BILL GATES' RULES
"The reason Bill Gates is smiling on your cover: not only are the new rules for the digital age his, but he also owns the playing field." JOHN M. SIMPSON Lakewood, Wash.
Many of "Bill Gates' New Rules" [BOOK EXCERPT, March 22] for accelerating and improving business transactions are very appropriate and useful. However, Rule No. 5, "Convert every paper process to a digital process," is worrisome. Gates complains of "administrative processes that were too complicated and time-intensive." He could even swing some environmentalists to this rule because it would reduce paper consumption. However, the temptation to cut down on waste and the desire to transact efficiently cannot supersede the importance of having cold, hard documentation of highly valuable transactions. Let's not go too far in risking our rights and our identities for efficiency. WILLIAM B. NOEL Jackson, Miss.
My first thought upon seeing the cover was that Gates seemed to be saying, "I may be getting my a%$ kicked in federal court, but I can still get my 'I'm good people' mug shot on the cover of TIME, because I'm money!" Still, it was an interesting book excerpt. TONY TOVAR San Diego
When I read Bill Gates' rule no. 1, "Insist that communication flow through e-mail," I thought, What a great way to run a company, and the proof is Microsoft! Yet the U.S. government ruthlessly pursues defendants in antitrust cases. Perhaps it is time for Americans to start investigating some of the economic failures in their country rather than the successes. JIM WIGLE Barrie, Ontario
I eagerly picked up your magazine this week to get some insight regarding succeeding in the digital age from the greatest digital visionary of the 20th century. Imagine my disappointment when I read the trite suggestions that Gates came up with. Insist on e-mail? Study sales data online? My four-year-old nephew could have come up with such gems while watching Barney on the boob tube. Who is Gates' target audience for these pearls of wisdom? SANJAY THOMAS Ottawa
Getting advice for success from Gates is like listening to Henry Ford before the Japanese automotive invasion. Incremental success comes from studying and mimicking past success stories. Phenomenal success comes from breaking the mold created by these successes. My advice to my three-month-old son will be to study the failures of the once powerful dinosaurs (animal and business) and learn from their mistakes! TONY CIAMBERLANO Montreal
Each of the 12 rules excerpted from Gates' new book is a self-serving endorsement of products in which he has a vested interest. Persuading others to follow these rules will ensure the continued success of one digital-age company, although it is unclear exactly how much competitive advantage it will afford others. CHARLES MEYER St. Louis, Mo.
I have not followed the antitrust case against Microsoft closely. Nevertheless, as a Windows 95 user for the past four years, I cannot help hoping for a verdict, specially written for Microsoft, that reads, "Warning: This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down." CHRIS MCINTIRE Big Bear City, Calif.