Bill Gates is widely respected as an ingenious computer scientist and a brilliant businessman.
He is also an astonishingly immature and infantile character, according to a man who knows him pretty well -- New Yorker media columnist Ken Auletta, the author of World War 3.0: Microsoft and Its Enemies.
Auletta spoke to about 60 students and faculty members Thursday afternoon in Houston Hall's Class of '49 Auditorium. He focused on the Microsoft book, which was released earlier this year.
"I came to wonder," Auletta said, "how is it that the world's richest man, the head of one of the world's most powerful companies, can act so unlike a leader?"
This question led him to start what would become a three-year investigation to go behind the scenes at Microsoft.
University President Judith Rodin, who is part of the Fox Leadership Program which brought in Auletta, introduced him to the crowd.
"As a journalist, he has covered leaders," Rodin said. "As senior staff of important political figures, he has worked with leaders. And as a great writer, he is known as a great leader."
Auletta proceeded to lecture about Microsoft, Gates and the company's conflict with the Justice Department.
He nabbed interviews with many of the most important players in the Microsoft anti-trust trial, including exclusives with the judge and Gates himself.
During his talk, Auletta penetrated the legal and ethical questions of the case.
Referring to Microsoft's practices of bundling several programs to beat out competition, Auletta said, "It always came back to that question: Is it acceptable? Even if it is legal, is it acceptable? And if it is, what does that say about us?"
Auletta explained the various contradictions within Microsoft and, most importantly, the flaws within Bill Gates.
Many audience members said they were impressed by Auletta's presentation, which was followed by a question-and-answer session and a reception.
"There haven't been many cases where I have seen a great writer who is also a great public speaker," said College senior Jayon You. "I was amazed at his dexterity."
Some said they were surprised by the harshness of Auletta's statements.
"It was very different for me to hear such strong attacks on Gates," said Chunyang Shi, a Law School student from China. "I have never heard such strong opinions stated on the personality of such special groups."
