Bill Gates finally gets college degree - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 26th Mar 2007, 07:33

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/03...ollege_degree/

orb · 26th Mar 2007, 07:47

Now he can finally get on that career to earn some money!

Fod · 26th Mar 2007, 07:51

good to see him finally making something of himself.

samkiller42 · 26th Mar 2007, 08:43

Congrats billy

This is one of those nice "and they all lived happily ever after" stories.

Sam

Vaz · 26th Mar 2007, 08:58

I'm really not in favour of 'honourary degrees'. It's so unfair. So what if they make it to the top, a degree in any subject should be earnt through paying you're student fee's, working late night, being tested thouroughly on the subject.

People who spend 3-6 years in uni make getting that degree one of the most important goals in life. These other lot make it big by chance and then end up with a degree from every university they go to gie lectures to. I mean.. come on..

not fair

M_D_K · 26th Mar 2007, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vaz

I'm really not in favour of 'honourary degrees'. It's so unfair. So what if they make it to the top, a degree in any subject should be earnt through paying you're student fee's, working late night, being tested thouroughly on the subject.

People who spend 3-6 years in uni make getting that degree one of the most important goals in life. These other lot make it big by chance and then end up with a degree from every university they go to gie lectures to. I mean.. come on..

not fair

That is true, and why does Mr Gates need one anyway so he can leave MS and go flip burgers with 5 stars

lol.

Something to put on his wall or maybe he's getting picked on in the office for not having a proper education lol.

Havok154 · 26th Mar 2007, 10:29

The only reason they give them out is to say that (insert celebrity) graduated from their school, and you should pay them insane amounts of money to do the same.

bilbothebaggins · 26th Mar 2007, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vaz

I'm really not in favour of 'honourary degrees'. It's so unfair. So what if they make it to the top, a degree in any subject should be earnt through paying you're student fee's, working late night, being tested thouroughly on the subject.

People who spend 3-6 years in uni make getting that degree one of the most important goals in life. These other lot make it big by chance and then end up with a degree from every university they go to gie lectures to. I mean.. come on..

not fair

Yeah but it's a honorary degree alright. So everyone knows he didn't do it regularly. (As if anyone would care with Mr. Gates.)

sinizterguy · 26th Mar 2007, 11:04

Why not ... He deserves that honorary degree.

alextwo · 26th Mar 2007, 13:16

Edinburgh university gave him an honorary degree when he was over here at the end of January:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/070130billgates.html

Swafeman · 26th Mar 2007, 14:00

So now hes got 2

He deserves it, sure you could argue you should have to study hard to earn it, but at the end of the day its knowledge thats key, not just revising the answers to pass exams - hes done better than anyone else in his class, surely hes got a better computing knowledge than most of his computing degree fellows

pjotero · 26th Mar 2007, 14:46

can you actually do anything with an honorary degree?

supermonkey · 26th Mar 2007, 14:52

No, you can't actually do anything with an honorary degree. Some people are starting to take this a little out of proportion. The people who toil away at Harvard for 5 years earning their degrees will still have a proper diploma. Bill Gates hasn't gained any actual college degree, just an honorary title.

It's very common for universities to hand out honorary degrees to commencement speakers.

-monkey

Tyinsar · 26th Mar 2007, 17:13

Honorary degrees are just silly. Those who get them have earned enough prestige in their field that the degree is unneeded. Those people have usually also rejected the traditional way of earning that degree (and thus rejected the school system involved). The only thing I can see them being is an attention getter for the school. They are in effect nothing but a publicity stunt.

supermonkey · 26th Mar 2007, 18:36

It's just part of the university tradition. Instead of giving a certificate or a plaque, the university bestows an "honorary degree." Typically is it a degree in "Letters" or some other vague title. It's not meant to be anything other than a certificate of thanks for giving the commencement, but calling it a "degree" gives it that academic feel associated with a place of higher learning. The only reason this is getting any press is because of the coincidence that Bill Gates just happened to have dropped out of Harvard before founding Microsoft.

