Tournament of Genius
(8) Bill Gates vs. (9) Steve Jobs
by Tournament of Genius - March 17, 2009 - 6:30 AM

gates-jobs.jpg

(8) Bill Gates

Is there anything new to say about Gates? Microsoft co-founder. Owner of a $58 billion fortune. Groundbreakingly generous philanthropist. Executive producer of that Windows 95 promo video starring Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry. Hero to hilarious mugshot collectors everywhere. You may get sick of hitting ctrl-alt-delete when Windows craps out on you, but even the most inveterate Mac user has to grudgingly give Gates some respect.

(9) Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs may be one of the computing industry’s most brilliant minds. Just ask Steve Jobs! His list of achievements is impressive. Jobs built both Apple Computers and Pixar into the revered cultural juggernauts they are. Are you reading this while listening to an iPod and wearing Finding Nemo pajamas? Then you’ve got Jobs to thank.

The Breakdown

You can debate Mac vs. PC all you want. (Just ask Justin Long and John Hodgman.) Who’s the bigger genius, though? The cool, charismatic geek rock star Jobs or the wholly unimposing world dominator Gates?

[poll=7]

[See the whole bracket here.]

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Comments (13)

  1. Pixar is brilliant because of John Lasseter, not Steve Jobs. Credit where it belongs.

    posted by jays on 3-17-2009 at 8:57 am

  2. For the genius of his philanthropy alone: Bill Gates

    posted by Kikadee on 3-17-2009 at 11:09 am

  3. Dangit! Next year, put Linus Torvalds in the tournament…

    posted by Jason! on 3-17-2009 at 11:31 am

  4. Ditto kikadee — philanthropy decided this battle for me.

    posted by elle on 3-17-2009 at 11:56 am

  5. Jobs shouldn’t even be in the tournament. This fight should be between Gates and Wozniak.

    posted by Marcus Brute on 3-17-2009 at 12:37 pm

  6. Steve Jobs because he didn’t “borrow” much of his technology from other sources.

    posted by Analouisa on 3-17-2009 at 1:09 pm

  7. Wow this is a tough one! I went with Gates just because of the power that Microsoft has as a company. Neither one is a true ‘innovator’ in the way of Edison, et al, but each is a master of taking existing technologies, making slight modifications, and making them palatable to the non-geek public. I’m happy with whoever wins.

    posted by Joe on 3-17-2009 at 2:57 pm

  8. Gates is only a genius at stealing other people’s ideas – mostly those of Jobs and Wozniak. Why do so many PC users hate Microsoft while Mac users practically worship Apple? Because Apple isn’t trying to play catch-up all the time and copy someone else’s product’s and success.

    posted by PartiallyDeflected on 3-17-2009 at 3:28 pm

  9. I went with Gates just for the fact that he is using his billions on helping to improve the health and lives of people who are not fortunate to afford things like buying a meal to eat everyday.

    posted by Reddkatz on 3-17-2009 at 5:06 pm

  10. Yes, yes, Steve Jobs is great & all but Bill Gates is again the richest man in the world. And please, stop this idol worshipping of Mr. Jobs, please. At least Gates is Christian. Can I vote for both of them????

    posted by Karl on 3-17-2009 at 10:14 pm

  11. JOBS for me. not just bcoz u think gates is a philanthropist. for me still its Steve. he doesn’t borrow ideas, unlike gates who used other ideas just to make billion’s. and remember his money is too much for him since he is the #1 billionare again, beatiing buffet. so what dyo think?! STEVE Jobs #1!! :)

    posted by gykx on 3-17-2009 at 11:22 pm

  12. Have to go with Jobs on this. do you ever see PC products at an Apple convention? I don’t think so, but I’ve seen the reverse.

    posted by Burnc on 3-18-2009 at 11:58 pm

  13. Jobs isn’t the one who made Pixar great, per se, but he was the one who made the risk of a lifetime funding Pixar in its early stages.

    posted by Luke on 3-21-2009 at 11:30 pm

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