Jul 19, 2008
Who would you rather sit next to on a bus?
Been pretty caught up over the last couple of weeks — especially in our iPhone 3G review and coverage — but one lasting memory I’m definitely going to take from 2008 is Bill’s last day at Microsoft. One Engadget commenter made a poignant remark that kind of brought it all home: Who would you rather sit next to on a bus, Bill or Steve?
I'm an editor and technology critic in the midst of founding a new web startup: 
Why would the world’s richest man be taking the bus? Did his limited edition Porsche break down?
And you’re surprised when Chad Hurley flies first class instead of taking a private jet…
Gates ceded that title long ago, sir! Carlos Slim is now the world’s richest man (not counting all those Saudi royals who know one knows what they’re REALLY worth).
Um… in direct answer to ryan’s question: Steve. I would have nothing to say to Bill. I could talk to Steve for hours. Besides Bill has done hundreds of interviews but I would kill to interview Steve. That might jump the hits on my blog a bit. :)
Bill. Even though I don’t really use his product, he and I could probably connect more while Steve would just give terse answers.
Talk to Steve on the bus?
That would be rude…
Bill would have the biggest chance of actually talking to you. Steve might tell you to shutup but that would be it.
Steve’s apparently not quite as fun a person in real life. Bill’s incredibly approachable, and a family guy, when compared to Steve. Steve’s a good businessman, not a good man.
Well that came out wrong. I mean to say, he’s not as approachable :)
Bill. He seems like a decent guy, and I’ve heard stories of Steve being “bad on a good day, unapproachable on a bad day”.
I’ve heard from an MS employee that Bill says that everything is “the stupidest idea ever” and that he curses a lot. But I definitely have more respect for Bill than Steve.
I have to say Bill. I’m a happy Mac and iPod user through and through, but Steve just seems like kind of an a-hole to me. Bill on the other hand is just a nerd like the rest of us. A really, really, generous nerd whose donations and charity organizations have probably saved millions of lives around the world. If nothing else I’d like to thank him for that and giving nerds around the world a great poster boy.
Meh, I’m bored.
I remember a few posts back you said to me “you don’t call Jobs, Jobs calls you”. Well, as much as I’d love to grab such golden opportunity, I think Steve would be over-critical with life to make a friendly conversation. For example, if he sees me whipping out my jailbroken iPhone, he might threaten to confiscate it! Now the remainder of the bus journey would be rather awkward.
Bill, on the other hand, seems to be ready to listen to any suggestions, and we can even talk beyond computers with him (global issues, cars, video games, dream of the future etc.). Conversely, Steve would only stick to how good Apple’s products are and pick out lines from The Beatles’ songs.