If Bill has ever given any other commencement addresses, then I can almost guarantee that he has a bunch of these degrees sitting in his closet.

-monkey

Tyinsar · 26th Mar 2007, 18:49

Why not just give him a certificate of thanks then? I think degrees should be reserved for people who actually graduated from the school (and thus are a "product" of that school).

Quote:

Originally Posted by orb

Now he can finally get on that career to earn some money!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fod

good to see him finally making something of himself.

I laughed with those two.

Javerh · 26th Mar 2007, 21:02

Perhaps Billy-boy will put his degree to good use and make Windows all the better and eventually save the world from the tyranny of Linuxintosh.

Cptn-Inafinus · 26th Mar 2007, 21:48

Excuse my use of overused internet acronyms but:

OMGIODZ BILL GATEZ IS NOW A HACCORZ! FO REALS!

Sorry but this is just silly. Its just too make people laugh. It will be the happy story on the news after all the sad ones.

Cthippo · 27th Mar 2007, 01:14

I wonder what perchentage of self-made multi-millionaires did so without a degree. I think it's most of them. A degree may earn you more money on average, but it seems to be an impediment to getting to the top.

Tyinsar · 27th Mar 2007, 01:28

Interesting point Cthippo. Perhaps skipping the degree gives them an earlier start but I suspect most of those people who "make it" without a degree are mavericks, they like to take chances, are impatient to get going, and dislike following others. Traditional schools aren't really geared to deal with their personalities.

26th Mar 2007, 07:33	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	Bill Gates finally gets college degree http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/03...ollege_degree/ __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

26th Mar 2007, 07:47	#2
orb satisfying. Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: In a box. Posts: 1,102	Now he can finally get on that career to earn some money! __________________ [ ADDICT ]

26th Mar 2007, 07:51	#3
Fod what is the cheesecake? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London Posts: 4,901	good to see him finally making something of himself. __________________ "Sesame Street is brought to you by the letters P, W, N, the number 3, and the letter D." I'm a pretentious git with a camera. ISPs want to spy on you. Join the fight against phorm XBL/PSN/Steam ID: FodT

26th Mar 2007, 08:43	#4
samkiller42 KEEP IT CLEAN! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Havant, Hampshire, England Posts: 3,182	Congrats billy This is one of those nice "and they all lived happily ever after" stories. Sam __________________ The Rig: i7 920 D0, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, 12GB DDR3 1600mhz, BFG GTX295, Samsung 64gb SSD, WD 640gb Black, Samsung F2 Eco 1TB, Dell 3007WFP, Windows 7 RC. The Netbook: Samsung NC10 Black, Intel Atom, 2gb DDR2 Xbox Live: samkiller42¦PSN: samkiller42¦Bungie: samkiller42

26th Mar 2007, 08:58	#5
Vaz Multimodder Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London, GB Posts: 78	I'm really not in favour of 'honourary degrees'. It's so unfair. So what if they make it to the top, a degree in any subject should be earnt through paying you're student fee's, working late night, being tested thouroughly on the subject. People who spend 3-6 years in uni make getting that degree one of the most important goals in life. These other lot make it big by chance and then end up with a degree from every university they go to gie lectures to. I mean.. come on.. not fair __________________ I may not know about hardware and modding, but I sure do about web development Click to view my first mod

26th Mar 2007, 10:29	#7
Havok154 Multimodder Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 79	The only reason they give them out is to say that (insert celebrity) graduated from their school, and you should pay them insane amounts of money to do the same.

26th Mar 2007, 11:04	#9
sinizterguy Dark & Sinizter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 5,462	Why not ... He deserves that honorary degree. __________________ Nothing here. Go away and dont bother me.

