well, they did get security help from the NSA. You know, that supersecret spy agency. Just look at their track record: Missed the fall of communism, missed 9/11, thought there were WMDs in Iraq, and can’t seem to figure out where Osama is. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t.
There’s a huge wall mural advertisement at the Yonge and Eglinton subway station for Windows Vista, with the slogan ‘The wow starts now’.
I want very badly to take a Sharpie to the wall and strike out ‘now’, writing ‘in six to eight months, give or take’ underneath.
Gates is really, really, really coming off as a jerk in that interview.
I seem to recall that about three years ago, Gates promised us that he’d have spam eliminated by 2007. Also, Fox News Channel is fair and balanced. And a job at McDonalds can take you anywhere.
“You’re bragging about Vista’s reputed “features”, Cancel or Allow?”
“You’re trying to steal the Jobsian RDF, Cancel or Allow?”
"You’re parodying this Apple ad, Cancel or Allow?"
He might be referring to the Month of Apple Bugs project. I don’t have any expertise in the exploit field so I can’t say anything about the actual exploits. I just recall reading about this last month.
here’s the main blog where they discuss each bug and mail they’ve received about their work.
And here’s a list of the exploits themselves
http://projects.info-pull.com/moab/
One does get the impression that they could have gone on for another month or two, if they wanted.