Re:Bill Gates says he advocated Skype takeover
by glhaynes on Wednesday May 18, 2011 @02:27AM
(#2559262)
I see it not being distancing language so much as an attempt on his part to emphasize that he's a strong proponent at the highest possible level. Besides, who's a strong proponent for something at the board level but tries to fight against it at lower levels? No way Gates doesn't feel like he can say what he wants at the board level.
Re:Bill Gates says he advocated Skype takeover
by michael_dorfman on Wednesday May 18, 2011 @04:49AM
(#2559530)
That's a very unnatural way to read the sentence.
Bill's role is at the board level these days. He's not actively involved in the day-to-day running of the company.
But a decision of this magnitude is, without a doubt, a board-level decision. And there, at the very highest level possible, Bill was a strong proponent, he says.
And somehow you read this as him not being fully behind it?
Re:Bill Gates says he advocated Skype takeover
by aneth on Wednesday May 18, 2011 @04:02PM
(#2561531)
Yes, he's at the board level, so he has no need to qualify his statement and introduce ambiguity.
If you take everyone, particularly people with great power, at the surface level of their language, you are missing most of the meaning. Indirect and qualified statements are usually that way for a reason. Read up on this - I'm sure you'll be fascinated.
What was he at other levels?
The presence of "at the board level" is distancing language. If he was personally fully behind the deal, he would be likely not to include that phrase and to add that information in a different structure.
My take is he's uncomfortable with the deal and was likely not fully behind it.