26th Mar 2007, 13:16	#10
alextwo Resident Cockchafer Expert Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 724	Edinburgh university gave him an honorary degree when he was over here at the end of January: http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/070130billgates.html __________________ flickr

26th Mar 2007, 14:00	#11
Swafeman Ultramodder Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: B'ham Posts: 1,465	So now hes got 2 He deserves it, sure you could argue you should have to study hard to earn it, but at the end of the day its knowledge thats key, not just revising the answers to pass exams - hes done better than anyone else in his class, surely hes got a better computing knowledge than most of his computing degree fellows __________________ I am Roger, that is me0

26th Mar 2007, 14:46	#12
pjotero belgian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: to close to Relix Posts: 186	can you actually do anything with an honorary degree? __________________ to lazy to put anything meaningful here

26th Mar 2007, 14:52	#13
supermonkey Space Monkey Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,699	No, you can't actually do anything with an honorary degree. Some people are starting to take this a little out of proportion. The people who toil away at Harvard for 5 years earning their degrees will still have a proper diploma. Bill Gates hasn't gained any actual college degree, just an honorary title. It's very common for universities to hand out honorary degrees to commencement speakers. -monkey __________________ But of bliss and of glad life there is little to be said, before it ends; as works fair and wonderful, while still they endure for eyes to see, are their own record, and only when they are in peril or broken for ever do they pass into song. -J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

26th Mar 2007, 17:13	#14
Tyinsar 6 screens / 1 card Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: AB.CA Posts: 2,005	Honorary degrees are just silly. Those who get them have earned enough prestige in their field that the degree is unneeded. Those people have usually also rejected the traditional way of earning that degree (and thus rejected the school system involved). The only thing I can see them being is an attention getter for the school. They are in effect nothing but a publicity stunt. __________________ It's not about how life treats you, it's about how you treat life.

26th Mar 2007, 18:36	#15
supermonkey Space Monkey Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,699	It's just part of the university tradition. Instead of giving a certificate or a plaque, the university bestows an "honorary degree." Typically is it a degree in "Letters" or some other vague title. It's not meant to be anything other than a certificate of thanks for giving the commencement, but calling it a "degree" gives it that academic feel associated with a place of higher learning. The only reason this is getting any press is because of the coincidence that Bill Gates just happened to have dropped out of Harvard before founding Microsoft. If Bill has ever given any other commencement addresses, then I can almost guarantee that he has a bunch of these degrees sitting in his closet. -monkey __________________ But of bliss and of glad life there is little to be said, before it ends; as works fair and wonderful, while still they endure for eyes to see, are their own record, and only when they are in peril or broken for ever do they pass into song. -J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

26th Mar 2007, 21:02	#17
Javerh Superfreak Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 650	Perhaps Billy-boy will put his degree to good use and make Windows all the better and eventually save the world from the tyranny of Linuxintosh. __________________ Project: Seawolf "Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them."

26th Mar 2007, 21:48	#18
Cptn-Inafinus Peanut Extrordinare! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Crieff, Scotland Posts: 395	Excuse my use of overused internet acronyms but: OMGIODZ BILL GATEZ IS NOW A HACCORZ! FO REALS! Sorry but this is just silly. Its just too make people laugh. It will be the happy story on the news after all the sad ones. __________________ My Photography A few more of those

27th Mar 2007, 01:14	#19
Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 4,456	I wonder what perchentage of self-made multi-millionaires did so without a degree. I think it's most of them. A degree may earn you more money on average, but it seems to be an impediment to getting to the top. __________________ Notice: If we see you flaming we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate measures - The Bit-Tech Fire Brigade.

27th Mar 2007, 01:28	#20
Tyinsar 6 screens / 1 card Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: AB.CA Posts: 2,005	Interesting point Cthippo. Perhaps skipping the degree gives them an earlier start but I suspect most of those people who "make it" without a degree are mavericks, they like to take chances, are impatient to get going, and dislike following others. Traditional schools aren't really geared to deal with their personalities. __________________ It's not about how life treats you, it's about how you treat life.