Bill Gates Tries Facebook, Quits Facebook

Even though he's no longer at the helm of Microsoft, most people of the world see Bill Gates as the man of technology. After all, it is the company that he founded that drives the majority of software technology on computers today.

Perhaps that is why it's amusing to learn that Bill Gates isn't all that Web 2.0, at least not when it comes to social networking. According to the AFP, Bill Gates told an audience in New Delhi, where he was receiving the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development, that he tried out Facebook but had to quit after he  had "10,000 people wanting to be my friends."

Gates said that that he had trouble figuring out of those 10,000 people which of them he actually knew.  "It was just way too much trouble so I gave it up," said Gates.

This is particularly interesting as in late October 2007, Microsoft invested $240 million into Facebook.

The Microsoft chairman also revealed that he wasn't a "24-hour-a-day tech person," and that he was "not that big at text messaging."

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • jacobdrj
    Aw. Too bad.
    Reply
  • dman3k
    I wish I could quit Facebook...
    Reply
  • megamanx00
    Operating System Nerd != Social Nerd
    Reply
  • Sicundercover
    Understandable considering that alot of people either love or hate the guy. Im sure it would be pretty annoying getting 10000 posts on your wall every day and having nonstop mad ramblings from MAC fanboys.

    I think Bill would be more suited for Twitter. Well only if he actually Tweeted.
    Reply
  • vherub
    maybe he's big into 4chan
    Reply
  • tipoo
    Same reason i quit.
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    Maybe Bill had things to do in the real world rather then become friends with as many people as he could, all people he will most likely never meet for REAL.

    He can use MSN to talk to his friends anyway :p

    Personally I find internet social networking kind of pointless with anyone who I do not know in person.
    Reply
  • igot1forya
    Bill should make his own social networking site then, one that links friends better than Facebook. I use Facebook to play Pirates and Mafia Wars... it's like crack!
    Reply
  • matchboxmatt
    Amen to that.
    Reply
  • kezix_69
    He should use a fake name that only his real friends know. He's probably smart enough to have done that but I doubt he'll share that info?
    Reply