The Plot to Get Bill Gates: An Irreverent Investigation of the World's Richest Man... and the People Who Hate Him

by Gary Rivlin

Book Overview

Moby Dick in Silicon Valley, this bright and readable (The New York Times) book tells the true story of Bill Gates and those who would harpoon him, offering a hilarious and original investigation into... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812930061
• ISBN13: 9780812930061
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Crown Business
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Down and out in Silicon Valley.

This book contains the single funniest comment I've ever read. It's in the note at the bottom of page 260. And oh yeah the rest of the pages are worth reading as well altho -- seriously -- I found myself getting depressed at reading how Gates and his company annihilate each rival like an army of ants devours enemies along its path. By book's end, Ellison's line about "the four stages of Microsoft" (p. 249) sure rang true.

Accurate + Timely + Fast Reading = Winner

You will feel like you were a fly on the walls for the past decade in the fast paced fields of computer software and the internet. While others have tackled this topic, Rivlin's strict attention to the details and facts, his unwillingness to be swayed by anecdotes, plus his ability to retell a story, make for a more enjoyable fast read on a variety of levels. These corporate leaders are not driven by altruistic pursuits for the betterment of mankind, these are businesses run by highly influential men driven by money, ego and power. I now chuckle at PR fluff stories about Gates, Ellison and McNeally in magazines and newspapers. This book is so timely it seems as if it was written days, not months ago - the author's conclusions are constantly being validated by the daily headlines. Can't wait for his next book! Enjoy it.

Makes sense of our strange new world

As a non-techy, TPTGBG pulled me in. The technical stuff is coherent, the personalities are drawn with plenty of detail but not obsessively so, and Rivlin makes a convincing case that technological innovations now are the province of intelligent but mostly immature egotists. Gates isn't evil, he just is the most extreme example of this breed. For better or (probably) worse.

A Great Read---- I Couldn't Put It Down Until I Finished !

This book presents a well-written, witty, independent, and original view into the character and personality of Bill Gates, and also those of the high tech titans who hate (and envy) him. Lots of great anecdotes are weaved into this tale of Bill (aka "Moby Dick"), and his Captains Ahab: Ellison, McNealy, Doerr, Nader and their fellow co-conspirators. This book is a thorough, and thoroughly entertaining, work of reporting. I enjoyed it greatly, and recommend it.

Funny, Insightful, and Addictive

Great insights into the world's biggest tycoon, and those who fear and kowtow to him. Sure to get one-star reviews by readers who've been brainwashed into believing that Windows anything more than a pale imitation of the Macintosh operating system.